My Rock Garden Wish List

"He is the Rock, His work is perfect: for all His ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is He." -- Deuteronomy 32:4

I just finished putting together my shopping list for the rock garden I want to install in the back yard. I am going to try some trench gardens in the cracks and crevices that are in the ancient stone wall that runs across my back yard. Here's my list, so far:

The old stone wall behind my house

• Sedum - creeping varieties
• Thymus - I have a lemon thyme -- looking for something different
• Lewisia - a new one for me
• Saxifraga - also new for me
• Eriogonum umbellatum - another newbie
• Salvia pachyphylla - a different Salvia from the ones I have
• Campanula - I saw a picture of a compact one in BH&G, but only have a tall one in my yard, to date -- would love a midget size one
• Heuchera - I collect these...
• Alyssum - an old stand-by for rock gardens
• Dianthus - the grass pinks...
• Scabiosa
• Euphorbia - compact ones...
• Lobelia cardinalis - I never saw a compact form until I saw BH&G's rock garden slide show; I have a shady, damp spot that would be perfect

I'm off to the garden center to look for landscape edging, potting soil and wood chips to construct a flower bed in my front yard. I'll keep you posted on the progress as part of my 3 in 30 Challenge. Click on the button to start your own challenge! And see my blog posts at A Child's Garden for updates on how I'm doing on all my gardening goals!

Peace to all!

Birdies, Butterflies and Blooms

"Every word of God is pure: He is a shield for them that put their trust in Him." (Proverbs 30:5)

Love that fuschia!

I was sent to Home Depot the other day to buy new blades for the weed whacker. I told my husband that this hanging fuchsia somehow got into my cart and I must have accidentally paid for it, because, LOOK! here it is in my trunk!

My husband just smiled. He lets me play with plants, because it's a lot cheaper than most vices folks might have, it makes us happy, doesn't get anyone into trouble, and makes us feel like we are continuing where Adam and Eve should have left off.


We like to sit on our front porch in the evening. There is a common "green" with a little gazebo in it, in the center of our neighborhood. All the children (and their parents!) congregate there for frisbee golf, cookouts, guitar and drum practice, and general fun. So we hung our hanging baskets on the front porch.

Within a day, the hummingbirds found the basket! My husband enjoys them immensely, commenting on how loud their wings are when they whiz past your head, and how unafraid they are.  It makes me very happy to see them.



I have written in the past about other flowers that attract wildlife. See Humming (Sphinx) Moths for a list of other plants you can include in your garden, to attract birds, butterflies and other wonders.