The Makings of a Garden

 I started working on the yard clean up the day we took possession of the house.  The front yard was a mess.  There were branches and blackberries all over.  There were old wood piles, metal, glass, hot tub parts, fencing, plastic tubs...and tons of other items that were either burned or put into one of 8 dumpsters.







Slowly, slowly, we made headway on the piles...






And took down the shed...





Until the yard was clear.





Then, we begin to haul in dirt and shape a raised border garden bed...



We hauled in dump loads from a rented dump trailer from Home Depot, numerous loads in my parent's little trailer, and even several in a borrowed dump truck.  We probably brought in and spread a good 50 yards of dirt!

This picture was taken over the weekend.

In the meantime, I prepared for Fall planting.  I looked on pinterest for inspiration, I made lists, I visited websites to learn more about different kinds of plants, I visited nurseries, I started a collection of shrubs and small trees that I found on sale, and I made a very large wholesale purchase gifted to me from Phil for the overtime hours that he put in at Silver Falls before he transitioned to McNary.

And finally, the weekend came, where the last of the dirt was put on the boarder.  I raked until every muscle in my body hurt!  I spent HOURS placing plants, measuring spaces, reading labels and trying to stagger the sizes and arranges pleasing colors and shapes together.  I worked until dark both Saturday and Sunday.

In the early morning light (Monday), the pots were all in position and ready for planting.  I decided to postpone school work and instead plant the garden knowing that rain was in the forecast.



By 9:00 I was planting, by 2:30, I had finished planting 63 trees and shrubs!












From the porch:





Phil has also been back dragging dirt in the yard because there are so many mounds, holes, blackberry bushes, and tree stumps.  We hope to eventually smooth out the yard and have a nice filled in grass area.  

It is certainly a good start to a beautiful front yard.  There is still much to do...a watering system, mulching, getting a few more plants to fill in the bare spaces, digging a nice edge trench to formalize the boarder shape, eradicating blackberries, and keeping the deer out.  

A good weekend and Mondays work!  I think I will sleep well tonight.

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