Sand Gnats and Flowers.....and Sand Gnats

You know how you move to a new area and everyone wants to tell you what to watch out for and what to avoid?  Yes?  Well, moving to the southern east coast of Georgia, came with many warnings about sand gnats.  "Just wait for gnat season." "Those sand gnats are nasty and mean."  "Watch out, they bite!"  Yeah, yeah, yeah, every place has annoying bugs.  We just came from Florida, we dealt with love bugs!  Oh yeah, Georgia has those too....great.  So, here's a little story about a big idea to plant some flowers.  It goes quickly because we were moving in super speed.

 

I took my little man, Hago (formerly known as the little terrorist), to Lowe's so he could pick out some "flowers" to plant. I say "flowers" because I was mostly encouraging him to buy flowering bushes instead of annuals, because, c'mon, who plants to replant every. single. year? Not this girl!  He did a great job with the "plant specialist" at Lowe's AND he picked colors that coordinated! Go, Hago!!



 

This is our target area.  Hmmm, it was much smaller in my head while picking out the plants.  Next step, gloves and shovel.  I wish I had video of the planting, because there is no doubt the video would have went viral and I would now be on Good Morning America laughing it up with Robin Roberts! Because guess what?  All the helpful people who warned us about sand gnats, forgot something muy importante......they live in the mounds of pine straw!  Guess what that faded crap is in the "flower" bed?  Yup, layers and layers of pine straw.  We woke the beasts from their slumber and they were angry and vicious.  We were swarmed and bitten....

After this picture was snapped, we moved in fast forward and we were both covered head to toe in dirt from swatting and rubbing the gnats off us.  Now, that would have been a great picture, but I was focused on getting to the shower!  So, please enjoy some picture of the flowering bushes, or just flowers, that we planted because in all honesty, if it said full sun, I let him put it in the cart....but hey, they all color coordinate!

 

I do know these are marigolds! And annuals! However, the "Plant Specialist" told Hago that these are natural mosquito deterrents, so he HAD to have "at least one, Mom!!!"

These look like peppermints :)

These are elephant ears, correct?  I know they grow large and can be separated and replanted.  At least, I hope!

Not sure what the red things are, but we bought a single one last year to put in a flower box on our shed, and they have grown and took over the ivy that we planted with it!!!

Ok, so these are some type of lilies (I'm guessing and no, I didn't read the little plastic sign thingy that comes with the plants.  Hello....I already told ya that I just made sure they were all full sun!), but after a day of glorious rain, they bloomed even more and they are my favorite! 

 

Gorgeous, right????  I hope you enjoyed our horror story and please feel free to picture us, shoveling, jumping, itching, and swatting and planting in less than 20 minutes!  Hope ya'll don't have to hide your Easter eggs in the snow!  And........... GET YOUR SHOVEL ON, BABY!!!

LIBBY :)