After spending a week in Chicago for a conference, it was so nice to come home. I noticed everything is really starting to grow and fill in now in our garden. I also noticed the progress Dave made while I was away. Here are three new Rushmore Arbor Vitae trees he planted along the back fence. They look like they have always been there.

We have a large, fenced-in backyard, and some days it seems like a big empty field to me.

One of the best features in our yard is this large flowering crab apple tree, which looks like a giant bouquet this time of year. It also provides nice shade and privacy for the patio.

We are on a mission this year to fill in our backyard with more trees, shrubs and flowers. I love these Emerald Arbor Vitae trees for their bright yellow-green color and their soft texture.

And we have made a lot of progress with the completion of planting six trees so far.

This was my contribution, some of my favorites plants in the garden – hens and chicks and sedums.

We found this cute little wooden doll bed on a neighbor’s curb one night before trash day, and we brought it home, thinking it would make a great planter in our garden. Perfect for these lovelies!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot that I filled the strawberry pot too! It’s growing like crazy, and already looks more full than this picture from a couple days ago.

Next on our list – shrubs to fill in in-between the new trees. So far we have added a couple knockout roses and a Miss Kim lilac, but we need to find a couple magnolia trees, snowmound spireas, viburnums, weigelias, and hydrangeas.

Thanks for stopping by to see the progress on our garden project! Check back soon for more planting updates.