We spent most of Saturday at various sports games and practices, but Sunday was yard work day. With the sun out and the temps in the upper 60's it was the perfect day to be out in the yard getting it in shape for spring.
I had bought some espaliered Camellias at Costco (Have I mentioned how much I love Costco? -- No? Well, I do and I'll have to write a post about it sometime) a couple of weeks ago, and then we had a week of continuous rain right on through the next weekend; so they hadn't made it into the ground. Add to them the twelve or so plants I bought at the nursery this week (when I was only stopping in to pick up a gift card for a fund raising basket), and I had a lot of planting to do this weekend.
Espaliered Camelia
Let me back up a little bit. After remodeling the house a couple of years ago, our yard was completely torn up. We knew that we needed to do something but we didn't want to spend a whole lot more money right then. We hired a landscape designer and had her draw up an overall plan for us to eventually implement. We decided to hire someone to put in the hardscape, a sprinkler system, and the front and back lawn right away, but left the planting till later.
Backyard after renovation
Another backyard after renovation
Over the past couple of years I have slowly implemented our plan. Some things have changed along the way, but the plan is mostly intact. I have now hit the point where I am refining the design; moving plants and adding new ones that I like and/or have discovered along the way.
Backyard after hardscape and two years of planting (The big tree is just to the right of the picture)
Close up of bench and rock wall
This weekend I put in some blue fescue (I have always loved that plant and will be adding some more throughout the gardens), the two camelias, and some ornamental grasses (Golden Variegated Sweet Flag). There are still some areas that I have barely touched yet and some plants that I put in last year that didn't survive (thus needing to be replaced) but overall the yard is coming along nicely.
Elijah Blue Fescue
Japanese maple and new Golden Variegated Sweet Flag (ornamental grass)
Planted espaliered camelia
More Golden Variegated Sweet Flag
I then got the boys to pitch in and do some weeding. With all the rain that we have gotten lately our large backyard tree has sown a million seedlings that are now popping up throughout my gardens. After about three hours of work, I have a mostly weed free back garden.
So, that was my weekend. Hopefully this week I will get back to some of my incomplete projects. I'd really like to finish the monogrammed pillow for my younger son's room and the two monogrammed pillows for my spring bedroom look (no, I don't stitch monogram, I fabric paint my monograms). It's about time I switched out the fall/winter room for a lighter airier look. I also would like to finally get around to painting the frame on the guest bedroom's full length mirror that has been leaning up against the wall since the remodel.
