We spent time outdoors gardening on Veteran’s Day. Our kids had friends over and Matthieu and I did some manual labor, recorded here with some uninteresting photos, dulled by fall weeds and dead leaves. It’s hard to make a garden look good in the fall, isn’t it?
Except for a few bright spots.
The first thing I focused on was our peach tree that we planted in honour of the baby I miscarried. The kids call him by the baby’s name: Alistair.
He wasn’t happy over there so close to the laurel hedge. I think it sucked all the moisture and nutrients from the soil. So we moved him down a level.
I think he’s going to be much happier here. We put the tomato stakes around the grass seed where the peach tree used to be to give the spot a chance to avoid being trampled on. We also moved the magnolia tree to here:
There’s nothing interesting to look at over in that corner as it is, and I think it will fare better without so much sun. We have another similar tree in front (planted at the same time) that is three times its size and it’s more shaded. So I think that must be the trick.
The roses were too squished. When I planted them, they were so tiny, I could not have known how they would grow.
Five of them! The two Charles de Gaulle rose bushes needed to be pulled out or they would not survive another season. They were getting overshadowed by the taller roses and the black bamboo.
Even the largest, healthiest rose bush was too close to the bamboo and looked ugly next to it. So the Charles de Gaulle roses (they are lavender in color) are now here in full sun – (it’s the optimistic pod sticking out of the soil there)-
and I re-spaced the three larger rose bushes like so.
In bigger plans (which might require renting equipment), we’re going to cut this apple tree down (which doesn’t bear good fruit), and move the spindly one away from the kiwi so it has a chance to get some sun and nutrients.
I know. It’s such a busy picture you can’t even see the apple tree ) it’s shaped like a “Y” over on the left.
We’re going to cut the bay laurel bush right there and plant our spindly cherry tree in its place. The cherry tree is currently also planted too close to the laurel hedge.
Clearly nothing should be growing there except grass. The cherry blossoms will be a lovely thing to look at from the studio where my husband’s office is.
We’re going to turn this shady area – former bin for compost made with asbestos and cement – (where nothing grows) into a fountain. At least that’s my plan. I have begrudging support from my husband.
And we’re going to remove the hazelnut tree. It’s nuts are too small to eat and it’s a little messy and bushy. In fact this whole area – between the hazelnut, kiwi, bamboo, wisteria … it’s just so messy looking. Not in a wild, untamed way, but in an “eyesore” kind of way. It’s not peaceful.
I want at least two bench swings and we’re thinking this might be a good place for one of them.
Oh yes. Do you see the scaffolding? Oh la la, my friends. The adventure has begun! We have no roof at the moment. And boy, is it loud!
I’ll keep you posted on that because I know you’ll want to see the way things develop. And wait until I tell you about my birthday present later this month! squeeeeal!
I promised you a giveaway. This is my second community post this week, related to the blog swaps I’m doing. At Simply Ashley Nicole’s blog. It’s a really fun post to read because five of us put collages up of some of our favourite fall items. (Wanna see mine?) 🙂
You can click over there and check out what’s trending in our humble lives and have a chance to win a $15 Sephora card! To win you must enter and follow all the entries in the giveaway widget! Here are the participants:
And here is the Giveaway! May the odds be ever in your favour. (Is that how it goes)? You have until the 16th to enter. (I hope you win).
