You know...the one where I have 6 yards of dirt (which is somewhere around 5 million pounds for those of you wondering) dumped onto the driveway when my hubs is out of town at an annual golf outing for 3 days? That one?
Well, I knew it wasn't going to be easy turning this ugly piece of sloped/slanted corner of the yard into something a little more eye catching...as well as something that would benefit not only us but our neighbors too - by way of trying to catch some of the run off that happens when it rains around here...
Cuz you know - when it rains around here - THIS sort of thing happens...but when it's not pooling up, it's just running right off the lawns & heading into the street & neighboring bodies of water...
Native plants/Perennials are the way to go - remember the diagram I shared with you all?
So without further ado...THIS is how it's coming along!! Don't forget...the first year they sleep, the second year they creep and the third year the leap! 
I know I've got a ways to go - but I am done planting for this season...I do still need something that can handle a good majority of shade throughout the day up there on the left hand side...I want something other than hostas. I found some pretty neat looking Bugleweed that I planted right up front there - we'll see what that grows in like...
I've also got hollyhocks, jacob's ladder, yarrows in both red & yellow, bee balms in reds & purples, dahlias, coneflowers in both pink & in white, swamp milkweed, little joe pye weed, spiderworts (I just LOVE these! I discovered these on accident growing up under my lilac bushes a few years ago so I moved them near the house where they are thriving!) liatris, & mammoth daisies along with various sedum plants and a few random bulbs that I got from Michigan Bulb early this spring (that I have no clue what they are until they grow!) Along the back fence I put some trumpet vines - we'll see how those do - I've heard mixed reviews about those...I really really REALLY wanted fox gloves but couldn't take the risk as I'm told they can be deadly - even when just handling them...
There's also a totally random sunflower growing in my new garden - It's already almost 5 feet high and I just know it's going to be a whopper like some of the 12 footers we had last year...While not a perennial - I love sunflowers & so do our birds! (cute birds like cardinals and finches...not the kind that bird bomb my husband when he is out running!)
I know that some of this will need to be divided up as it starts to grow in - but it's hard to know what to do this first year... (Anyone want to plant swap with me in the spring??)
I mean, last year I had a vision & I just love how it turned out -
A couple more garden gnomes & a bird bath & I'll be good to go with this one!
So what about you? Do you spend time finding your green thumb?
Is gardening relaxing or a chore for you?
6 comments:
It looks awesome! I love the mini hill you have, so many wonderful opportunities!
Gardening is a combination of chore and relaxation. I love when things come together, but man I hate the work that it takes to get there.
Great job, Darc! You have lots of ambition...Brad does our gardening, but it's on a smaller scale - he enjoys being outdoors after work. Amy
The transformation is amazing! I did a double take when I saw snow in the first picture.
I have found my green thumb more this year than any other year. Getting a retaining wall built made a big difference and all those free plants helped too. The weeds are out of control again but I'm not die hard enough to care when the mosquitoes are THIS bad.
Looks like you did a fabulous job! What a ton of work, but you should be completely proud of what you've done.
It looks wonderful already.
Gardening is totally a chore for me. Which is why Mark looked at me like a grew a 2nd head when I said I rented a community garden plot in the park to grow veggies. Details to come on that adventure!
That looks incredible. At our house, we are working on completing our deck expansion. Next year, I want to work on cleaning up the back yard and make it into our "getaway" to relax.
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