I can't believe we didn't do this a long time ago! For one, nobody told me it was out of place before I started the blog. Thanks again, Carolyn and Carol! Also, I don't own a chain saw. Look how much better the house looks! It's like the house can breathe now. It reminds me of how I feel when I come home from work and take my shoes and socks off to set my trapped toes free.
Here's the big giant whatever bush below. I had no idea it was so big!
I think the stump is kinda cool looking. I do remember that Carolyn said I need to chop the stump up. I have no chopper! Mental note: as GB to borrow something to hack this thing to pieces.
In other news, I've not been blogging all week. Did anybody notice? I could have been kidnapped by aliens, people!!! Although that would be a fantastic blog (alien gardens) I have simply been busy. I've been working on a non gardening related "thing" that I hope to tell you about in the next week or so. I've also been working on shrinking my ass. Ever since May 21st when I started gardening, I've completely stopped working out. I know, I know, "gardening IS exercise", but it's not cardio enough for me. So, I've been hitting the gym after work to try to get back in control. This was made easier by the swarming mosquitoes that kept me indoors after work and the grass-so-high-snakes-would-love-it yard we've had since the rabbit killing. BUT, now that my Rock Star Landscaper saved us, I'll be back out enjoying the last few days of the gardening season.
I was actually wondering where you went! Prepping fall gardens I assumed.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to hearing about the project.
PS - Lizards are awesome! We never had a mosquito problem and they're so cute. Really. You'd like them!
If you turn the picture of the stump the other way, it looks like a heart. And the landscape does look better without that juniper on the corner.
ReplyDeleteAnd how interesting that you "started gardening on May 21st". Now you have an anniversary to celebrate. I don't know when I started gardening...
Welcome back!
Carol at May Dreams Gardens
Liked the way the evergreens looked before they were pruned, Gina. They just needed a slight haircut. Now they look like every other garden in suburban Chicago - green bubblegum shrubs is what we call them.
ReplyDeleteLosing the juniper was a good thing although I think that if it had been pruned correctly it would've been fine as a foundation planting.
Now I'd like to see you take attention away from those foundation shrubs by forming a nice curving bed in front of those evergreen shrubs and plant a perennial garden so that no one thinks you live in Skokie, Illinois. We garden designers always close our eyes when passing through that area because every garden has the same formed shrubs and no flowers !
Yes, we noticed that you were missing for a week, Gina but we thought that you were off working on shrinking your rear ( can you use the "A" word on a garden blog ? ) . You need to find more challenging work in the garden, like digging a new foundation bed !
katie - i'm afraid of all reptiles!
ReplyDeletecarol - thats why I thought the stump was so cool. I didnt even think about having a gardening anniversary! thanks for pointing that out!
carolyn - i did NOT tell him to make the evergreens look like poodles! I do not like that look, either! You should see the poor Spirea in the back that was looking so nice - it's a ball! I didnt even think about telling him not do do that. I'll know better next time. Regarding the curved beds, think I should do that this year? I did talk to GB about making the beds and waiting until next year to plant stuff. I'm not very confident in my ability to decide on the curves.
Yes you could do that this Fall and work off some of the rear end ( hee, hee ). You can use an old garden hose or flour to make a curved bed. It should be at least 4 to 5 feet wide. First step after drawing the curve is to remove all the grass and then add amendments such as compost and manure to the bed.
ReplyDeleteFall is a good time to find bargains on perennials or you could ask some of your gardening buddies to share some of theirs. Just remember the principles of planting : Tall at the back, medium in the center and short in the front.
Don't worry about the Spirea or the Evergreens - they will grow back into a more natural form .
See Gina, I'm horrible because I hate all juniper shrubs no matter how they're pruned. Then what happens come winter is that I have a bare front house. So I can't really comment only to say, welcome back. It is hard to blog, garden, and work at the same time (that's why I "leave" from time to time.)
ReplyDelete