Monday, May 21, 2007

Tag Team Back Again, Check into Wreckin', Let's Begin

Despite still having sinus shit going on (hello, using at least one box of tissues a day; still), we managed to spend the entire weekend outside working.

Entire weekend.

Sweet baby Jesus, I'm not even remotely joking.

First up...


... front garden bed: completely cleared out and weeded. Took a trip to one of my favorite nurseries (Longview Farm Nursery, which fuck, I can't find anything on it on the net; and double fuck, they are closing after 27 years into retirement and the place is for sale and triple fuck, Aaron doesn't want to buy and run it. DAMN IT) and purchased a flat of dwarf snap dragons and planted a row in front of the knockout roses.

Next up...


... side bed. Aaron rototilled it and I planted 200 zinnia seeds in the bed and cucumbers along the fence.

And...


... and all the rosebushes have been appropriately trimmed....


... the "triangle." Before Aaron rototilled the side bed, he dug up all the daisies and I transplanted them. I also weeded the triangle and staked up a volunteer clematis...


... of course, I use the term "volunteer" loosely as I think I may have actually planted that clematis five years ago, but it didn't start blooming until last year. I pulled those eight-foot green stakes out of other areas of the yard where the weren't needed and wrap the two clematis vines (two vines! one plant!) around them. They don't find my ideal aesthetic, but they fit our ubber-tight budget (free! free! free!) and our green-philosophy (reduce! reuse! recycle!).


This is a big deal: Aaron spent some personal time with our faucet and fixed it. It has leaked the entire time we have lived here. Seven years of leaking and it was getting seriously out of control. Now (so far), no leaks.


Next up: the island. Oh my. This fucker took forever.


But after six hours (six hours!) (six hours!) (holy fuck, six hours!) of weeding it is finally done. Well, not done-done. I still have to trim the bushes, rake out the leaves, buy some seeds to plant (I'm thinking more zinnias), plant 'em, plant the remaining dwarf snap dragons, water everything in and Aaron has to finish the edging job he started...


Gah.

And we haven't started on any of the other projects yet either.

Double Gah.

19 comments:

Chickenbells said...

Oh, it looks so beautiful! You guys did an amazing job (I also fixed leaks this weekend...hmmm) I was calling myself and apathetic lawn waterer because, living in AZ and going through the drought means I don't strive to have a green lawn anymore...I am so inspired by your yard however, that I think I will spend some time redesigning my beds and plant some drought tollerant things...(could you spare Aaron for the weekend?)

Berber said...

Your garden looks fab... well done!

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is amazing! Good job.

Chara Michele said...

It looks amazing! Can I come over and sit in your backyard and read a book? (It looks like the perfect place for that:)

wishing I had a yard at all...

Oil Cloth Junkie said...

Does reading about your garden count as working on mine???
-fingers crossed- Please say yes!

lera said...

Holy cow, girl! You were busy, busy, busy! I'm jealous.

I'm happy that Aaron fixed your faucet. I won't even tell you how many YEARS I haven't had outside water because our pipe froze and Joe hasn't replaced it. (He did just buy some new freeze-free piping, though, so maybe he's finally gonna do it.)

MichelleB said...

Your garden looks good. And can I comment on that damned COOL spigot! I have never seen anything like that. Maybe because I'm garden challenged.

Stacy said...

Holy crap. That's a lot of work you did! You've created some magic there - that's for sure! Here's wishing those new baby plants well....

PamKittyMorning said...

It all looks so fresh and nice. My yard is already kind of burned and toasty.

Anonymous said...

That sounds awesome - and such hard work- I got tired just reading about it! Weeding sucks, but its so nice when its all done (and your legs feel like you've been benchpressing 300 lbs)and it looks wonderful...

Paula Adams Perez said...

That, my dear, is a Clematis durandii! And how come yours is blue when mine is so purpley?? Yours looks like the photo in the Jackson & Perkins catalog of the one I ordered. Mine (also planted 5 years ago) is finally good sized and has about 30 buds on it right now. But it's purple, not blue!

I'm jealous of your progress. My yard has so much potential and it's a wreck. I started with good intentions in April and then the maple pollen attacked me and I retreated into the house (ever see "Hitch"? Kinda what my face was doin') Lovely yard!

Angelina said...

That is one hell of a lot of work you got done. You should be mighty proud of yourself.

By the way, if you don't share lots of pictures of your thousands of zinnias when they are in bloom I will have to write lots of nasty comments.

LLA said...

Wow - Laura, this all looks amazing! I am so incredibly impressed with your industriousness....

Anonymous said...

Looking wonderful! You've inspired me - I hope this long weekend sees all our projects come to an end. Bwwwaaaahhahahaha... who am I kidding.

Soo said...

What a beautiful garden!!! Where do find 6 hours in the day to spend outdoors?lucky you!

Kim -today's creative blog said...

Your yard is looking so great! Looks like a great place to relax.

On your sinus crap.........all I can say is Neti Pot.

You can call me Betty, or Bethany, or Beth ...Just don't call me late for dinner. said...

you are my hero. That is my next weekend... along with interiors prepping for the Hub's 40th birthday party. Oh and sewing Much messy sewing. I need Duff's grandma's set up.

Renee said...

My gosh, y'all were busy! It's all so pretty. And I also enjoyed all the 'fucks' in your post. It's a good word.

amy h said...

It looks good! That was a lot of work! I used to be such a garden freak pre-children that I would spend about 6 hours weeding every weekend. I cannot remember the last time that happened.