Getting Aquainted

It is a bit fun to have the opportunity to "investigate" someone else's yard, and I don't mean by touring it. At the last house I lived in there wasn't much in the way of plants, but this house is different. The owner designed it with the purpose of not wanting to spend all weekend working in the garden. I did a little garden archaeology yesterday while I was out weeding and deadheading. Here are some items I found:

• a dead pepper plant
• a tag for a Brandywine tomato plant
• two plants that I believe to be kale 
• harebells
• patch of sweet Williams
• a misplaced strawberry
• two pansies
• a couple varieties of thyme
• one corkscrew grass
• ferns

I didn't notice these things until yesterday, with the exception of the kale. It sort of stuck out like a sore thumb. I find it interesting to see what people were intrigued enough to place in their gardens. And the placement! Boy, is the placement strange. The corkscrew grass is just one plant underneath a lilac in the side garden and it looks a little strange.

The hydrangeas may have the worst placement of all. They are on the side of the house, on a corner, facing East. They are placed where you cannot see them from the patio, the kitchen, and can barely see them from the bedroom. "Barely" as in, standing at one side of the window and craning your neck. Why? Who knows!

Freshly deadheaded

After deadheading the hydrangeas I found the ferns! Further to the right is a very generic pink rose.

Sadly, I found no spring bulbs. 

So glad I have my muscari, narcissus, 

ranunculus and primroses: 

Speaking of spring, I have to say, I love Sweet Williams and can't wait to see what color this is:

As for weeding, this is only how far I got. But it's something trying to pull up weeds in clay.

Here is the spot I am in process of getting ready for some sweet peas: