Nearly done the spring projects! Before and after

[styric]

I had a todo list the length of my arm. I scrounged up some edging off freecycle last week then bought three yards of topsoil and one of mulch on sale that was delivered this morning. We were under tornado watch with thunderstorms for the next four days so we hauled butt to get the major work done before the rain struck.

I'm still sick, so hubby did most of the sunny shoveling. Once the clouds went over everything, I did the rest of the shoveling. My aching back.

Was too lazy to pick up all my junk before I took pictures. I wanted to go get some steak. I'll pick up my tools and clean them after dinner.

Pardon the dog prints in all the soil. Sarge was having ALOT of fun sticking her nose in all the fresh rich dirt.

Mint bed before, last spring:



Mint bed after:



Just need to clean up the pile of clay and quackgrass, put the lattice up under the porch, then finish levelling and overseeding the front grass.

You can really see the mess I made here.. hubby will be unimpressed if I don't start tidying up!



North shade bed before, last spring:





After:





Now I need to let the dirt settle around the edging, then level & seed the grass.

Bulb bed before, last fall:



After:



Same task list, wait for dirt to settle then level the ground and seed grass up to the edging.

My back yard is an absolute disaster..





Anybody want to come over and clean for me? Now I just need to do a few dozen garden center runs and fill all these wonderful empty beds...

The very best part... imagining what my potager and mint bed will look like when I've filled them and they're in full swing. The view from my back door, with the cherry trees in the back fenced off from the four footed mischief maker:

[Elena Zimmerman]

Looks like you have been busy I like your tiered bed!

[Smitty]

WOW!!!! you've accomplished alot!!!
love the tiered bed too..things are gonna look beauuuutiful when filled up

[styric]

Thanks I wanted a potager style kitchen garden, but I'm quite weak, ill and some days have a hard time moving off the couch to do much; so worked out a design that will mean minimal weeding at any given time. It's sixteen feet long, four feet wide. two and a half in the back, foot and a half in the front. Easy to weed due to height and width, unlike your typical big patch and fits in my yard while leaving room for my son to play.

When first built:



Back tier is for tomatoes, peppers and anything with a large root system, front tier for everything else. it's dug down six inches below, and landscaping fabric laid down. Currently have peas and beans along the fence, nasturtium vines intertwined with them, a cherry tomato (not sure what type, it was given to me), a zebra tomato and another gifted one of a heritage dark purple tomato, lettuce, mustard, spinach, three types of basils, beets, radishes. Sweet alyssum divides the sections and acts as a mulch (sort of like square foot gardening). Butternut squash, pumpkin are in another bed I just built (no pics until it's tidier!).

Will be picking up peppers, thyme, tarragon, oregano, chard, and anything else that looks good that will fit nicely. Eggplant, zucchini and spaghetti squash will go in the other bed once I head to the nursery. The mint garden has garlic chives, onion chives and about 4 different types of mint going wild because I LOVE mint and have no particular affection for my grass.

If I'm too ill to do vegetables one year, it'll work just fine filled with herbs and annuals. I'm glad you approve, everyone here thinks I'm crazy for having a vegetable garden in my front yard, much less mixed with flowers in it! I'll wag my tongue off explaining how bees do better when they have more incentive... and I like some flowers with my weeding thank you!

[Grannygardener]

All the more power to you my dear. You're still doing what you enjoy. I've been quite ill for the last 3 years and had chemo last year so my gardens went to pot. However thanks to my kids and grandkids and my new-found energy will be spending my summer refurbishing my front gardens this year.Folks thought I was nuts when I dug up my front yard and planted it with flowers and tomatoes many years ago. Now slowly others are starting to do the same.Must admit it was embarassing when the weeds started to take over during the last couple of years but it's very satisfying to go out and clear a small section every once in a while and I've got all summer. Edie

[styric]

Oh no, I'm glad you're starting to feel better. Enlist those kids into helping!

I've got an unknown autoimmune problem, adrenal problems and something similar to encephalopathy. Just completed my referral to an infectious diseases specialist who has thrown up his hands and told me I need House.

I'm 24, just bought this house two years ago. I used to garden with my family alot, but when I moved out I could only keep container plants as the bums would pee on anything left outside at night. Great neighborhood.

This one is much better so I'm going to town. Hubby doesn't mind, the less grass he has to mow. However he's more mowing dandelions than grass at the moment as the last owners of the house had zero interest in yard maintenance. We've been fixing the grade, pits and humps for awhile now. Amazing how little the basement leaks when the water is actually draining away from the house!

My toddler is loving helping with his little watering can.