Gardening

[mhara]

We decided two years ago (when our remaining cat died) that we would develop a garden that was friendly to wild-life (birds, butterflies, hedgehogs, frogs, toads - we don't run to the large animal range of wild-life in the UK that some of you may still have in the US).

First to go was the lawn. We decided which areas we wanted to keep paved for outdoor relaxing/entertaining and then we re-landscaped the rest so that there would be a different type of view in front of the house and out the back. That way, whether inside or outside there was a good chance of seeing our wild visitors. It 's amazing just how territorial birds are.

The rewards have been great. And no more lawn-mowing, plus a drought-resistant garden so our water bills have gone down too. This year we're starting to redevelop down one side of the house.

Only (slight) problem at the moment are the neighbours two cats which are thrilled to have a hunting-ground right by them!

[Trek420]

Only (slight) problem at the moment are the neighbours two cats which are thrilled to have a hunting-ground right by them!

I worry about that too. I'm told that keeping the bird attractive plants, bird feeders, bird bath, bird coffee shop ... just kidding about the last one up and away from predator cover helps.

I have a teeny tiny tiny patio in my condo.

The patio is also where my dog lives when I'm at work and when she's not off walking my dog walker.

When I got the joint it was a patch of cement without a stick of green.

The problem is the small size, dual purpose (doggie) and light. To the East is the other unit and carport roof, the South is the other wall o' the condo, to the West is sliding glass door off the kitchen, and to the North and all sides some big trees.

What I'm planning to do is grow up, no not me the plants.

Two large planters now have redwood trellis and I planted clemetis (sp?). My Mom suggested those plants because they like their "feet in the shade but their heads in the sun". They will make the big boring blank wall....less blank.

These flank a 3 tiered planter stand filled with plants I so far have managed not to kill. and there's a pottery bird bath on it.

I also have a planter on a tricycle, gotta have that bike theme.

Yesterday I found another 3-tiered planter shelf at an Oakland charity run thrift store. That's probably going to go under the kitchen window.

Plan is to ring the patio with plants, add tiny table and chairs so it becomes "oh, nice place to have a cup of coffee" when I turn the joint.

[Kimmyt]

You ladies are inspiring! I have always wanted a gorgeous garden, but my mom wasn't into it and so I never inherited a green thumb. Also, I have to say, I'm lazy when it comes to that stuff. Today I've done a bit of yardwork, but just things like mowing the grass, but I pulled a bunch of weeds from an old flower bed out back in the hopes that maybe some day I will put something in.

On the upside, though, my potted herbs are doing so well that I think I'm going to have to run to the store to get some supplies so that I can use some of them tonight (I'm thinking garlic/mozzarella/basil/tomato personal thincrust pizza to trim back the basil which has made a complete turnaround from when I planted it!

I've also got a very happy looking pot in my front yard, though my azalea has dropped all her flowers I think due to the cold nights recently. All in all, this is very good, for me. I still have that patch of bare mulched garden in my front yard that needs a nice tree or shrub, but that may have to wait until next year. At least I have taken care of the weeds for now!!

K.

[mhara]

This week some of the hedge-sparrow chicks and blackbird chicks have fledged. Their first few attempts at flying are very comical. They seem astonished by what they've just done.

Some of the tiny new sparrows have found the shallow bowl of water under the Bay tree and they go bathing - sometimes two in at a time, water splashing everywhere.

And while the fluffy-feathered baby birds keep us entertained their anxious parents flit back and forth with encouraging cheeps and chirps, still feeding their newly-flown broods.

I love it.

[LBTC]

Thank you, mhara. That was a lovely post that raised my spirits on a particularly difficult work day. Now it is time for me to go get some fresh air for 20 minutes.

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[mhara]

Well, it was good back last February when we got frog-spawn. And it's lovely to see tadpoles getting around in our front garden pond. Seemed like Mother nature was applauding our getting that pond put in.

But the last two nights, from 10 p.m. onwards, we've been watching a couple of hedgehogs come carefully out from under the box-tree hedge and help themselves to the bird-food that the wild birds have dropped from the feeders.

They must be combining our garden with one or more of the neighbours' gardens because there can't possibly be enough hedgehog food just in our small plot. But it felt amazingly special to see them.

[yellow]

Bumping this up as I have spent the better part of 3 days guerrilla (sp?) gardening in the heat.

After successfully killing the back lawn, it was time to actually Do Something. I've been talking about Doing Something for quite a while and hoping that DH would say something like "Yeah, let's Do Something with the yard such as..." or even "let's do X with the yard" but no. Silence. So it was up to me.

So I've taken out most of the grass, have laid most of a new path, figured out where the pond is going to go, and created a new (better) spot for the birdbath. The pond will be last, probably this fall.

Our neighbors have a giant, PITA mulberry tree that hangs over our yard. We love the shade but hate the berries. The tree is sitting on powerlines for 5 houses and will probably be coming out in the next couple of months. That's the only reason I'm saying that I'll put in a pond. Pond + berries = yucky. But without the berries (and leaves) it should be only a marginal PITA to maintain. Once the mulberry comes out I can plant a couple of small trees to provide shade (eventually). Something small-ish, like a Corylus (which I mentioned earlier). We'll plant a few other things that can survive Utah with minimal watering and maintenance also.

The worst news is that my tennis elbow was completely gone after vacation (I think because I didn't work for a week+! ) and now it's back with a vengeance. It's more annoying than anything. The elbow band works but is a pain in the rear.