is it too fertile?

That's the way my beds are getting Neal so full they have to survive on their own and now the weeds! All of this rain has made it impossible to keep up with them I go around digging weeds around the plants I had them all gone before all of this rain started so now it doesn't even look like I touched the garden earlier I can't keep up with them even when I'm planting now I have to dig weeds to make a spot for the perennials

Jo Ann may be right your ground might be too fertile Neal or maybe not enough moisture? I almost lost a bee balm in the field because I didn't water it last year had no idea they like moisture until I read it last winter I thought they were drought tolerant plants they have to be to be in the field so I need to move them or maybe it was just that one cause it died off from no water never did see it bloom it was the wild one too wild bergamot but it came back for more abuse this year and I still haven't moved it

Here is another favorite of mine:

http://www.mobot.org/gardening...

But for some reason I lost it last year too it still isn't greening up I'm just sick it was an established plant I had had it for at least three years I have a Tiger Eye Sumac right next to it and it's doing fine with one baby next to it this year

bummer

Oh Lea, that Monarda is gorgeous! Saving seed for the piggy swap I hope? I've got a red monarda out there that I got from a friend. It's doing nicely, but I'm about to decide that it needs to go elsewhere... I think the pinks in the bed are proving themselves the more important color scheme... my coneflowers are clashing with the kind of faded red of this monarda... Your pink lace looks like a good solution though

I gave up on coneflowers clashing, my tomato soups and coral reefs look the same this year I know I don't have that many of one of them out there now they are huge clumps and looking the same in bloom and have husker's red, jacob cline, cinderella milkweeds together they all clash I have large patches of pinks and reds too just think this garden is too small to try and get the colors right The butterflies like it so I don't care I do have a lot of yellow but only three white plants trying to even it out but don't think it's working I planted one of those datura inoxia there a couple of years ago in between the coneflowers but that thing won't bloom till after the coneflower blooms are gone probably it's only up a foot right now.

I keep trying to add white in and haven't found a good solution to it. I DID plant a white phlox this year, if it does well I'll look into more and taller versions. I like some pinks and reds together, but this monarda I have is just a little insipid... not sure what one it is. So far all I've seen on it are bees... kind of expected butterflies and hummers to be flocking to it... maybe they just need more time to find it...

Also need some plants to provide a different texture and focal point from all the little agastache, salvia, etc. A canna would be perfect, but this is a butterfly garden and I don't know that they're appropriate

Stopped raining long enough to get these.
https://picasaweb.google.com/j...

I think plants like the white astilbe (above) are happy but less obtrusive. If not white, how about silver like types of 'silver mound' Ours were annual so could do something else the next yr.

Jo Ann those are really pretty! I have one that sort of looks like the Ink on Ice think it's called White Wedding tried to google it but the girl that sent it to me may have named it she sells irises.

Kelly what about a white veronica I'll have to look it up a little later for you think they are about 24" tall very pretty white/white. Normally I don't care for whites but I'm taken with this one. I'll save you some seeds if you want, I had a hard time trying to collect seeds last year so I just gathered some seed heads and WS them and got some. I put you down for some Monarda.

White Inoxia Datura is very pretty but spreads out quite a bit but I keep trimming mine off to make it more open inside to let more light thru for other plants under it and around it.

The Ink on Ice has the palest lilac blush on the top.It might have been bleached out in Photoshop. Its not a pure white.

Sounds good Lea! I've got a tiny blue veronica I planted last year from a WS seed from the swap. Its really close to the monarda, and almost got pulled up in my frenzy of controling the beast this spring! Its just starting to flower and is very pretty. Need to plant more of them for a good effect I think!

Here are some photos of the butterfly bed I'm trying to perfect. One half of is is supposed to be my herb garden, but as it was in flux this spring and I needed someplace to put a few tomato plants, its serving as a temporary veggie garden. The other half has some perennials that are starting to be a good success, but needs a lot of finessing to be right. Last year I had a Huge, gorgeous Datura there, which was weird but did give some height... but not a butterfly/hummer plant so I didn't do that again this year. What am I missing... or needing to rearrange... have time to plan now, and can do some planting in the fall here, so I'd be wise to be prepared!

Some Jacob Cline would go great in the middle if it doesn't spread that much I just can't seem to get mine to going afraid to put some plant food on it. I had some in my middle bed that the weeds took over the last few years never did have a chance to spread so now I found two little starts of it begging to get out of there this spring and they haven't done anything just sitting there wonder if they spread a lot?

I'm going to walk around my beds and see if I can find something tall for you doubt it but I'll look

Don't you grow the Textas Star or White Texas Star hibiscus Kelly? Those would be perfect and they don't spread out a lot I can save you some seeds to those too they bloom the first year. Be forewarned don't plant them too close together that's what I did and they don't bloom as much really need to dig a couple out but have been putting it off too much other stuff to do.

Beautiful spaces.Kelly

Peonies have finished & just a dwarf daylily in bloom. The others are late this year.

Kelly, your gardens are coming along beautifully! Your yard is wonderful, such a great setting for your garden!

Lots of Daylilies are blooming here now. I've always just liked, but not loved Daylilies, although I use them as care free perennials throughout the garden. I'm not sure if it's me, or that they have now matured into such lush clumps, but this year I'm so loving them! The trumpet and OT Lilies, Shasta Daisies, Ox Eye sunflowers, and some Salvias and Veronicas are blooming now, and tall Phlox are budding- summer is off to a good start!

I felt tha same way about DL's. I have patches of them and will have to move some. I didnt figure on them becomming so big.The Spider varietys are interesting.
If the skies ever lift and it brightens enough I will photo lilies which I seem to have plenty of. Japanese Iris are churning along and this year number of blooms has doubled on some and others that have been in for 4 years bloomed.
Salvias and Veronicas and echies are starting.

Looking forward to your photos as always Jo Ann...Send some of that rain our way, please.
I'm looking at your lovely pics, Kelly and am noticing that you have staked your rudbeckia. Good idea. I have a killer stand of 'Irish Eyes' this year that have got to go on my this year's top 5 list. I wintersowed them last year and am finally seeing blooms this year. If I remember correctly, they are short-lived perennials here...must get seeds from them.

I finally have a Cherry Brandy Rud blooming, and I sure hope the color develops better soon. I've got it in a bed of pinks, and now it's a rusty color that does not work there. Trying to be patient and see if it turns more wine colored.

Neal, there was a thread on DG a year or so ago that had the same experience with Cherry Brandy. I grew them and thought they were a major disappointment. They never did look any better.
I am seldom organized enough to plan particular color schemes but even I had to admit that they were just plain ugly. Ripped them out 'cause they made me mad. Sort of a bait and switch kind of feeling I got.