You have some great shots of your foxgloves and (I think) hens and chicks, etc. Your front of house looks fantastic- I love the trough planters on the railing and how well put together everything looks.
I will let ppl with more experience recommend plants with tulips, as I'm a plant freak, so am stuck growing one of everything instead of looking at the whole picture lol. I do daylilies (which not e/o loves) and delphiniums with mine right now.
JB's hot pink avi caught my eye. Former nmm-er?;)

Your KOs are looking good! I like that front porch bed, too. Lots of great containers. I use hens and chicks in several permanent container gardens and really love them. No care about the drought. I can go on vacation and not have anyone water those containers.

Don't know what's going on with the maple unless there were two different root types in your pot when you bought it. Our maple starts out a deep burgundy for spring new growth, then gets green w/bronze/burgundy tints, then ends up bronze for the autumn.

Cameron

Nice variety.

Thanks everyone! We're completely baffled by the JM. I guess it is possible it had two root types in the pot, but both of these leaves are growing out of one trunk, so who knows. We are inclined to keep it, flaws and all!

I picked up some astible and ivy tonight from my aunt. We had a good laugh about how much I hated being outside, complained about mowing grass and weeding when I was growing up, and now I'm completely addicted to gardening! My mom would've been proud - that woman could grow anything!

Enjoyed your garden photos. Yes, my Naked Lady lilies, also known as Resurrection lily, are also blooming. I mark them in the spring when the leaves are growing to prevent digging in the area later after the leaves have disappeared. Next year I will plant some low growing annuals in that area so it doesn't look so bare midsummer.

Great pictures, so nice to see a green and growing garden this year since we've been too hot and dry here.

Your Japanese Maple was likely a red variety grafted on to green root stock. Sometimes what's left of the green base will sprout. Look for a knot low on the main trunk to see if it was grafted. Yours is the second one I've seen like that recently.

Rock, I think you're on to something! We do have a knot on the main trunk! I guess that means we'll never have the red leaves again on this tree. Well, that'll just give my husband a reason to buy another one. :-)

Any issues with these grafted trees? Will it grow the same, etc., as a normal tree? Why would they graft these?

Your JM maple.....what Rock Oak said. They are normally grafted and you will sometimes get sprouts from below the graft from the root stock. There are a few reason for JMs to be grafted. Growers have a better success rate for propagation with grafting, they can also graft onto a cold-hardy root stock so you and I can grow them! When they are grafted, they know exactly what variety the top graft is coming from so they are sure of what they will wind up with. Hope that makes sense. Just cut off anything below the graft union. I'm not sure if JMs are similar to tree peonies that are grafted, but if you don't cut off the growth from the original root stock with a tree peony, you run the risk of that plant taking over the "choice" plant.

If you want to help the hostas along a little bit you could cut each leaf in half so it's not working so hard to keep the leaves supported and can put more energy to the root. I do this most of the time when I plant them in the heat of the summer.

I really love the way you put the flower boxes on the bench. That is such a cute idea. Your house color is very similar to mine. I love the blue! And how nice of your neighbor to put up a fence! All the nice vines you can now grow up it.

Is it the slope you are looking for ideas for long-blooming plants for? What are the specs? Full sun, dry, etc. I am a huge fan of the Fairy Rose. It blooms for me from June right into November with very little care. Carpet roses do the same as well. I also just put in a few 'Lo and Behold' butterfly bushes a couple years ago and am so surprised as to how long they put on a show. I'm very enamored with them. Don't forget about fall foliage! I assume you're from Ohio? You must get a decent fall turn there, no?

A blank slate and free rock? A gardener's dream!! LOL!!

I also was bored absolutely stiff when I was a child and my mom dragged me to the nurseries. It was almost like punishment to shop, weed and plant. It's funny how things turn around. I'm glad you can share your gardening addiction with your aunt, and us!

Glad the JM mystery is solved. I left a lot out of the first post, so Thyme2dig did a great job filling in the rest.

Wish I could grow them here, but they really don't like our hot dry weather.

Katie,
I love all your photos, and your descriptions were just so cute and very anecdotal in their content. You do have a way with words, little girl! I smiled all the way through your album.

I thought I was the only one who posts lots of garden pics on FB!

Your home is beautiful. Love the blue and white. My faves for a house. Your gardens look really good, but next year they will be AWESOME!

Keep it up.
~Annie

Thanks for the kind words everyone! I have found that being outside in the garden has definitely helped me with not being overwhelmed with work and life (I'm a wedding photographer - it gets very time consuming and demanding!), and I love seeing all the plants thrive from my efforts!

It does look good now, and Annie's right - next year, it will be so awesome! I'm really excited for next year already!

BTW, Katie.
We call them 'Naked Ladies' too. I grow them as well.
Cheers!
~Annie