Front Garden

About 3 weeks ago I decided to mulch the front garden. We have mulch sitting on our driveway that we got for free from the city and I needed to start putting it to good purpose. I'm not sure if it's crabgrass or quackgrass that I have growing in here, but it keeps trying to take over and I keep fighting back with pulling and mulching. It's terrible stuff whatever it is. Deep roots that break easily. Even the tiniest portion of root left in the soil will regenerate into a new plant. This whole bed was once pure grass, so I guess I should be happy I've gotten this far.

So first I pulled out my little plastic fence border and weeded the whole bed.

Here you see the dark richness of the new leaf mulch. I hope it makes the plants very happy.
Plants like these lilies that are wonderfully fragrant.
Or the french lavender that every year I cut back and every year it takes over the walkway again.
The King came home as I was finishing up. He, looking calm, cool and collected in his office clothes. Me, looking exhausted, dirty and dripping with sweat. He looks at me. Looks at the mulch. Looks back at me. "What?", I ask. "Well, I'm just concerned that the ants might like this mulch."

"What?!?"

"Ee vill pay!" said in my best German accent.

(To cover the possibility of ants, I've bought some natural stuff you can put on the ground. Smells like cedar evidently and will repel the ants naturally.)

The lilies look lovely next to the Echinacea!
The finished bed. Fencing is back up but the walkway wasn't swept yet. Yikes!
One of my heirloom hollyhocks. I've only got a couple of plants this year, but am putting in new ones for blooms next year. They are so neat. I don't know why people don't grow them much anymore.
In other parts of the yard, this hydrangea is blooming. The plant grew leaps and bounds this spring because of all the rain.
The butterfly bushes are staying very active. I haven't gotten around to identifying this little guy yet. I was after a little blue butterfly but by the time I got back out there with the camera, he was gone! I've seen a couple of monarchs stop by this year too.
I have to get photos of the back garden. Then you'll see why I say I'm always behind. The rain caused jungle like growth. Weeds are everywhere. The King will be off a few days coming up and we have a lot of work to get done.