SPRING GARDEN CLEANUP
How exciting is it? I have many friends who love to garden as much as I. Do you like to garden? It seems that people either love or hate to garden. Circumstances have taken me away from my home gardens for almost three years. I intend to make the time to get back to a true love of mine, passed on from my mother. Well guess I'll show you the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I decided to tackle the work ahead of me in sections. That's pretty much the only way to do it when everything has gotten out of hand.
I took a walk around and saw many many areas in need of repair, replacing etc. I'll share the ugly first and, when I say ugly it's ugly!
First things first
Survey the area, Look, Check for Needed Things, Damages, Losses etc
STEP 1. ASSESS THE DAMAGE
CALCULATE THE NEEDS
Looks like I need to replace a dying azalea in Gloria's Bed
Bad windy, stormy weather had taken away my mulch, so it was time to replenish! Straw, my favorite I had to order more! I did say sharing the ugly didn't I?
STEP 2. GATHER, PURCHASE THE NEEDED THINGS
I keep my tools until they are no longer usable
The little garden shovel, my mother gave to me and I would take nothing for it.
That little tin bucket is very old and is used for my Black Cow manure.
I use Longleaf Pine Straw around here. It is plentiful and works best for me. I've had trouble with barks and other types molding here.
Putting out the mulch to the Boxwoods
STEP 3: GET TO WORK!
My home garden has been neglected for a few years so I had my job cut out for me. Lots of work to do. Pulling grass, replacing mulch, trimming hedges etc.
My mother rooted these Boxwoods many, many years ago and I've moved them to several houses. I would take nothing for them. They are sentimental and beautiful as well.
Love the little garden cart! Here I am putting down the mulch. I have many sections here at Hibiscushouseblog.com and will share the before and afters later. This particular bed took a few hours of hard back breaking work and just a little money to complete.
Do you like to garden? I sure do! Enjoy the Spring Cleanup!
Now, doesn't that look much better? I sure think so! Now I'm off to work on more of our gardens here. Have a great Spring!
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Gardening is life for me! I love your post and the longleaf pine straw looks fantastic.
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Thank you so much!
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Hello, I have to admit that I really wanted a garden and when we purchased this home it offered a backyard that faces south so I was excited. It didn't last long 😕. I have no clue as to how or what to do and we have spent so much money on the outside that I really wish our city would allow me to just cement it all. So with that out of my system can you offer advice to a stubborn woman from Northern Illinois that really deep down inside wants a garden and I don't mean vegetables. And yes I have asked at garden centers and locally owned garden shops. So far I must have a black thumb. We have so much space and it's so embarrassing. I'm willing to do the work if I will eventually see positive results.
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Oh my that sounds wonderful your backyard faces South! Have you ever had your soil tested? Shrubs, evergreen and flowering should do very well and sun loving flowers too. I'll bet you have more of a green thumb than you think. Do you have large trees that cast shade? Do you have a large area that gets full sun? Sun lovers should be happy if you do. Given plenty of sun, nutrients (fertilizers) and water most things should do very well. If you have mostly shade then shade lovers or part time sun lovers would do well. I wish I could be of more help. I most know your thumb isn't black. Good luck and let me know if you find something that does well there. Sounds like a paradise for many growing blooming things.
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
I live in Georgia after moving from Ill. We used mulch up there and trust me I would put down 60 bags every 2 yrs. I wouldn't dare use it here because Im afraid it may attract termites. I bought bags of needles but now I'm not sure how deep to make it. Any ideas? Do you walk on it to pat it down or will it settle on its own? I have a large perennial area that I started 3 yrs ago. Every year I would talk about the need of getting the needles. Well enough talk and enough working on weeds! Also did you put down landscaping cloth? Should I?
This is very flammable and not good in areas where there are many forest fires?
Would you write a tutorial on pruning boxwoods? The ones planted in my front yard are huge and have taken over my side walk. I have some dwarf box woods on the side which are beautiful. I think someone planted the two sets of box woods in the wrong place. I don't know whether to just year the front ones out, or keep trying to trim them.