More holiday landscaping chores!

And still so very wonderful to have one more day off tomorrow! It is still very hot, very hot and very humid. After I finished mowing and doing the weed-eating I laid down newspaper (as weed kill) and then pine bark mulch over that in the corner of my backyard. This has been part of my plan but have never gotten around to it. Now the weeds are gone and it looks much better. And, most importantly, this particular flower bed is finished!
Behind my fake granite rock are common field daylillies - the orange ones that grow along the roadside. I rescued a bunch of them when my new neighbors tore them out to put in their box o' wood. It looks like they will bloom hanging over the fake rock - I think that will look pretty nice.

I left the little electric co. lid free of mulch because Mini likes to lay there in the sun. Even in 100 degree heat and wearing a fur coat. Well - she is a Southern Belle - born and raised in Valdosta, GA.
She is checking out her new spot

Mini is checking out the Sweet Grass. Next to the Sweet Grass are my Chives and next to them is my Lavender. Sweet Grass grows naturally here in the midwest and can be harvested in the fall, soaked in water then braided and will keep it's wonderful smell almost all winter. I thought Mini was going to roll in it - dogs like to roll in Sweet Grass. Unfortunately, she was rolling in something but not that! She rolled in something that caused her to be put in a bath immediately!

My little crop - Sweet Grass on the left, the Chives are the stringy things in the middle and the Lavender (the kind that is hardy here in IN) to the right. I planted to Lavender last year and it made it though the winter.

I have finally determined what I am going to do to break up this side of the box 'o wood yard. This is the fence that was in place when I got here and can use some help from my side but doesn't bother me like the other one.
To the left on the fence is a Russian Sage/Red Cone Flower/Russian Sage - there is a stretch of board between that and my little bed in the corner. It has needed something. I have another Russian Sage waiting to be planted about 3/2 of the way between the 2nd Russian Sage and the start of the corner bed. I have been searching for something to either grow up the fence or some tall bush to be planted in front of it. I think I have landed on Clematis -a yellow one that can grow over the fence after the first clump of Russian Sages and as far to the flower bed as it wishes to go. This is what I found:
"Tangutica. A true yellow clematis, this plant also produces bright yellow blooms from mid summer through late fall. This yellow clematis has dark green foliage, which adds a nice contrast to the bright yellow flowers. These yellow clematis can grow to height of from twelve to fifteen feet, and like the Tibetana, are more drought resistant."
Of course, none are to be found right now but I think it will do very nicely. I will need to find a couple to plant here next year.