Where a year has taken us

I can't believe we have been in our dream home for almost a year now!!!


I've been working hard on making it ours and still have so much left that I want to do. Good thing we aren't planning on going anywhere anytime soon!
I thought it would be fun to see the before and after's of the last year, so here we go!!

Before:



I was never a big fan of the "seusical" type topiaries but the poor trees do take a while to grown back to their natural form. The grass is still sad, but hopefully in the next year or two I will get the yard itself in a much healthier state. It's sticker city out there right now, can't wait to rid the yard of those pesky things!

And here is another shot of the bed I have started where the grass used to be. The "artistic" piece in the middle is the remainder of a stump of one of the trees we lost to the storms this year. I think I have come up with a creative way to incorporate it into the landscape, I will update a picture when I complete that project.


Before:


After: I am still working on what to do where the grass won't grow, but at least there is SOMETHING under the tree now besides dirt. I was very mindful with the mulch to keep a thin layer and keep the roots exposed where they already stuck out. I love this tree!



Before:
After: Some of the bigger changes can't be seen as well as I'd like. Of course the pool has been resurfaced and retiled and I have slowly started on the pool landscaping, mainly just expanding the little spot the previous owners had started at the end of the pool.


Notice my birthday palm tree has been added to the mix!!



Before:

After:

This is where I envisioned the memorial garden! As a matter of fact, I have an earlier blog about starting this garden. I had hoped to get farther with this bed, but with all of the beds I put in this year, I decided that this would be phase 1!

Here's another shot! I am happy that most of the plants I put in are making it in this crazy heat and drought. Oy vey! What a year to start establishing plants. Good thing I was aiming for all xeriscape! Just wish the stupid bermuda would quit sneaking in when I am not looking.

Before:


After: ARGH! I am still fighting the stubborn hackberry trees that are coming up everywhere. I must have pulled well over 200 sproutlings this year and right now there is a small grove coming up behind my wagon wheels. Unfortunately, I will have to wait til the end of the season to kill them once and for all. Little did I know that there is no organic way to kill those stupid trees and of course I am growing edibles in that corner too, So, alas, I will wait til winter to hit them with stump killer.

So there you have it! When I look at the pictures, it doesn't seem like enough, but boy, I am staying busy just maintaining what I have already put in. However, that won't stop me from plowing forward. I already have plans for the fall, although I think this time I will try to not bite quite so much off. The bonus is with so much more to maintain compared to the last place, I am back to my high school size in clothes. Can't beat that!!