Garden/Yard Update!

I managed to get in a little work in the yard this weekend - even early yesterday morning in the rain, which was actually kind of fun (in a "hey, I'm getting soaked while sitting in the mud" kind of way - you know what I'm talking about).  I really wanted to work on the area around Harper's sandbox and swingset, which had become overgrown with weeds and looked like it was a foreclosed swingset/sandbox.  Unfortunately there aren't any "before" pictures, but here's what it looks like afterwards...

Last week I killed all of the weeds with some Roundup, and used a thatching rake to pull everything up.  On a side note, if you ever want to do some of the most physically intense lawn maintance work imaginable, use a thatching rake on your yard for a few minutes.  Terrible.  People could do away with gym memberships if they all used these things.  Anyway, after the weeds were pulled up, I dug a trench around the area I wanted covered by the mulch.  This is kind of a pain, and yeilds a lot of dug up dirt quickly, but makes things look good, and will be easy to mow.  Without the trench, the mulch isn't contained, and spreads over the grass unevenly.  I also found a few pieces of flagstone by our air conditioner and was able to use them on add to the little path.

Quick project #2 was to finish up the stone stairs that will eventually lead to a path around our backyard.  At this rate, completion should be around 2018...right on schedule!  I was able to get all three stones from our yard, and thankfully was able to find three with flat sides to use for steps. 

This was also the weekend that I decided to take the netting down from around the ("deer resistant") columbine I planted this Spring, and that the deer munched on almost immediately.  Nothing says classy like mesh netting in your front yard...

                     

Anyway, we'll see how/if this works.  Could be opening up the buffet. 

We finally got our first hint of a bloom from our bee balm, that we planted this spring.  Bee Balm is a member of the mint family, and has stems that are square (like all mint members), which are interesting.  Anyway, we planted four very small plants in April, and they have just killed it - growing like crazy, but no blooms despite their size.  Hopefully we're turning the corner. 

                    

Our lavender (about ten plants) continues to do well and is blooming more and more (it usually blooms in June, and I'm guessing that it's late because we planted this year).  I even cut some for drying on Friday, which smelled great.  I transplanted three plants from near our driveway to our front walk to give them a little more sun. 

                   

Say hello to our newest additions...three compact reed grasses (4 for $12 at Home Depot this week).  I do love me some ornamental grasses.