Sometimes I do "yard work" and sometimes I "garden". To me, "gardening" refers to planting edibles or flowers in a designated garden bed. "Yard work" refers to any general property maintenance, like raking leaves, mowing the lawn or blowing the driveway. Yard work is the chore, before I get to play in the garden. I didn't have a chance to finish my fall clean-up, and my neglected yard is having its revenge. Heavy, wet leaves cover the lawn, requiring a firm rake, as opposed to a blower. The grass could have used one more mowing in November. Additionally, winter weather damaged numerous trees and I didn't prune much last year. With the Seattle weather in the glorious 50's this weekend, I wasted no time dragging a rake around a portion of my two acre yard. I also finished some pruning, killed some blackberry bushes, scraped the mud out of a clogged drain on my driveway, blew the driveway and sport court and played "whack-a-doo" with some encroaching "sticker bushes", to the delight of my pre-schooler. I'm sore from carrying around the clunky blower (which is now leaking gas), but I feel happy, encouraged and excited about getting back out in the yard to get back up to zero, before I actually start gardening in a few weeks.
Today was the first time my daughter was old enough to stick around and "help" or play nearby. I could keep an eye on her, which allowed me more time to work. Last year she would wander away and it made finishing projects more difficult. Hopefully, this spring and summer I'll be able to include her if we get around to starting a much-anticipated vegetable garden. I feel like I'm setting a good example by working in the yard. After all, I learned my gardening skills from my parents and grand parents... and the internet.
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Hmm, how can I make photos here "Pinable"?
(Snoops around on Pinterest and finds "Pin it" button. Installs it on "Bookmarks" as required. Nothing happens.) Let's ask the internet. "Why won't Pinterest "Pin it" button work on my Chrome browser?" (Later) Holy cow, it worked! Cool! I guess it just needed a little time. (Now) Ooo... what can I pin? One of the highlights of my summer in 2011, was touring several residential gardens in Woodinville, Washington. This is the Pacific Northwest, so of course it had to rain a little, just to keep the flowers fresh. I took around 600 photos in 3 hours and created a slideshow. The slideshow is around 14 minutes long, so grab a cup of tea and turn your sound on for a virtual tour of these gorgeous gardens. Woodinville Garden Tour, 2011 (click here) Remember, it took thousands of hours of labor to create these spaces and for the mature gardens, it took years of dedication. At least, that's what I tell myself when my green thumb turns green with envy. Thanks to the Woodinville Garden Club for a breathtaking experience. See you again this July! Photos in a somewhat random order. There's not a really good one of the finished garden. This Japanese Garden project was originally featured on my previous blog, in 2005. I have included it here, because it was a great learning experience. ***I Have an Idea*** I have a decent sized side-yard that isn't particularly usable, so I'm turning it into a Japanese garden. Our house faces a busy street and while the backyard is quiet, the side yard is somewhat loud. The main purpose of the Japanese garden is to utilize a wasted space and create a beautiful view through the French doors in the master bedroom. The Japanese garden will hopefully end up with statuary, a "flowerpot pond", grass, soft moss, a walkway, a bamboo trellis and Asian-style trees. It will be as long as the house. Because our property slopes at a 15% grade, I'm having a retaining wall constructed so that the Japanese garden is even with the foundation of our house. It's around 15x45 feet. First, I will have a retaining wall built. Then the space will have to be leveled out and clean soil will be brought in. I will add grass, 1 or 2 Japanese Maples, potted bamboo, Asian grasses and a "dry creekbed" which is an Asian garden design element. I may have a palm tree planted, but I don't know yet. I have also already purchased some Asian statuary; a Buddha and lantern. ***Researching and Planning*** After getting $6,000 quotes from two different landscapers for a couple versions of my Japanese Garden, I quit obsessing. It's not going to happen. But I'm stubborn. And my yard looks like a wasteland. I decided to reevaluate my project and rather than rely on landscapers and I called for reinforcements. My dad has every power tool in the universe and he makes retaining walls, gardens, greenhouse foundations and patios. He's retired and always working on something. I figured that because he is so busy, he wouldn't have time to help me with my project, but at least he could offer advice. I showed him some of my obsessively mapped plans. He made my retaining wall and Japanese garden sound like a weekend project and he and his wife offered to help me build it. Renewed Vigor!! So, I called around to get the blocks I want and gave my measurements. If I can have the blocks when I want them (in 2 weeks) it means that this weekend I have to: deconstruct the existing deck on the side-yard, remove the rest of the red brick patio, remove the fence where the new wall will go and create a fencing solution for my dog, since she's losing her back yard for a bit. I can't get no sleep. I'm such a nerd I just think about my garden all the time. I already asked my soccer pals if they would help my with this project. I offered pizza and beer. I feel bad asking them, but if they don't want to come, they don't have to. If they do come they will get the pleasure that comes from starting and completing a substantial project in two days. Plus, I will be forever in their debt. And there's the pizza and beer. I have to remember to ask them to bring tools. Shovels, work gloves... See? I'm obsessed! I could write on this all night. But then, I wouldn't get to dream. ***Ordering Supplies*** My 24 pieces of Trex wood/plastic composite were delivered today in the center of the driveway; long, heavy and almost $40 per board! It took me 30 minutes to move them from the driveway to the backyard. The pieces are 12 feet long and weigh quite a bit. I moved them at 10 pm when I realized that the block (for the retaining wall) delivery guys wouldn't be able to access the backyard if the Trex was in the driveway. The blocks come tomorrow. I don't remember if I mentioned this already and I'm too lazy to check my posts, but when we removed the 2x4's from the surface of our slimy deck, the wood foundation was in great condition. We decided to resurface the deck with something that will last until the end of time. The news about my Trex is not blog-worthy in itself, but it is definitely a small step that will lead to the completion of my side-yard utopia. ***Mission Complete*** I had my Japanese Garden work party! I started in the yard at sun-up on Saturday and called it a weekend on Sunday night when all my muscles gave out. My friends came around noon on Saturday and stayed until about 4 pm Saturday. My hubby, dad and I worked alone on Sunday. Somehow, I even played soccer at 8 pm on Saturday. We had quite a job to do. Was the worst part having to move bricks so heavy that I physically could not move some of them, digging for days, herking large rocks, asking people to help me, baking the Costco pizza, or trying to get the key out of my dad's truck ignition? Was it worth it?? OF COURSE!! And the "garden" looks awesome. It has no plants yet, so it's mostly resembling a Zen garden. Most importantly, thanks to my friends for giving up their Saturday and digging, lifting and sweating it out in my yard. THANKS to my dad Jeff, my hubby B, Scott and Eric, Maren and Garrett and Cedric. No thanks to Muppet who kept barking at us. Thanks also to Elaine for helping me stage the garden when all the dirt had been pushed around, and for digging around a bit herself! I never, ever could have done this without you guys!! THANK YOU!!! Hauling bricks is no easy task. We went through 2 wheelbarrow tires and ended using a solid rubber tired wheelbarrow... and even that was squished when the bucket was full. We unearthed a copper pipe to and from nowhere. Is that why they say call before you dig? Much to our surprise, a huge rock was completely buried next to the pipe. It was a work party! (I couldn't stop smiling. My dream was coming true!) On Tuesday I was finally able to wash the yard down and clean off the new deck. Everything was covered in dirt, sand and cement dust, since we had to cut some of the bricks. I added my funny little statues, a couple potted plants and my welcome mat. We weren't able to finish the new fence because we had some logistics issues. We have since figured it out, but now the bamboo panels are on back-order. We're waiting for the fencing and the last 5 pieces of Trex deck wood composite. My next step (after these odds/ends are completed) is to bring some clean, new dirt in and start planting. I will have a dirty summer and I'm looking forward to it. Just add lavender. After the holidays, I stash the clutter, ahem "Christmas decorations" as soon as my family allows. I put my rubber boots on and go poke around in the garden. Of course there's not much going on. Maybe it's even covered with snow. So I wait. I occupy my head and time with indoor projects like sewing, cleaning and wrangling my children. Today, I seized an opportunity to work out in the garden for the first time this year. With less than two hours to work, I pulled up my frost-damaged lavender, bid it a sad good-bye and cleared the weed-ridden dirt. In a few months, I'll play my annual game of whack-a-mole with the horse tails that inevitably pop up. When I'm convinced the horse tails are gone, I'll replant lavender, cover the bed with a weed barrier and pour pea gravel on top so everything looks pretty. Theoretically, the bed will be easier to maintain. After being overcome by slugs last year (I'm talking hundreds... no thousands of slugs sliming out of the woods) my pumpkins didn't exactly thrive. It was a sad time. This year, I have only planted garlic. My garden dreams are limited by time, but mostly by my budget. Which reminds me, I need to go sell my couch... |
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