Meet Frank

Okay, so I don't think he looks much like a Frank either… but out of respect for his rightful owner who gifted him to me, I wouldn't feel right about changing his name. So Frank it is. My thinking is he is too beautiful to be a Frank… actually too beautiful to be a male flower… or at least a straight male flower… so I'm going to assume Frank is actually gay, which is even better! He couldn't be any more fabulous, right! Pack me up and take me to New York City!

 He is my very first Trillium - and I'm so happy to see he already has a bloom. This flower has to wait 7 whole years before getting its first bloom. But now that he has it… forevermore it will be! 
Trillium is native to this area, which seems so obvious. It just screams Appalachia to me. I'm completely in love. Really. I cleared an entire part of my garden just in Frank's honor. Truly divine. My garden can officially be called complete.

I've actually been stressing a little bit this year about my sweethearts on the hill. We have reached the point where things are overgrowing, twisting into each other, and really becoming a bit overwhelming. I look outside and don't even know where to begin. I started this whole gardening thing out of desperation to have something pretty in my backyard. Well, that and desperation to escape from the creatures inside my house who needed more of me than I was able to give. I've never really had a clue as to what I was doing on the hill, or how to do it. I was just throwing stuff in the ground. It kind of took on a life of it's own. My own beautiful mess. Well now my beautiful mess is maturing… and it really needs some discipline.. But I haven't been doing that because I had to refocus the disciplining back to the creatures inside the house. Vicious cycle, I tell you.
Regardless of the chaos (inside and out), I wanted to capture a few of my spring beauties before the season passes me by.

 Above is a foam flower transplanted from my neighbor's garden.

 Above and below are blooms from my sweet, sweet dreamcatcher. It has gotten huge this year. Definitely a centerpiece right now .

 Columbine (below)

 Clematis… poor thing.. lost its trellis, so now is just kind of bunched up trying to show off some blooms.

 Below is a pink wood sorrel, also transplanted from my neighbor's yard. Love this one!

 Here below, I just wanted to show you what has become of my rock garden.. Remember I just started this last year. This was a nasty hill of clay only a year ago. There are no weeds mixed in there. Crazy ivy, creeping jenny, and all kinds of random rock garden plants. Overwhelming, indeed.

All of this planting confidence of mine came after purchasing 3 hydrangeas (following a mass murder of dozens of plants that I purchased) and finally discovering that the key to keeping a plant alive is that you have to water it! It really works! It does!
And then somehow I created this monster of a mess in my backyard. But great news… the hydrangeas are getting ready to bloom and will take all my frustrations away. Can't wait to share.