Building Blocks - One Project at a Time

I spent Sunday at the local garden center where I looked at a variety of plants and material for my side yard. I bought some anti-weed fabric, plastic edge tubing and two bags of river rocks. When I got home, the intent was to use these items in our efforts to tackle the soil erosion problem. Rick and I dug up all of the large rocks that were a part of the landscape (buried under all of the dirt). Then we dug a trench at the bottom of the hill to fill in that space with rocks. We worked for about 90 minutes before it got too dark.

The next day when I went to Home Depot for lawn mower oil, I went into shock at how much I spent at the garden center. I paid way more than I should have, and given that we are on a budget, I resolved to take some items back. Then I spent the next hour and a half deciding among bricks and stone for the flower bed walls that I want for the side of the house.

Although everyone typically uses those scalloped brick rows, I think they look very grandmotherly, so I went for something different. I decided on these red brick-like stones, but bought all of the materials necessary for one wall. Because it took me so long to decide, I figured that a trial wall was best until I saw how it looked and purchased the rest of the material. Then I got the bright idea that I needed to redo the trench at the bottom of the hill.

I never built the wall. After I hauled the bricks from the car (two by two) I was exhausted. Then I had to return to the garden center to exchange the black fabric tarp for smaller pebbles for the trench. I also got some new tomato seeds (Home Depot was completely sold out). I redid the trench and replaced the larger rocks. Then I cleaned the river rocks to use as decoration in the flower beds.

But for the wall, I need help. Rick works late most evenings, so we have to save our garden projects for the weekends. Lately, my schedule has been crazy and he just started softball again, so if we get to anything at all, it will be on Sunday. And his priority is the lawn, so I can't expect that he will want to do two outdoor projects on the same day. In the meantime, it is springtime in DC, so that means rain any day now, so the flower beds need to be completed before we get a typical April downpour.

Enter my brother, the former construction worker. He had this *experiment* as a blue collar working man for about two years during which he worked in home remodeling. He has now left that job for a variety of decidedly 'white collar' reasons... But I figured that he could put those skills to good work by helping me.

Besides, this stuff is heavy. He's coming on Friday.

So maybe this weekend, I will be able to report that my flower bed walls are performing well and look very nice against the side of the house. Then at least one part of my yard will be presentable to the viewing public.

Priceless. 

Negligent Gardener

I was all excited two weeks ago, but so far, I have probably killed more plants in the past few weeks through neglect. I have been too busy and too tired to make good on any of my plans.

I have some initial growth, but some of the plants already show signs of distress. The snow peas have some mold on the soil, and the sunflowers have actually sprouted more seedlings than normal. The cilantro looks to be alright, but I waited 10 days before I watered the pepper seeds, and I still haven't watered the tomatoes or the last remaining snow pea seeds. I am not sure if they will survive.

And then there is the matter of my side yard and the massive soil erosion problem. I had everything cleared from that yard so that I could start over. The daffodils that have grown there have come up, but they are clearly distressed and are not as vibrant as usual. I need to build some beds and plant some other flowers there, but I may also need to plant a bush to absorb the rain water. It has become a muddy mess.

The peach tree is in bloom, and although I pruned it a little, I need to do some more cutting, and I may have waited too late for that. Our grass is growing, so I have to mentally prepare for the lawn mower and the mess Rick leaves behind when he uses it. In the back, the day lilies are growing in spite of my desire that they just wither and die (but I haven't actively tried to kill them yet, so maybe they are just hardy and resilient).

My yard is a mess and my container garden is getting off to a slow start. I swear I'll get it right this year.