The sad truth about gardening is that it takes loads of time and thousands of dollars to make your garden look like much of anything. The structural components alone are usually very expensive and difficult to get in place. We've had both the benefit and nightmare of only ever buying brand new houses which means every single time the landscaping (well, everything) is basic and needs fluffing up. In our first year in our newest home we have planted (listing perennial/trees/shrubs ONLY):

2 10 ft. cryptomeria
1 8 ft. Japanese maple
1 8 ft. crape myrtle (Natchez)
1 6 ft. skip laurel
1 10 ft. Nellie Stevens Holly
1 Nishiki willow
1 eleagnus
1 Endless Summer Hydrangea Original
5 Lo and Behold Blue Chip Buddleia
3 evergreen azaleas
12 double apricot hollyhocks
2 mini yellow roses
4 Oso Easy Honey Bun Roses
5 David Phlox
2 Rudbekia
2 Autumn Joy Sedums
1 Hyssop
1 dwarf fountain grass
10 catmint
2 lamb's ears
3 creeping phlox
4 nandina
1 Tamora rose
1 goldflame honeysuckle
5 heuchera
5 columbine
2 Christopher Marlowe roses
2 Westerland roses
3 spiderworts
3 lavenders
1 Janet rose
6 South Seas daylily
gladiolus bulbs
3 blueberry bushes
5 dwarf apple trees
1 Fairy rose
2 Cityline Rio hydrangeas
3 My Monet weigela
2 Anthony Waterer spirea
2 Pinky Winky hydrangeas
6 various varieties Echinacea Coneflowers
2 Vitex/Chaste trees
1 bloomerang lilac
1 Korean Spice Viburnum
2 Endless Summer Blushing Bride hydrangeas
1 Annabelle hydrangea
1 Chinese Fairy Bells
1 Hellebore
5 Astible
4 hostas
2 clematis
1 Carolina Jessamine
2 winter jasmine
strawberries
blue oat grass
korean feather grass
3 Fireworks fountain grass
600 spring blooming bulbs

We've also spread 15 cubic yards of compost, a lot of mulch, built 4 raised beds for veggies, ripped out a lot of sod to make new beds. No wonder my husband groaned when I told him even more plants were arriving and I need him to help me rip out just a bit more sod tomorrow. But I think we are just about done getting the "bones" in place! The last major project will happen this fall or next spring and will be putting in two large tree islands in our front yard. One island on our corner will have 1 large maple sided by 2 service berries and fronted with red twig dogwood. The other bed will have 2 Siren Crape Myrtles and one Serviceberry.

*Trying to figure out the time, money and energy I've spent on annuals in the last year, just to make things a little prettier while all the immature "bones" settle in would probably make me cry so I'm not going to go there. Let's just say there has been an awful lot of geraniums, petunia, begonias, coleus, zinnias, sunflowers, morning glories, verbena and who knows what else purchased and planted during last spring and summer and I'm sure come May I'll be heading out and loading up my car with more of the same. Oh, I should also mention the attention all those seeds I start every year require - I've a lot of pots under lights in the basement this year, the one flower I am most excited to try is Cerinthe, so lets hope it makes it through hardening off and puts on a good show!

Jess