The newest member of the garden....

is my Blue Birthday Butterfly - a birthday gift from my sista!!

Anticipation.....

This is my new perennial garden:

And this is my annual bed where I planted zinnia seeds:

 Look!  It's only been a few days, and they're already sprouting!  Isn't that exciting?!

Here are my new Hostas in the front shrub bed:

Here are my other Hostas I received from a neighbor

I want to plant some of them HERE

next to the existing Hosta that I swear tripled in size from last year!

These are my leftover treasures from the tree recently cut down (it was too close to my neighbor's house and was about to destroy the chain link fence.)

The stumps are for plant stands, or even sitting stools.  The two chunks that are split open will make splendid pots for some little plants, don't you think? The round pieces are for unique stepping stones!

Did you notice the new reed fencing that adorns the chain link fence?

This is another of my new perennials called a Guara - doesn't it look lovely in this pot?

And my new little patio outside the back door!   A place for my gas grill, and no more ugly stones!

In this plot of dirt

I'm going to plant this ground cover called Ajuga, or Bugleweed

And that vine to the left of the Ajuga, which is Virginia Creeper (a freebie I pulled out of my front shrub bed) is going to be planted by the shed to climb a trellis.  But I have to repaint the shed first.  :-(

Virginia Creeper turns a brilliant red in the fall.  I think I'll paint the shed a dark marine grayish blue with the white trim.

The back yard has been graded and seeded with grass seed.  That's straw strewn about to keep the seed in place and keep moisture in.