Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Reworking a garden area

Good morning Folks,

Hope you are having a good week so far. Our weather has been perfect, although we really could use some rain. Grass is crispy, and I have to hand water things I want to live, often.

Lately I noticed the awning that is over my potting bench is turning down on the side where it’s attached to the pine tree that came down in hurricane Wilma.  It’s been 6 years since then so gravity and rotting has taken a toll on what’s left of that tree. I told DH what I had noticed, and after looking at pictures of the tree in 2007 when we started working on that area,  DH suggested taking the tree out after lunch, so that’s what we did.  It took about an hour and a half.

The garden that is to the south side of potting area where this leaning pine was, has been somewhat neglected as the heat of last summer made me feel ill and my garden muse had deserted me back there. We are going to fence off the back/north side of this area and make a new entry on the driveway/east side.  Then I should feel a lot better about being back there because hopefully the neighbor’s dog won’t pay me as much attention with another layer of fencing between him and me.

This is how the shed looked right after Wilma

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Here’s the start of new garden area in January 2007. The roof of shed was repaired along with a new sidewall. On the other side of the privacy fencing at the back of the property is where the ‘pit bull’ lives that slams himself against the fence and growls and snarls when we are back there.  Needless to say, that has taken the joy of potting anything up back there.

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March 2007

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2008

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The stainless steel sink was dumped curbside by a restaurant that was remodeling many, many years ago. It is heavy about two feet deep by ten and a half feet long.

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This is after we put up the awning.

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The area is a wreck back there right now, and we are working on reclaiming this space for me. The new entry will be on the side where the donkey/cart planter is.

***

Below is the first picture taken Sunday before I trimmed the cape honeysuckle, Virginia creeper, morning glories, and an Old Blush or Bon Silene rose, not sure which, from the fencing. Then DH unfastened the tree from the awning, strapped a strong cable to the tree, hooking it over the hitch on his van, while I pushed up the end of the awning with a 2”x2” 8’ board, so that he could pull the tree up out from under the awning. Good grief, this is embarrassing, look how bad it had gotten.

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The next series of pictures are in sequence.

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We put it beside the caravan’s garden fencing for the time being and will move it later. DH took off the outer decaying bark and the core of the tree is very hard pine and he wants to keep it and use it for some project or other.  Heart pine wood is really hard and supposed to be impervious to termites. We have it up on blocks.

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Tork is checking it out and has already used it as another one of her outdoor scratching posts.

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I cleaned up all the debris and there it sits.

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This next picture is right after I had done the first clean up once we had the thing out of the ground.  There is still wood and roots there, but we’re just going to leave that for now and let nature run it’s course. 

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Below you can see that I added another layer of bricks and tightened up the bed. I did this Monday afternoon.

In this bed there are three wonderful aloes with wide, fat leaves which get a stalk of yellow flowers when in bloom. DH found this aloe dumped curbside a year or so ago. Little ones are coming up around the main one.  There are also two blue agave plants, which are small, several spreading callisia fragrans, or basket plant, plus gobs and oodles of mom-of-millions, and other assorted growing things, weeds included.  I look forward to working on this bed making it pretty and presentable.  Right now it stinks. Smile I look forward to the cape honeysuckle and the roses taking over the fencing again.  Besides Old Blush or Bon Silene, there is also Prosperity thriving back here.

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That’s it for this little project for now.  I’ll keep you posted with it’s progress.

Thanks for looking.

FlowerLady

***

Half the interest of a garden

is the constant exercise of the imagination. 

Mrs. C.W. Earle, Pot-Pourri from a Surrey Garden, 1897

24 comments:

Balisha said...

That must have been a lot of hard work for you both. Knowing you and your hubby, you will have it looking so pretty. Loved the pictures in sequence. I'm so jealous of you being able to be outside in the garden. We haven't had a bad winter, so I guess I can't complain.
Balisha

L. D. said...

That was a lot of time and effort to change it. I know how things can get overgrown so fast and it does take a lot of work to bring things back. It is looking great.

Susan said...

Hi Flowerlady...It looks like it came down pretty easy. It would look great with bromeliads attached to it.

Mrs. Mac said...

What destruction and transformation! I wouldn't bee too happy about the pit bull slamming against the fence either. Maybe one day you can put up a section of stone wall :) I LOVE the reclaimed potting bench.

HolleyGarden said...

How nice for you to get the pine down. I know things like that have a way of cluttering my mind, and when they're gone, it's like a breath of fresh air. LOVE your stainless steel sink! And under the awning - it looks perfect for puttering and potting plants.

Southern Lady said...

Isn't it nice to reclaim a bit of space in the garden? Good luck with your progress. Keep us posted! Carla

Lona said...

Something good came out of that falling tree anyway. I love your new potting area. That sink is just the best thing to use. You always find the best stuff. I cannot believe they do not take that old dog in hand when it acts like that.

jerilanders said...

I love to see the progression of garden and landscape plans. I wonder what your hubby will make with the leftover tree??!!

Antique ART Garden said...

That was funny, you guys leaving that fallin' over tree back there for so many years. Just worked around it. Don't we all do that with junk in our lives, inside our minds, hearts, souls, etc. We just leave it there and hope it blends in with everything else. It never does. Great job ! Take good care , Gina

Morning's Minion said...

Two seasons of gardening in south-central KY are giving us an idea of how quickly an area can be overtaken with honeysuckle vine and other invaders. Trumpet vine was a plant to be cherished in New England, but here it can claim a yard in no time.
You have a wonderful assortment of plants there.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

You like to stay busy
and improve
I do to
Will be happy when in a few weeks
I can once again work outside...

Deb said...

Wow you are really an inspiration, all the hard work pays off. I have been finding having so much space it is easy to "let" things get over grown without even realizing it.

I am battling a bunch of nasty dogs in the yard behind me, there are 8 of them they are scruffy and bark nearly all the time, I can barely stand being outside just watering the plants.

Deb said...

Great job, you are quite an inspiration.

Val said...

I'm so happy you're reclaiming this space. ♥

Marti said...

What a lot of hard work that must have been. I'm glad that you are going to be able to reuse the tree, or the wood in it.

I love the one with the bird house on it and what looks to be cavities in it.

It's looking great, but then I would expect nothing less from you.

sweetbay said...

You guys do a great job repurposing so many things. It seems there's always a part of the garden that needs reclaiming, loll! I would have avoided that part of the yard too with a dog throwing itself against the fence.

GRACE PETERSON said...

I love the transformation and your kitty Tork is too cute. Have a great weekend.

Sunray Gardens said...

It's nice to have the hard work done. The rest atleast is the fun work. Trying to catch up a little. Still behind with all the work here but wanted to drop by.
Cher Sunray Gardens

Nancy's Notes said...

What a worth while project, and a lot of hard work, I'm sure! Can't wait to see the finished photographs!

Sissy said...

Boy, you guys are sure ambitious! Always in the midst of a project, good for you!
Won't that be awesome to have the yard back in shape?!
I feel bad for you, dealing with the brute on the other side of the fence. Why can't your neighbors realize how scary that is for you?
Shame on them!

Georgianna said...

I must say I very much admire your ambition and confront in tackling all the projects you take on. Very inspiring! Honeysuckle and roses sound divine!

Andrea said...

Hello FlowerLady, haven't seen you for a while. How are you. Maybe you got so stressed after this hardwork in your garden, take care.

Annie said...

I love how new ideas come and go in the garden. A constant changing image and adventure

Rebecca said...

I don't remember seeing views of this part of your property (though my memory is letting me down frequently lately...)

I get so excited seeing "real" spaces in "real" yards. Yours are definitely my style. I love to come here.

This was quite a task to accomplish! Ill look forward to seeing what project the hard pine is used for.