Firecracker's xeriscape friendly lawn, garden area and patio

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firecrackerktm

New Member
We got SO much done today ... I feel really good that it will live this time lol :p

1. Moved blanketflowers that were choking roses from the front to the rear flower bed

2. Began to build pathway from front porch to rear yard--got edging in and weed fabric down, just need 1 truckload of gravel to fill it in

3. Removed railing from outside of front porch and built steps down to future patio

4. Dug dirt away from concrete and smoothed out the area that will soon be covered in river rock (nothing grows there and we park on it)

5. Began to haul river rock from the ugly area by the rear deck to the front

6. Installed invisible fence to keep dogs out of the flower bed--they still have LOTS and lots of yard to run in, shade, water, etc. I just want them out of the wedge shaped area between the front gate and the main yard area. You'll see when I get my drawing fixed up right and posted as a JPEG. I has drafter skills, haha.

I already have russian sage growing in one area, and I plan to get some more and plant yarrow between and around it. I like the way those two look together. I am going to mix globe thistles in with the blanket flower for some more color/texture contrast. I want some seedum in the new steps (there are dirt gaps between the paver risers. I want to fill in the area around the house with more vincas, they seem to be coming back well and looking good this year. Groundcover-height yarrow seems to be doing EXTREMELY well and our yard is actually mostly comprised of it--I planted http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/grass-seed/envirolawn-grass-seed/envirolawn-grass-seed.html last year and the white yarrow has essentially taken over, which works just fine for me. It is green and the dogs haven't killed it. I have low standards. The clover back there is doing well too so our actual lawn area may end up nearly grass free.

There is one corner I am not sure what to do with. RIght now it is totally unused except for the hardtop for the Jeep and the stacks of spare tires we have for our 5 vehicles (yeah, I know). ALso the swamp cooler lives there and the giant ugly dog house the previous owner built. I can get rid of that thing, move the hard top and tires elsewhere, and make it a nice little shady area to sit--it is the coolest location on the premises.

I will post updates and pics and probably have LOTS of questions. THere is so much to do and we don't know how long we will live here, so expensive projects and professional landscaping just aren't going to happen.

Anyway I just thought I'd post because I am feeling good about the start to the season.

Still to do:
Sow flax/poppy combination in the new flower area
Rebuilt rotting old rear deck
Open up fenced off back corner
Run pavers along house to mark off yard from flower beds
Plant sunflowers, russian sage, yarrow, globe thistles since my indoor starting efforts failed
Few more blanketflowers need to come out from the front yard (they just go CRAZY up there)
Find home for and start growing my butterfly bushes from seed
Get tomatoes and herb garden started

I will post up some pictures and I have a CAD drawing I made of the property and various "zones". There is SO MUCH left to do, this place is in sad condition :(

But I am excited, it looks 10 times better than it did after just two days of (admittedly difficult) physical labor.
 

RonsGarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
By, you've been very busy!
Photos please as you go along!
Should have taken before photos!!!!
 

Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
I just love to get new projects underway. You had a busy weekend. I enjoy sharing your excitement!
 

lynpenny

Super Moderator
Staff member
Sounds like you've been busy. It would be great if you could post some pictures.
 

firecrackerktm

New Member
Another busy weekend! We hauled home FOUR truckloads of rock (just the Mr and I and a wheelbarrow, my legs are about dead). We got the ratty ugly area between the house and garage all covered in weedmat and several inches of gravel. We have a huge pile of big granite boulders ready to go in the dead back corner for some rock-scaping. I weeded and raked and cleaned up the tiny shady wedge on the other side, I think it will need some bark under the trees and I don't know what else around them. There's some thin patchy grass ... I am thinking clover? I love clover.
Got the path edged in, now we just need some more gravel or small rock to fill it. As soon as we're past the last freeze date then I can plant my seeds, which I should have done last fall and they'd be coming up now, but I wasn't sure then what I wanted to do or where.

We did SO MUCH shoveling and hauling, and my F150 was swaying on its shocks because we overloaded it a bit on the last trip. Poor little truck.

My transplanted blanketflowers are so far looking like they'll make it.

The pix are not very impressive. But I have hope ...

The rocks unloaded but not where they will stay (this area will be river rock)

2012-04-08115120.jpg


Stonecrop along the sidewalk

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The pathway ready for gravel or small rock:

2012-04-08151930.jpg


And this is the least pretty but right now makes me the most happy, because this was a horrid trashy messy weed filled muddy ugly area and now it's a good storage spot for our spare tires and firewood!

2012-04-08151850.jpg
 


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