Winter has finally arrived in the North East. With temperatures barely climbing above 0 degrees Fahrenheit today, I would like to look back on warmer times. Below is a collection of back yard improvements undertaken in the spring of 2018 and my thoughts on further improvement for the spring of 2019. As I write this, everything you see here is covered under a foot of snow and ice, so it’s nice to reminisce over greener pastures.
Side yard frontage clean-out:
We have a few pine trees in our front yard that, just like everything else in the yard, had gone neglected in the years before we bought our house. There was maybe four or five years worth of pine needles covering the ground in the photo above and we spent a weekend raking it all out to reveal dirt and even some struggling plants! We placed the rocks along the road to discourage people from parking on our yard; many people had grown accustomed to the lot being unoccupied and didn’t think they were bothering anyone by parking in front of the house all. the. time. In 2019 Jake wants to plant a row of hedges here.
Transplants:
Above is a collection of all the day-lilies, irises, and true lilies that I found growing in the middle of the lawn. Planted there by the squirrels over the years, I collected the roots and bulbs like treasures and made a neat row along the treeline. In 2019, I will find out if any of these flowers survived the winter! maybe I’ll transplant them again as our garden evolves, or maybe I’ll move them back now that I’ve cleared more of the leaves in front of the treeline.
Rain Barrel Footings:
To conserve a little water for the garden we installed rain barrels under our downspouts. But to support 50 gallons of water, Jake first installed cinder-blocks and drainage rock in the ground. Now we have water for the garden whenever we need it. In 2019, we need to drain and clean the barrels mid season and treat with a little bleach every so often to keep bugs away.
The Awesome but Lonely Hosta:
This is more of a potential project. We have this gorgeous hosta growing behind the shed. It’s doing so well there and the flowers a great and tall but it’s behind the shed, no one can see it back there. I have already started a hosta-rehabilitation area in the front garden for the sad little guys that were devastated by the previous owner’s lawnmower. But this hosta is so grand, I’m nervous about disturbing it with a transplant. Maybe in 2019 I’ll figure out what to do with it.
Mailbox Beautification:
Another very neglected piece of the landscape when we bought the house was the mailbox. We really need a new one. A few months after this photo was taken, someone hit the already ancient box and mangled it even further. It’s held together with zip ties right now….but at least I cleaned up the ground around it. I transplanted day-lilies (which grew big and pretty this past summer), crocuses, tulips, and true lilies to this spot, put down mulch and laid the rocks. It looks much better than it did. In 2019 I’d like to get a new, sturdier mailbox with a concrete footing. I’d also like to expand the mailbox garden since grass has trouble growing in this spot.
These are just a few of the ongoing outdoor projects around the house. I really have my work cut out for me this spring!
