Greenish Thumb

What glorious weather we are having! In order to prepare our yard for a proper spring welcome, my husband cleaned out all the dried leaves, dead branches, and pestering weeds.  (24 big lawn bags full!)  Then he aerated and fertilized the dreadful looking lawn.

Tackling a yard, like any big project, is overwhelming, so we are taking it one flower bed at a time.  Here are the two  front beds we completed this past weekend.

It took two exhausting hours to dig up this scraggly azalea bush.  We posted it on Craig's List and it was gone within hours.  

In it's place we planted holly, surrounded by new guinea impatiens, laurel, and a small hydrangea (far left).

On the other side of the house we planted heather and Scarlett O'Hara.  The box woods and camellia are original.  I found some old slate pieces in the back yard to make a path from the porch.  My kids love it because they think it's a secret path.  I love it because it keeps the kids off the plants.  The ferns are in new planters I found at Lowes (especially the reasonable price tag - $39.)  

We transplanted some rhododendron to the side yard and filled in the space with another holly tree, heather, Scarlett O'Hara, and creeping phlox.  A freshly edged and mulched yard make me smile.     

Begonias for the planters on the steps.

We have a long way to go, but the hardest part is getting started, right?

Cheers!

Elizabeth

"Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden." 

 ~Robert Brault