We had some damage to the porch and front roof so we decided it was time to rebuild the porch and complete the stone work in the backyard. It was done in early Spring so we waited for the plants to fill in before posting images. The new porch is amazing. Its quite large but doesn't overwhelm the house. The hot tub is luxurious. The new paver and stone work is equally impressive. We had sod, paver, stacked stone and walls installed. We extended the existing patios and added stacked stone retaining and sitting walls. The new porch and stone perfectly compliment each other. Those brown spots at the bottom of the steps are thanks to Max the Weimaraner.
Work was done by the vendors below and yes, we would recommend them for your project.
The porch, roof and exterior work on the house was done by M.A.K Construction. Contact Rob at (240) 398-9003, http://www.makconstructionsvcs.com/
The stone and tree work was done by Wintergreen Landscape. Contact Tim at
(301) 392-0660, http://www.wintergreenland.com/landscaping-portfolio.cfm
May is such a beautiful time in our area. The backyard erupts with color and fragrance.
Philadelphus x virginalis Mock Orange are beautiful shrubs. The are easy to care for and bloom heavily in late May. They last about two to three weeks and are lightly fragrant. Full sun to light shade will get the best display but make sure you provide supplemental water in the scorching summer heat.
A close up of Philadelphus.
The flowers of Cotinus Grace Smoke Tree lit up in the morning sun. The tree is about 20 feet tall this year and we always look forward to this display.
Autumn Circus Iris has been a solid performer this season. It is still putting out blooms.
Vavoom Floribunda Rose from Weeks Roses has beautiful color and a light fragrance.
Red Peony glowing in the sun.
We lost our large Scotch Broom Cytisus Lena to the bitter winter so we planted a new one this spring. Not bad for the first year in the ground.
A Dusky Challenger Iris in the bright sun. These are usually very dark but the camera always lightens the image when taken in the sun.
Our Chinese Dogwood bloomed well this year. It has taken almost 8 years.
These are yellow Water Iris. They spread easily when happy and need no special care.
A large pink Peony.
A large white Peony.
A nice Gloxinia Incarvillea delavayi display.
Pink Pentas resembles asclepias tuberosa. I hope it attracts just as many butterflies.
A dainty stem of Gaura lindheimeri Pink Lady.
The early foliage of Fallopia japonica Variegata.
This image has three types of Iris blooms. In the foreground is Butter Cup, center is Purple Dusky Challenger and White Hot in the back.
This is Iris germanica Best Bet. The color contrast is quite striking.
This is very similar to Iris Autumn Circus but we don't know what it is. Its the tallest Iris we've ever grown reaching about 3 feet.
A closeup of Iris Butter Cup.
Iris Dusky Challenger in the bright sun.
A duo of Iris White Hot.
This Clematis Nelly Moser is quite happy this spring. This is the most its ever bloomed.
A perfectly formed Gibraltar Exbury Azalea. Our plant is stingy with the blooms but when they come the bright orange is quite a showstopper.
This Miss Kim Korean Lilac has grown quite large. What makes this one strange is that it blooms mostly on the sides and at the base. Rarely does it bloom all over like its neighbor. The fragrance is nice but not as powerful as traditional lilac.
This Korean Lilac is smaller but blooms all over the plant.
Weigela florida 'Variegata' is a beautiful plant that has two toned flowers on variegated foliage.
A closeup of the Weigela above.
Spiraea cantoniensis 'Vanhouttei' or Bridal Wreath Spiraea has a fluffy, cascading appearance and the blooms last as few weeks.
The blooms of High Noon Tree Peony are enormous. The sun lit up the azalea behind it so the image looks a little electric. I haven't figured out how to take pictures of flowers that are vivid without it coming out so bright.
A closeup of Rhododendron x 'Hotspur Yellow' (this is also sold as an Exbury Azalea). It's really more orange than yellow. The are mildly fragrant and can grow to 10 feet if happy.
A wider shot of the Hotspur above.
Rhododendron ‘King’s Red’ (Exbury Hybrid) finally bloomed. It gave us a single bright red cluster. Hopefully it will grow this year. It has been dormant for two years.
Rhodoendron x 'Lemon Lights' in full bloom. This one has been fairly dormant for a few seasons so maybe it's getting ready to take off.
A classic Nellie Moser clematis. This one climbed 6 feet to reach the sun.
This is the gorgeous bloom if Iridaceae germanica Autumn Circus. It's said to bloom earlier than other Iris and its true for us. It was first this season. It blooms again in the fall.
A perfect White Hot Iris.
Two large, happy Lunaria Annua, also called Money Plant.
A grouping of Heuchera with bronze foliage. They really stand out against the green background.
Argyranthemum looks like a daisy but they are smaller. It's also an also annual.
Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' better known as Variegated Solomon's seal. This season the have really spread into a nice grouping.
The tip of Raspberry Ice Bougainvillea. This is not a zone 7 plant but the variegated foliage and blooms are worth the hassle of managing it over winter. Just like Ficus or non-hardy Hibiscus.
A cherub surrounded by a bed of Sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa) that will bloom in late May.
