Spring Cleaning

Today I realized that my garden needed a thorough Spring cleaning.  I'd spent so much time in the dream garden in my head that I didn't see all the prep work I needed to do to make that dream a reality.  Today I tackled things head on.

Realizing that re-grading the yard is going to be more work than I can do by myself, I emailed a landscaper who has done work for me in the past.  I hope that he can fit in my job with all the rest of the work he has. Then I set off for the garden center to see about a few things:

• looked for supplies for making raised beds - discovered that they don't carry any supplies
• learned about fruit trees - learned about the kind of semi-dwarf cherry tree I should pick and even identified one that is ready to go. But I realized that I should make sure my yard is ready for a new tree before I spend money on one
• learned about espaliering and think that this will be a great project for 2012 when I've got a re-graded yard and one year of gardening under my belt
• bought six Lenten Roses and some lime and manure to make them happy in their new bed
• learned that they'll be getting in vinca, sweet woodruff (aka Gallum), and other plants in the next two weeks so I definitely have to go back

By the time I got home the weather was perfect for gardening work and I got cracking. I started by trimming back the holly tree to create a neater shape and to provide more light to the ground beneath it.  Then I ripped out all of the English ivy that was taking over and have prepared the soil for vinca and sweet woodruff that I'll be putting in next week.  Then I trimmed last year's growth off the ornamental grasses scattered throughout the yard. Finally, I prepped a small bed in the front of the house for the Lenten roses.  Phew!  I took some before and after pictures.

Before

 

 

 

 

After

Comments

[aposton]

LOOKING GOOD! It does take a lot of time to do all you want to do, plus some back breaking labor. Good idea to get your landscaping person to give a hand (or a back) to do the grading part of the job. :)

[Jan Poston Day]

Yes, not only is it back breaking, but I also realized that I wouldn't know how to dispose of all the extra dirt that my re-grading project would generate. I didn't think I should really put it all in bags and have the city trash crews take it away.

[Topsoil Suppliers]

Try to get a soil recycler like me to come and collect it. Sadly I am in the Uk, but I am sure that you will have a similar opperation over there, and there will probably be no cost to collect. Looks like it is starting to come together!