Update on Gardening

Those of you who have been following my blog know that we moved from Nevada to Utah this summer. We purchased a house that needs some work and which has an overgrown/neglected yard. We are slowly making the changes and repairs we want to make. Many aren't worth photographing. A lot of light fixtures have been or are in the process of being changed or changed out. We're getting odds and ends of things done. The garage has been mostly organized and now my husband can actually park his truck in there for the winter. Some pictures are finally getting put on the walls, shelves have been added, all the closets and guest room have been painted and a bunch of yard work has been done. This week the energy audit guy is coming to inspect the house and give us advice.

Here are a few changes I have pictures of from my flower bed project. I'm afraid they aren't very spectacular as they are mostly pictures of dirt.

Before. Front door area.

After. This was all grass and weeds. Now it's waiting for spring planting. I put some bulbs in too. This bed wraps around two sides of the house--see following pictures.

After. Terraced and waiting for spring planting.

Waiting for spring planting. Once plants are in I will mulch it all. This was all grass and weeds and lumps of decomposing landscape fabric and mulch, roots and construction rubble.

I dug up sad looking irises from too shady places in the yard and replanted them here. I hope they look perkier in the spring.

I dug up this black edging and recycled it from other places and greatly increased the size of the flower beds. We're trying to get rid of some of the grass. This bed was half grass and mostly weeds and rocks. Now it's rich with compost and ready for spring planting. This bed will get herbs since it's close to the back door and kitchen. The sickly mum and coral bells were there already.

Sue

Flower bed project update

For those of you who have been following my blog, you know we recently purchased a house that needs some TLC. I have already shown some photos of upcoming yard projects.  Here is an update on one that is nearly completed--the flower bed between the front porch steps and the house.

Before--just a slope of hard packed dirt

In progress--I dug out rocks from another part of the yard that were inexplicably just left in the grass to mow around for the last 17 years

In progress--my son enjoyed this project because I unearthed a lot of worms.  He's 9.

After--a retaining wall I made with the rocks to keep the whole thing from washing away. I added a lot of compost to improve the soil. I hauled the extra dirt away to fill washed out trenches in another part of the yard.

After--one little lonely dwarf Alberta spruce planted for now.  I have another to put on the other side of the steps when I get that dug up. I will plant some flowers next spring--or possibly put in some pansies soon.