Mid-Day in the Garden of Good and Marvelousness

I distinctly remember watching the legendary Bob Ross paint when I was young. In the beginning it was tough to see exactly what that modern-day Rembrandt was up to. It looked like he was randomly slathering paint on the canvas. But then - bam! - all of a sudden a sublime mountain ranger or forest manifested itself and you realized that  Bob was so brilliant that he could see the mountain or forest in the blob of paint long before us lesser mortals.

I don't dare compare myself to a titan like Bob Ross, genius though I am, but such a scenario, in essence, describes what I've done with my front garden. For a long time I have made small changes here and there, but much like Bob, the vision of its final glory has been present in my mind from the beginning. 

As you see above, it is approaching something like its final form. My new border is finished. It is fully mulched. A new variegated Weigelia has taken the place of the old under performing Hydrangea. Additionally, I now have adequate space to begin filling in the area with smaller accent perennials.

Moving around to the side, you can see that I've relocated a portion of the Hydrangea that was once in front. It should do much better in this shadier spot. When I dug it out it broke into several pieces. That was no problem since in its prior form it was probably too big to go anywhere else around my place.

The graceful arc of my modified border. If Pythagoras were still alive he would likely weep when he saw it.

A close up of the new Variegated Weigelia. 

A new Dianthus I put in the front of the area vacated by the old Hydrangea. This particular variety is called "coconut" something or other. I love coconut more than a 400 pound Polynesian man, so there was no question that I would add this guy to my garden.

There is that marvelous specimen of dog that is Whitman. He is mightier than Cerberus and Fenrir combined.

What a glorious block head.

The power and the glory from another angle.

Coming around to the back, you can see that I've completed the new border. All that's left is the application of more mulch and this fine project will be completed.

The Nazca Lines have nothing on my border when it comes to arrow-straightness.

Sometimes my brilliance amazes even me.

A glimpse of the new Shangri-La

A quick look back to the front before we move around back.

Devoted readers will remember when this azalea was nearly expired. Now, thanks to my amazingness, it is now well on its way to gloriousness.

Hark! What's that? That's right. You are seeing what you think you are seeing. The first bud on my Climbing Hydrangea. Truly the explanation point on the marvelosity of my garden.

A sight not unlike the one the gods enjoy atop Mount Olympus.

This Peony is progressing nicely. What was last year one stalk is this year two.

This Ribbon Grass is truly a sight to behold. The perfect combination of container and plant.

The Hosta planter I started is progressing superbly.

I've moved a piece from the Hydrangea in front around back to this spot where all my other plants have gotten eaten. Let's see the voles eat this.

There are no words.

So as not to challenge the gods with my hubris as Odysseus did, I do have to have one underperforming  area. That is presently this Creeping Phlox. For some reason it has struggled to come back fully.

The first stirring of my gorgeous variegated Lace-Cap Hydrangea.

The latest attempt at returning a Bleeding Heart to this area. In an effort to keep the voles away, I left it in its container and merely cut the bottom off. Hopefully this should keep those nuisances away. If not, I will be forced to call in the services of a Great Horned Owl.

A Marvelous Work of Staggering Genius

When one gardens as well as me, you tend to get used to people referring to your creations as works of genius. However, seeing my work every day, I tend to become inured to its brilliance. Yet every so often I do something so marvelous and so brilliant that it makes me realize just what a gardening genius I truly am. Today was one of those days. 

I had long planned to formalize the border around my front and side garden. I had put down bricks temporarily to keep the condo grounds keeps from interfering with my gardens. But this border looked ragged and messy and required formalization. I begun this project today.

Once you cease being stupefied by the brilliance of what you've just seen, you will see that I've put down fine sand base in order to ensue that the bricks sit level and then arranged the bricks into curves so graceful that designers from the world over will no doubt make pilgrimages to my garden to seek inspiration from them.

Perfection.

Next week I will get my yearly load of mulch and fill this area in.

The curve is so graceful you would think I used a giant compass to plot it.

Now that I've finally completed this area I can fill it in with more marvelous plants.

Now, seeing as it is undoubtedly difficult for you to comprehend the words you are reading given the glorious sights before you, I will fall silent and let the brilliance of my work speak for itself.