Retiree in Training: My retirement project

The "garden" before I started

Besides trying to lure song birds to my backyard, I've been creating a masterpiece in my yard. Where once there was only a ditch and "grass" - I say that with quotation marks because as you can see from the picture, it wasn't that great- I now have a wonderland. I'm not sure how long all of this will last, but over the years I suppose I'll learn what plants REALLY mean they need sun and which ones can sort of lumber along with just a little bit of sun.

I started by extending the stones that our community's landscapers had installed (See first picture) into a dry river. I foolishly thought I could just use the stones that were there! Fifteen 50 pound bags of marble chips and pebble stones hand carried by me and Friend (thank god for those Body Pump Classes) later, and I had the beginnings of a garden with a dry river.

Then 10 hours of cutting out roots as big as a tree limb --- my husband and a friend had cleared out the soil on the right. It was a real nightmare and would have stopped me in my tracks but we had gone too far to stop.

Next was hauling in soil, mulch (50 bags of it), amenities, and plants until we had the beginnings of a wonderful garden.

We aren't finished because as I am learning if a plant wants full sun, you'd better give it to her. And we don't have full sun. So, this is the beginning of a journey to see what lives, flourishes, and gives us a wonderland in the future. I think it was well worth it.

2013

While I was doing this, hubby was completely re-designing our patio. What was once a falling down wooden fence is now a beautiful brick wall complete with flower boxes. It is still a work in progress because of the heat, but I think the 90% solution already looks terrific.