We did not have the season that comes after winter and before summer this year. It just didn't happen for Omaha, Nebraska. Sure, we had a couple gorgeous days here and there, but a season? Nope.

It was a bad year for pachysandra, a bad year for my boxwood topiaries, and a bad year for impatiens. Not to mention my terra-cotta pot! (crumbled)

So finally, now that it's nearing mid-June, I am posting my annual patio and pots post. It was a long time coming, and I'm glad I can cross it off the list. 

As you can see, I'm still obsessed with boxwood and ivy!

I was forced to rethink my impatiens beds. Have you heard? About the fungus? I experienced the fungus first hand last year before July 4th. My huge beds of impatiens in the backyard were doomed. They were alive one day and dead the next. And Vickie Lea said very casually, "Oh yes, apparently there's a fungus." She then informed me that I would probably never have impatiens again. So here's the new plan:

Two variations of caladium *coleus behind pink begonias. I like the begonias fine, and I think I love the 

caladium *coleus... Do they look a bit weedy? Vickie Lea assures me they will fill in when she trims them across the top… I'm not very good at waiting. So far, I MISS MY IMPATIENS!

The boxwood topiaries have all been replaced… all six of them. My potted boxwoods, in various shapes and sizes, have lived for years in their pots through the winter months, but that luck also ended this year. I lost every single one of them. 

Even Carolyne Roehm experienced major damage and loss in the boxwood department as she reported on her blog...

Her photos actually made me feel better. My boxwoods planted in the ground did just fine. 

Next, we have the pachysandra problem. I have had great luck with my pachysandra for years! But the luck was not to continue. Although my pachysandra looks terrible, I believe pachysandra is resilient and I'm willing to wait it out and hope it fills back in. In the mean time, we planted blue salvia in bare spots ~ meant to look like a french hillside ~ you know, a field of dreams…

I love how that turned out.

What a bummer of a spring. I like to have my patio and pots done right after Mother's Day weekend. That fantasy was not going to happen this year. Thank goodness all is finally squared away in the patio and pots department… Better luck next year!

*UPDATE 6/10

(Thanks to Sharon and Ginny for your expertise! I mistakenly called the coleus in my flower beds, caladium... I KNEW those weren't caladium! Thank goodness I've got smarter people than me who are nice enough to write!)