Filling In and Brightening Up

After two years of steadily working to improve my gardening skills, and thus, our curb appeal, I think I'm finally getting the hang of it. (Just in time for us to move next spring/summer... Oh well, there will be others yards to beautify.)

After updating you on my progress last summer I decided to snap a few more pictures. Things are filling in so nicely! I also can't resist another comparison to when we moved in.

Before, things were overgrown, disorganized, weedy, and bland.

I'm much happier with things now. Everything is colorful, bright, and tidy, not to mention the new deck that you can walk on barefoot without worry of a splinter. I would say my yard is just how I want it to be (although I might change a few things if I had it to do all over again!)

Rabbit Update

This weekend I bought more rabbit food (liatris plants) from the fancy nursery. Don't worry, though. I also got some rubber snakes and wire mesh to make protective plant covers. Hopefully once the plants get a little bigger, they won't be so delicious looking. We'll see.

I'm Gonna Beat Those Bunny Butts!

This was a phrase Jon G used frequently when I was a child, as she was throwing Tupperware cups at rabbits eating her plants. I thought she was such a beast at the time, but now that I came home to this...

I can totally relate. My brand new liatris plants, bought at the fancy garden center. Now they probably won't bloom this year. Those jerk rabbits ate the buds and leaves right off.

Jon G says to get some rubber snakes to scare them away. I really want to buy new plants, too. I won't; then I would just be double mad when they ate them off again.

Growing Things

Since beginning late last summer after closing on the house, my landscaping project has been ongoing. I suppose anyone with a flower or vegetable garden would say that these things take time, LOTS of time. It's a challenge, but surprisingly, I love it. Here is all that has been accomplished.1. Took out the enormous lilac bush and replaced it with a much tidier assortment of grasses, azalea bushes, lillies, black eyed susans, and liatris. This will only get prettier as more of the flowers bloom this summer.

2. Pulled out all the mismatched scalloped edging and replaced it with neat bricks with a free, curving pattern. This took place around the entire house and was tedious and very difficult. At times I was using a steak knife to cut out tough sod. So worth it!

3. Split and replanted lots of hostas. Love this side of the house especially.
4. Added completely new flower beds at the back of the house. This includes more grasses, azaleas, and three peony bushes for Shaun. She loves them with all her heart. I must say, they are pertty. This part of the landscaping still needs mulch. I underestimated at Lowe's yesterday. At some point the deck needs to be redone. At the moment, it's impossible to avoid slivers in bare feet. That will be a project down the road. For now, I'm quite content. I turned an over-grown, mismatched array of plants and weeds into a manicured and loved green space. More pictures to come as the flowers bloom this summer.

Good Ridance Lilac

I've never considered myself much of a landscaper, but I do appreciate nice flower beds that clearly have a plan. This is my goal for my yard, just to look like I have a well-executed, if simple, plan. Since moving in, I've been thinking about the giant lilac bush that completely covered the front of my house. Who would plant something that would get so big right in front of the house? Horrible plan. I hated it. It was overgrown. It needed to go. Mom and I started trimming on it three weeks ago, then realized it was a bigger job than we expected. I then called seven tree service business. Do you think I could get someone to come to my house to take it down? No. The lilac was too big for me but too small for a professional. So, Wes started working on it with a chain saw and axe. He got it down to the ground, but I still had a giant stump to contend with. I started planning how to put mulch over it to hide it, but today my parents came to the rescue. The started digging, and three hours later, the stump was down at least eight inches below ground. I can replant over it! Woohoo! My parents are so good at things like this. I'm thrilled. Other projects they helped me with today include getting more bricks for edging and installing a new outlet for the microwave. I can now run the toaster oven and microwave at the same time without blowing a fuse. Such a great day.