I know it's been a while since I posted
but we have been busy....
this is the making of our back yard sanctuary.
This is the beginning with a blank slate....
I will speed it along with the many steps so this post
isn't a mile long.
It started with a little doodle....
Then came a big hole in the hardest clay dirt ever!
We then began planting various shrubs and tree's
around the pond. Some of these came
from the clearance section, but I bet you can't
tell which ones...
Good Dirt, fertilizer and water
make all the difference.
Planting in a yard that gets sun all day
in 98 degree days was a job even
though I didn't do any of the digging!
Dying in the heat but I got the
best tan I've had in years!
Then came rocks....
And more rocks...
That my husband arranged one by one,
after installing the pump and hoses that run
from the skimmer up to the top of the waterfall.
I debated over weed cloth. See this dirt is all
hard clay. We dug huge holes and planted all the plants
in the truckloads of good dirt we brought in.
I don't want to weed but I also want to try and improve
the soil quality. In the end we put weed cloth.
Most gardeners hate it,but I have to plan ahead.
When I am old...I don't want to be weeding along the
edges of the pond and slipping or falling.
You don't see any black liner in this pond
it is all rock lined to look more natural.
I chose many flowers that I like and
that will attract bee's and butterflies.
There is lots of room to add
flowers every year.
Amazing how this pond attracted frogs and dragon flies.
I see butterflies and humming birds daily!
Here is the pond with plants.
and finally the feeder fish
that we brought from our old house
get to live in their new pond!
They will winter in the pond for the first time.
You can see the two slate walk ways
where next year we will put a simple
flat bridge that resembles a dock.
I want to be able to sit and watch the fish
swimming below
I love the layout of the yard
and how I designed it. The pond is
the centerpiece and can be seen
inside, from the upper deck and all the patios.
None of this would have come about
without my husbands hard work and labor.
I am so grateful for all he does for me.
I planted wisteria at the 2 front posts
of this pergola to climb up and over
and have purple flowers hanging down
this patio will be a secret garden off
my pottery studio one day. We are
still deciding if we want to cover the
top with something to make it waterproof
next summer.
I can't believe all we
accomplished this summer!
Truly a Dream come True!
