No baby yet.... Will you help me with my new garden plans?

No baby yet…. She was due last Friday, and we’ll go in tomorrow evening for them to induce. I worked through 4 pm today then we went out for a nice dinner. I still need to finish packing our bag, but don’t have much else to do to distract me from the nerves tonight….

In response to my last post, Janet @ The Queen of Seaford suggested I start a “family garden.” Such a great idea! However, I need some help! We can either go with full sun or partial shade. There is nowhere in my yard that isn’t hot, dry and with clay soil (though it’s been well-amended in certain parts). Here are some of the plants I’m considering:

For baby Clara: Leading the pack is Clara Curtis Mums. These types of mums grow so well here with no care. I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen this particular variety or not. In some photos they look salmon pink while in others they look pale lavender. Another plus for this plant is that I can definitely find some to order.

Other options include white Clara Goula Louisiana Iris (probably needs more moisture than I’m willing/able to provide), or maybe a shrub (Clara Indian Hawthorne with white flowers, or Clara Brooks Camellia – which is mentioned on mygardenguide.com but I can’t seem to find a picture of, much less a seller for).

For Scott: Definitely the most challenging of the family…. There are a couple of azaleas with “Scott” in the name (“Eliza Scott,” “Scott Gartrell”), but none I can find for sale… I thought about Scottish Thistle, but I’m not sure if it’s the kind of thistle that grows around here, and frankly I’ve always considered thistle a weed! Then there’s Scott’s Clematis – a weird hairy bell-shaped clematis that grows more like a shrubby perennial than a “normal” clematis….

Any other ideas?

For me: I’m thinking “Butterfly Ginger,” even though I killed some I bought last year at a plant sale. What is the trick with this plant? Watering to get it established then neglect? I’m open to other kinds of gingers that will grow as perennials here. I’m also open to other plants altogether with “ginger” in the name…. perhaps the orange “Ginger Bread Man Daylily” (though, I already have a ton of orange daylilies)? Frustratingly, lots of plants that I find on the web don’t appear to be available in the US or I can’t find a seller for, like Iced Ginger Rose (grown only in Australia or New Zealand??) or the gorgeous orangey-pink Ginger Rogers Rose…

Scott suggested we add the pets to the family garden, but that’s a bit ambitious at this point I think! Anyway, I’d greatly appreciate your input and ideas. And thanks much to Janet for the concept!