soaphouse's Blog
soaphouse's posts about: lawn
Apr 3, 2008 | 8:50 AM PST
Tags: garden art , creek , gunnerra , gunnera , redbud , dogwood , compost , autumn fern , ajuga , grass , lawn , mow , weed eat , weed
I spent yesterday afternoon tootling about in the front yard. I mowed our "lawn" , which is really more a patch of weeds than anything. After its mowed, it actually looks pretty decent. My dreams of fescue were squelched by the drought last year....maybe this fall i can do that. Once the mowing was done, I pulled some weeds, cut back some vinca, hacked down the curry plant (it had gotten very raggedy and woody, will be interesting to see if it comes back), and I also watered the autumn ferns. It looks as though the layer of compost applied to the top of that bed last summer is really coming through for us...I have never had so many new fronds appearing at once on these ferns. It looks so pretty! Here is a view of the front yard as seen from my front porch today:
As you can see, my girl and my hubby are enjoying the freshly mowed weeds :)
The redbud looks so amazing right now as well! Also, the ajuga is blooming and is adding a nice shot of color:
The dogwood is almost in all of its glory. It is in the same bed that got the compost dressing and i do think it is helping the dogwood also, in seasons past, the dogwood has suffered from one of its common fungal diseases that causes the blossoms to fall off before they fully open. It looks like we might not have that prob this year :)
On a recent shopping trip with my mom, I picked up this cool garden art windchime and I have been enjoying it as I sit on my front porch:
Its very overcast today and a bit cool and breezy, so I am not sure if I will venture out in the garden later or not. I have been thinking more about creek planting lately and trying to decide what to plant on the opposite bank...I still have yet to have the moment of brilliant inspiration. I do need to get back there with the weedeater so that all my hard work spent cleaning everything out doesn't go to waste....it will if I don't stay on top of things back there. I am anxiously awaiting the emerging of the great gunnerra that went in the ground a few weeks ago...i check for growth every day :)
I did hear an ad on the radio that our local home depot has 5 dollar coreopsis and hostas, so i may venture down there this afternoon. Tomorrow the forecast is thunder storms, so I better do what I have to do today :)
Jul 16, 2007 | 3:44 PM PST
Tags: chores , creek , lawn , mowing , compost , autumn fern , sweet potato vine , feather grass , mint , hibiscus
Today was a pretty mundane but productive day in the garden. Mostly did chores such as weeding and mowing. I also put in some more sugar snap pea seeds for yet another succession planting. I also worked a bit more on the creek clear out project.
Heres a pict of me and my girl mowin the yard:
see that pile of dirt in the back? thats the free compost for the city, we are getting it to berm up a new bed right there...gettin rid of more grass!
Here are some snapshots I took along the way while doing my chores:
EGGPLANT FLOWER :)
GREEN SWEET POTATO VINE AND MINT IN BLOOM, LOVE THE TEXTURES!
HIBISCUS BUDS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL...
PURPLE POTATO VINE WITH FEATHER GRASS:
AUTUMN FERN FOLIAGE
PROGRESS OF CREEK CLEAN OUT...
COULDN'T EVEN SEE THE CREEK A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO...
MY FRONT YARD AS OF TODAY:
HAS ANYONE ELSE GOTTEN AS ADDICTED TO DOCUMENTING THEIR YARD AS ME.... SO FUN!
Jul 5, 2007 | 5:08 PM PST
Tags: lawn , fescue , beds , path , berm , fall , mulch
Most of my projects this season have evolved around my plan to minimize my lawn area. Actually, I use the term lawn VERY loosely, it is really more a patch of weeds that requires fairly regular mowing and always looks bad. So, at the beginning of spring, I asked my neighbor (who is a grass guy) about getting rid of the weeds and doing "real" grass. He described the process and really this is something I have resisted all 4 years that we have lived here because of the cost and maintence involved. But, I have done so much with the gardens that a nice patch of lawn will just be the icing on the cake and might finally prompt some compliments from my non-gardening neighbors. (I used to think I didn't care if anyone else but me liked my garden but, yes, i actually do care). So, I decided to add lots of new beds and paths to get my lawn area down to a reasonable size. I am FINALLY done with that and will put out fescue seed in the fall....Here are Picts of the progress so far. And, if you enjoyed this or any other of my blogs, PLEASE take time to add comments...I just love that , it make my day...THKS!
Area ready to make into path:
Gotta Love free mulch from the city:
A good workout later...nice path :)
Side yard with free mulch to make a nice drive area for my hubby's truck:
Good shot of new beds bermed up and ready for plants:
Good shot of my new patch of lawn "ameoba" ready for fescue:
I will keep you posted in the fall.....
Jun 27, 2007 | 5:32 PM PST
Tags: mulch , lawn , broccoli , okra
So I just had a load of "free mulch" delivered from the city yesterday. This is all part of my OPERATION LAWN MINIMIZATION. I have spent yesterday and today moving the mulch around to create path like areas in my garden where there used to be lawn. Quite a job but SO worth it! AND, its free!!! I should be all done with moving the pile by tomorrow night, then I will call for the next batch...think I will need more. There is nothing like the look of a freshly mulched garden! I also got the side bed that we recently topdressed with compost covered in pinestraw and it looks SO GOOD! Picts to come soon :)
On another note...I am super excited because I am starting to get broccoli and my okra plant is blooming, YEAH!
