Yard Work

The yard at our new house had been neglected for quite some time.  The first thing we did before we even moved in was work on clearing out some of the overgrown trees and bushes in the backyard.  We took four or five van-loads of brush to the composting facility after a day of major trimming!  David's family helped fill in some random holes in the backyard with soil and plant new grass.  We also planted several tress.  I've already killed one (oak tree in the back yard) and nearly another (dogwood in the front yard), but the third is growing strong (redbud in the back yard).  We have already replaced the little oak tree I killed with a red maple that is looking much better.  David and his brother Roger put in a little fence from our house over to the neighbor's fence, thus fencing in our whole backyard except for where it meets the driveway.  So it's been a lot of work!  I think one of the best transformations is the spot I now call the "Mary Garden."  David's parents and brother gave us a statue of Mary as a housewarming gift.  We placed her in what looks like was once a garden but had been neglected for so long it had junk trees growing all over the place.  So at first Mary was just sitting among tree stumps and weeds.  But it looks much better now!

Before: The tree filled weed garden in the backyard

After!! We cut down all the trees and I pulled out all of the plants.  Also, I have been taking all of the random rocks that we have dug up from different parts of the yard and using them for a border for the garden.  The rocks now fully surround the garden, but they are missing from the last picture below because William decided to "help" me with the garden by removing every single rock and putting it in the kiddie pool to wash. 

Can you believe this is the same space?  I hope to plant some hostas and other perennials in this garden, but haven't gotten there yet. 

And an updated picture of a day's yield from the garden.  The zucchini plants are slowing down, but the cherry tomato plant is just getting started!