South-Side Chicago

Sarah Baranoff in Chicago, IL

My yard is sunny in the front, and mostly shaded in the back. I have three large trees on my property - a maple in the front, and in the back and elm and something else that I don't know what is. I also have a Rottweiler, so my yard takes a lot of abuse from the dog running around in it.

Back Yard Deck Fence Flower Close-ups Front Yard Garden General Garden Side Yard

1 of 21: This garden gets partial sun. We are growing a lilac, but until it gets large enough, this is also the herb garden.

2 of 21: This is the beginning of the shade garden for 2010. Eventually this garden will be a mix of Sweet Woodruff, Virginia Spiderwort, and Lily of the Valley with a Japanese Peony in the center.

3 of 21: Since I planted it last year, my Virginia Spiderwort has had a chance to get well-established. It is slowly mixing with the Sweet Woodruff planted next to it (it\'s left side, in this photo, though you can\'t see it).

4 of 21: I think that the spiderwort is my favorite plant in the garden.

5 of 21: My Japanese peony and one lily-of-the-valley plant in my back yard. This is actually my shade garden - it\'s getting it\'s afternoon dose of sunshine right now.

6 of 21: This little fairy cottage planter was a birthday gift purchased from Plow and Hearth. I filled it with pink/white bicolor dianthus, tall aster, duchess burgundy torenia, angel\'s tears (Helxine soleirolii), silver dust dusty miller, blue browallia, black dragon coleus, burgundy petunia, and white victoria salvia.

7 of 21: Another view of the fairy house about a month after it was planted and situated. The mushrooms are glass tops on ceramic stems.

8 of 21: Since I planted it, my fairy house has really settled itself and filled in. I\'m enjoying the whimsy of it.

9 of 21: A little bit of my front garden. Right now, this is the garden I\'m the happiest with. The larger bushes need trimmed, but the combination of shapes and colors is what I want in the rest of my gardens too.

10 of 21: Front porch container with nemesia, begonias, and a petunia.

11 of 21: Small porch containers contain salvia and begonias. I have two of these.

12 of 21: Planters on the front porch and the hydrangea in the front garden.

13 of 21: Hydrangea bud.

14 of 21: Succulents on my back deck.

15 of 21: Rock Rose Ice Plant bloom.

16 of 21: My surprise snapdragon - I didn\'t plant it, but it is growing in my yard. I\'m so glad I didn\'t pull it up thinking it was a weed.

17 of 21: Snapdragon bloom.

18 of 21: The newest addition to the garden - two Blue Star Flower willow varietals, two Flamingo Astilbe, and one Kerria.

19 of 21: Kerria bloom.

20 of 21: Hosta Field along the side of the house.

21 of 21: The front garden in the winter.

Comments / Questions

Sarah it looks like you are really getting started with great garden. Nice plant choices. Your 'Fairy Garden' is so cute. I told myself that this year I would do a 'Fairy Garden' with my Grand Kids. The Fairy House is darling. Do you have any fairies? I wonder where you find miniture fairy statues? Have you visited Faery Hollow on this site? Barb has done an excellent job on her fairy garden. Smiles, Lark

Love the bit of whimsy with the fairy house.

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