Cheryl, Cheryl, quite contrary...

How did the nursery rhyme go?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

how does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells,

and pretty maids all in a row.

My version would be something like this:

Cheryl, Cheryl, quite contrary,

how does your garden grow?

With wild plants and marching ants,

and limestone rocks in a row.

(I edge my beds with limestone that I dig from the yard.)

Remember my plant children? I have been away so long, dear reader, that they have nearly grown up. I took a walk this evening and shot some pics, that I might share with you what is going on in our yard. Hanging basket.
Brick flower bed next to the carport. Usually I use a lot of dusty millers, impatience, vine and this year I decided to switch it up. I ordered geraniums from the 4-H, so I built from there.

I usually plant annuals in these two beds, but this year I decided to put in some perennials. I can't remember the name of this little guy, but I like him a lot and he is doing quite well. (Yes, my plants are gender-specific.) I put various shells and rocks in these beds around the plants because Doug's cat insists on using my flower bed for a litter box and I read that cats don't like the feel of rocks and shells on their paws. He is not deterred, though. Does anyone know of any hardy plants that will stand up to cat urine?

I planted this last year and it came back, and is spreading!

The fern is from last year and the bit of Jacob's ladder, too. The pink feathery plant is new and I was told it would do well where my bleeding hearts grow. My bleeding heart plant nearly tripled in size this year from last year. Lots of morning sun.

This little guy was a potted plant that I bought for a center piece for St. Patrick's Day in March. I managed to keep it alive until it was time to plant and he is doing quite well.

Creeping Thyme. Also planted last summer- thriving and creeping.

Echinacea.

I love this little soft plant. Silvery mound. I have heard in some parts of the country it will come back from year to year. We live in zone 5B so we shall see.

New, very delicate but so far, so good.

This is a new Yarrow plant. I had brought Yarrow from my yard in New Castle and we threw it into the vegetable/fruit garden and it was doing quite well, growing all over. Our ploughman plowed it under this year (he plows for free so we didn't complain) so this is a new one. I love Yarrow.

And the glory of the garden. I bought these on clearance last year and put them in the ground very late in the season and they ,,too have tripled in size. I also planted another one this year. This photo doesn't capture the true color - a brilliant sunset orange/red.