Right before the wedding we did a lot of yard work & patio updates to get it in shape and looking nice before we hosted everyone.  The biggest effort was in the front bed, where we dug up all the bushes and planted lots of new plants.

Then the water company decided to move the fire hydrant in our front yard after 16 years and dig up that bed 2 weeks before the wedding… Luckily they did a decent job putting it back together and I was able to fix the rest of the bed.  Now the plants are thriving and really starting to grow out into the bed.  So much better and more colorful than before!  All the different lantana has been doing great.

I planted these hanging baskets back in March and after a rough week when we were on our honeymoon, they’ve rebounded with water and are blooming again!  I love how the creeping jenny is so bright and trails over the edge.

Our friends Liz and Blake gave us this great wooden planter / beverage cooler for our wedding.  I decided to fill it with some flowers and put it on our front porch for now, and the flowers are really blooming!

I pulled out my American burlap wreath to put back on the front door in honor of Flag Day and the 4th of July coming up.  It’ll probably stay up until after the Olympics.

Onto the backyard!  Our rosh bushes have been growing and blooming a lot this summer.  I even had to cut back the bushes some so it didn’t grow over the grass! I’ve been trying to dead head the old blooms consistently so I get more blooms, and these had just opened this weekend.Last April I planted two blueberry bushes in the backyard, along the garage.  The birds got to the berries before they could really ripen last year, but this year they are doing great!  Maybe I’ll be able to snack on them 🙂

These pots were planted back in March are are still kicking it! One of the pots is having a harder time because it gets more sun, but they both exploded and have grown over the sides after all the rain from the tropical storms last month.

The hardest part about keeping your garden going in the Charleston summer is making sure it all stays watered.  If you miss a few days, then things will start to crisp up quickly!  My cilantro plant bit the dust in late May…

We’ve both been trying to turn the sprinklers on in the morning and after dusk, and then use the hose or watering can for everything that’s missed.  I hope it will all hold on through August!