The Knights who formally said “Nii” said that I must bring you more shrubbery.  Or bring it to my yard.

So here it is – the shubbery – only slightly larger.

(My apologies to those of you who have never seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  It’s quite a shame that you are living an existence without being able to quote it on demand.) 

   

According to the plan that I had devised for the front yard, the Forsythia, Hydrangea, and Nellie R Stevens would go on the left hand side of the island…along with some azaleas, a japanese camellia, annuals, and limelight hydrangeas.

What are limelight hydrangeas?

Only one of the most spectacular plants in existance.

Why is this plant so ridiculously awesome?

Well, it basically should be called the Chuck Norris of flowering shrubs.  It is hardy.  Can you say Texas Ranger?

And pests and diseases don’t bother it.  See – totally Chuck, right?

And it changes colors from light chartreuse in the summer to deep pink in the fall.  Just like Mr. Martial Arts can change fighting styles easily according to his opponent.

Basically it kicks butt. 

Almost as much as Crepe Myrtles do.  Speaking of which, we wanted a few lovely crepes to incorporate in the bed in front of our garage.  Remember this scenario before we started our full-blown yard renovation?

And after we planted a few bushes, it looked like this and then grew a little bit to the situation below:

…and now….(drumroll please – just tap your fingers softly on the desk or laptop – one hundred points if you do)

TAH DAH!

The roses really took off runnin, huh?  God bless slow release fertilizer 🙂

  

And I think that the crepes give the area much needed height.  We are just gonna have to be careful to prune these suckers so that they don’t get overly huge.  Here is the transformation from another angle:

I just can’t wait till next year when the shrubs get even bigger.  Like Arnold’s guns. 

 

What’s up with the manly movie star comments today, Katie?

I don’t know.  I do feel as though the “ugly” in our yard got a quick punch to the family jewels. Highya!  

Moving on the limelights.  My little chuckies.  My kick-other-plants-where-the-sun-don’t-shine hydrangeas. 

We just followed the plan for shubbery placement.

And then mulched.

More specifically, Jeremy mulched.

Wonderful boyfriend with a wonderful father.

See what I mean about wonderful?  Pastor Dad was a champ helping us get the mulch spread out.  And putting up with the paparazzi 🙂

 

And my family really helped out too.  My sister, my little brother, my dad, even Cole (my five year old nephew) came to assist with the plantings project. 

My mom came over several times to help out and dig holes.  What a dole-higger she is too!  Seriously.  This woman could win a contest.  She could do three for my one.  I tried to tell her that when I call her ‘a beast’ it is a VERY good thing…she is unconvinced.  Dang old-fashioned-lady.  With the beasty holes.  And the ridiculously awesome attitude.  Who could out-dig a dozen grown men.  Dang, I hope I can do that when I grow up.  while entertaining a five-year old.     

So there it is – one shrubbed yard. 

Just as a forewarning, this project is nowhere near complete.  I do have a few little updates to share with you but for the most part, this Georgia heat is getting too hot to finish the other side just yet.  Me thinks that the shrubbery on the right hand side will have to wait till fall when it cools off a bit.  So stay tuned for future updates on plantings (and maybe a little limelight hydrangea update!) come Autumn.

In the meantime, share with me about your current yard situation.  Have you ever planted a limelight?  Or any other shrub that in your opinion kicks serious booty?  How bout your helpers – do your in-laws or parents pitch in with a shovel, an axe or the know-how on design?  Or are they like the Governator – muscles turned management?

Happy Gardening!