Our Big Blue House

Spring pictures from the Big Blue House

2012-05-01T19:37:00.000-05:00

WHAT'S BLOOMING AT THE BONAM'S SPRING 2012

The hyacinths have come and gone, as did our daffodils. Thier minature cousins (iris,daffodil, hyacinth and tulips) all bloomed about a month ago, and our crocus have been gone since the beginning of March. The paperwhites have also bloomed and faded by the time we took these photos.

Shrub Garden

Backyard Walkway

Since we dove right into projects this spring, we didn't get pictures taken and uploaded to the blog as quickly as we should have. Sadly, these pictures were taken a few weeks past the tulip's prime.

None-the-less, they are still beautiful spring pictures of the Big Blue House.

These pictures are the fruits of our labor (and the cause of our previous November back injuries)

Berm

Front yard walkway to the drive

Front Birch Bed

Front Peach Tree Bed

Foundation Planting

A few weeks earlier the Rhododendron behind the Azaleas was in bloom as well. This photo was taken after I had cleaned up the area and snipped quite a few spent tulips.

Foundation Planting

Corner Fence / Paperbark Maple Garden

It's a pity that we didn't snap a picture of this sooner. The corner fence had many more hyacinths and tulips a few weeks earlier. That is an Olga Mezitt Rhodo behind the fence. Each spring she is STUNNING. Every passer-by asks about Olga.

Native Garden

The photo to the right is of our Native Praire Garden. This photo was taken early April...and YES those are coneflower next to the tulips. They came up REALLY early this year.

Mature Lilac

My mom's nat geo moment

Berm

In just a few weeks, the tulips on the berm will be traded out for Allium. I cannot wait to see that. I adore Allium.

Fenceline

Front Peach Tree Bed

Fenceline

Side of house pulling into our Drive

Another of Mom's Nat Geo Moments

The New Pond Area In Detail

2012-04-29T15:38:00.000-05:00

The new pond area in detail.

let's get down to the nitty gritty...How did we do it?

Materials List:

Campanula 'Glometera Superbra' x 12

Iris 'Silver Edge' x 9

Fern 'Japanese Painted Fern' x5

Coreopsis 'Dream Catcher' x 3

Geranium 'Sanguineum' x 3

Stachys 'Hummelo' x 3

Liriope ' Varigated' x 3

Pulmonaria 'Raspberry Ice' x 5

Brunnera 'Looking Glass' x 3

Hosta 'Great Expectations' x 1

Hosta 'Wide Brim' x 1

Hosta ' Remember Me' x 1

Hosta 'Spilt Milk' x 1

Hosta 'Guacamole' x 1

Hosta 'Bright Lights' x 1

Hosta 'Patiriot' x 1

Hosta 'Sun Power' x 1

Azalea 'Nova Zembla' x 2

Ajuga 'Bronze Beauty' x 12 (so far, but need more)

Lysimachia 'Aurea' x 6 (so far, but need more)

dwarf fothergilla x 1

Assorted Sedge(s) x 5

STILL NEED: Foamflower (3), Coral Bells (2) and many bulbs for spring color.

Total number of plants to complete this area: 85 + spring bulbs.

This is how it started.

A girl, a pencil and a plan

CHANGE IN PLANS: Along the way, plans changed. You'll notice that originally I didn't plan for the dry creek bed. It wasn't until I started cutting and filling the area with dirt and soil ammendments that I realized that we had to reconfigure things. Originally, I had also planned for Olga Mezitt Rhodos and Sedum. That changed as well. I just couldn't find Olga, and realized that Sedum would not get the necessary light requirements. The Olga's were swapped out for Nova Zemblas and Brunnera was substituted for Sedum. To the left is the rough sketch of what my vision was for the pond area. We also had to change locations of plants during installation as we were battling some hefty tree roots.

PLANT / MATERIALS ACQUISITION: During the initial planning stages I also took finances into consideration. We had the menards cards to purchase shrubs and "fillers". Further, buying perennials from an online nursary saved us a bundle! This is the first time I used GORGE TOP GARDENS and I must say that I was quite impressed. The plants arrived healthy and really well cared for. At the time they also offered $8.95 flat rate [any size order] shipping. I think It's now $10.95, which is still unbelieveable. YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT. www.gorgetopgardens.com/

Check them out if you are doing any big landscaping projects. You won't have immediate gratification, but all good things come to those who wait.

Most of my hosta have come from CONTRARY MARY'S. Mary knows her stuff! My husband and I went there with a basic idea of what color/size hosta I wanted and Mary had it OR even better, she'd one-up it! If you are not in the Minooka, IL area...she's online. www.contrarymarysplants.com/

The dirt and cobblestone came from ILLINOIS LANDSCAPE SUPPLY. Great People, very friendly. Same day delivery available. Again, reasonable prices. www.illinoislandscapesupply.com/

TIMELINE:

We Started the project April 8th (Easter Sunday) and it has taken roughly 3 weeks to complete.

This timeline also includes the installation "Grandma's garden", and "Tsinat's garden".

STAY TUNED...

MORE INFO/PICTURES TO COME AS THINGS MATURE!!

Lofty Hopes and Dreams

2012-04-26T14:39:00.000-05:00

PROJECT 1.

THE NEGLECTED BACK YARD.

Lofty hopes and dreams. That's how every story begins...

I love gardening magazines. I love the look of lush, full plantings with pathways leading you...wait...begging you to explore further. Along the way you find hidden treasures that give you some insight to the homeowners personality. Birds sing to you as you continue your journey, stopping only to admire the way the light plays off the color of the leaves and the different textures that were used in the bed.

STOP.

The image I just created was NOT my backyard.

I wanted it to be my backyard, but it wasn't.

So this year we decided to make the dream a reality. Let's start with some before images and descriptions.

CONS:

Our gutter downspout pops up right in a prime planting area, making it difficult to landscape around it. You can't use mulch around it and you have to be cautious what you plant. The back yard is also on a slight slope, so the water from the pop up downspout will wash away anything in its path (not just the immediate area around it)

We have a large maple tree that the previous homeowners planted SMACK DAB in the middle of the back yard, also making landscaping difficult. This tree means that much of our back yard is shaded / part shade. The light itself is not a problem, but the location of the tree is.

The gazebo takes up quite a bit of space in the backyard leaving only a small area for the pond itself. Any hopes of making the pond larger simply aren't possible without removing either the tree or the gazebo.

When we installed our fence, it left a very narrow area on the side of the gazebo, also very shaded.

This is how the "Lilac Meadow" started in 2009

PROS:

When we installed our fence, it left a very narrow area on the side of the gazebo, also very shaded. This gives me the ability to create a secret, secluded area in the yard because it is not visible from the backdoor.

Another picture of the "Lilac Meadow". This was taken in 2011.

There are SO many wonderful perennials that can be placed in shade / part shade.

By increasing the size of the pond flower bed itself, we also immediately created paths to get to and from different areas of the yard.

Our projects this spring have included:

1.) I finished off the edges in the lilac meadow with some decorative bricks that matches the previously installed raised bed ( note the lower left side of the picture.) We filled in the newly edged beds with dirt. It will be home to hosta, primrose, astilbe, spiderwort and lamium. Currently, only a few hosta and the spiderwort are planted. More pictures will be posted in the coming weeks as to how this area is progressing. In the distance is the "secret garden" I am looking for an old wrought iron gate to use as a gate to keep the dogs out of the veggies and hops.

2.) We've also added additional beds in front/around our raised vegetable garden. One of them I affectionately call "grandma's garden". It will be home to peonies and poppies. These flowers remind me of both of my grandmothers. One grew the most beautiful peonies, and the other belonged to the VFW. Every year we sold buddy poppies. I was buddy poppy queen when I was younger. :)

Currently only the peonies are installed.

When we dug out the area around the pond, several daylilies had to be relocated. Because I loved the look of the salvia, daylily and lavender combo in the front; I mimicked this in my backyard. I absolutely love the color, texture and contrast of these plants. They are in the lower bed.

The big plastic covered mound in the background is sod. It is sitting in what should be one of our vegetable gardens. At least it's not in the driveway! :)

The new areas are desperately in need of mulch, which hopefully we will be doing the first weekend of May.

3.) We also installed a wonderful shade / part shade bed which includes a hydrangea bush, Solomon's seal, goats beard, hosta, columbine, toad lily, and carex. On the edges of the bed that receive more sun we have creeping phlox, coneflower and black-eyed susan. We sponsor a child in Ethiopia. Her last name is Solomon. I wanted to create a bed so that I could plant Variegated Solomon's Seal to remind me of her.

REALITY CHECK: IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THE FAMINE / DROUGHT IN AFRICA PLEASE EDUCATE YOURSELF ON IT. IT IS DEVASTATING. IF YOU ARE ABLE PLEASE HELP. We found our sponsored family through Childfund International, but there are many organizations that have been founded to help those in Africa. We are fortunate enough to have the EXTRA water for a flower garden, they are not fortunate enough to have even enough water to drink or grow FOOD. Puts things into perspective doesn't it?

4.) We placed rock in front of our back gate to tie into the pergola area. I have a thing for curved lines and it was always just a bit off in my eye. We had just enough rock left to fix it. Lex is currently growing about 100 irish moss now to fill this area.

Before

After

5.) THE GRAND FINALE:

We increased the size of our pond area and planted several perennials.

The goal was to tuck the pond away behind lush plantings. In our case there will be 5 hosta and various other plants in the foreground. We solved the drainage issue by creating a dry creek bed that runs along side the bridge, the rest of the area outside the "creek" will be mulched.

To fully enjoy the view of the pond you will need to venture down the path toward the bridge, stopping to watch the ornamental grasses swaying gently in the breeze. Your eyes then notice the delicate foliage of the ferns against the contrasting broad leaves of the hostas. Listen as the busy bumbles are flying from flower to flower enjoying their sweetness...birds sing to you as you continue your journey, stopping again to admire the way the light is playing off the color of the leaves and different textures that were used in OUR bed.

Lofty hopes and dreams. That's how every story begins...

Change of Plans

2012-04-24T11:51:00.001-05:00

Spring has sprung at the Bonam's, the projects have officially begun.

So remember the project list from last month?

Plans changed. We decided that rather than doing the arborvitae, we would concentrate on our neglected backyard.

SOME HISTORY: A few years back we installed a smallish prefab pond. It was cute, I loved it. It was well planted the first year. We bought beautiful koi to put in the pond and even installed lights to enhance the pond for night viewing. It was a great summer. Radio margaritaville and BBQ every Saturday night the first year. The pond wasn't / isn't deep enough to winter the koi, so all but ONE were brought into the house. "Orange Blossom" was our guinea pig to see if they could survive the winter in the pond. We continued to love them and feed them all winter. Orange Blossom hibernated in the pond outside. The inside koi ate from your hand and grew like crazy.

Spring came and it was time to move everyone outside...WITH ORANGE BLOSSOM. Orange Blossom survived the winter and also grew like crazy. We waited until it was warm enough and the pond was ready. The move went well, everyone acclimated into the pond and seemed very happy. The next morning I woke up to Lex standing at our bedroom window saying "honey, wake up. you have to see this". I stumbled to the window (still half asleep) to find a large white bird standing in our pond with its head down. I FLEW down the stairs with our shepherd in tow, shoved him out the backdoor and we raced to the pond.

Needless to say, most of the koi were gone. It was devastating. We replaced a few koi (which in frustration I named them Sushi and Ceviche). We had to place a large net over the top of the pond to prevent our new koi from living up to their name. Now I couldn't plant anything in the pond because of this large net. To say the least, I was very discouraged. Who would have thought that a heron would choose our SMALL pond for breakfast?

Months passed. We restocked the pond. They were becoming more friendly and they too ate out of your hand. We didn't reinstall the lights and again... nothing was planted. Frustration caused the pond area to fall into a state of neglect. The pond was nice, but that's about it. We still had Buffett & BBQ on Saturday night, but the ambiance of the pond was absent.

THIS YEAR: When "spring" arrived (early) this year we did our yard clean up and trekked around the property deciding what to do this year. I found that after each exhausting day in the garden we would retire to the front porch for our victory beer and cigar. Hence, the need for the arborvitae for more privacy in the front.

Now, our backyard is visible from our large back door/windows in the kitchen. It [the backyard] became our "dirty little secret". Everyone saw the beautiful exterior, but no one saw the nightmare that was our backyard. Landscaping follies. Yes I had many. I used small rock as mulch around the pond area. ROCK. Do you know how hard it is to plant and dig in rock? This is another reason that the area never got finished. We couldn't figure out [at the time] any other way to keep mulch from washing into our pond, so this was our answer. We had a tree ring that was right next to the bridge to go over the pond. We went through installing waterfalls that didn't work the way they should, a waterfall that looked terrible and a fountain that stopped working. The pond area has been a royal pain in the...let's just say it's been a headache. Last year my mother painstakingly picked up each and every rock/pebble around the pond in her free time. On a side note she told me that she would beat me if I ever used small rock as mulch again. We had lofty ideas for the back yard, but it just kept going to the back burner.

Then it came to us. Let's finish the back. enjoy our BACKYARD.

So this is what the next few posts are about.

OUR CHANGE OF PLANS.

THIS IS OUR "BEFORE" PICTURE

The First (of many) Post(s) About Beer

2012-02-05T08:36:00.002-06:00

What Is

BEER?

First, malted barley is mixed with hot water, creating the "mash", an oatmeal-like substance. Next a sugary liquid called wort (pronounced "wert") is drained off. The hops are boiled with the wort to add bitterness, flavor, and aroma. Yeast is mixed with the hopped wort and left to ferment. The yeast converts sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide.

FUN FACTS ABOUT BEER:

The ancient Babalonians were the first to brew. They took the whole business pretty seriously. Punishment for a bad batch? Being drown in your bad beer.

Beer is mostly composed of water. Water does contribute quite a bit to the flavor of the beer. Water in certain regions were originally better suited to making certain types of beer. Dublin's mineral-rich hard water is great for making stouts such as Guiness. In the middle ages CLEAN water was harder to come by. More people chose beer over water, because it was simply safer.

In 1814 a brewery tank containing 3500 barrels of beer ruptured causing a tidal wave of beer through a London parish. Two houses were demoloshed and nine people were killed.

In legend and lore, Vikings believed that a giant goat whose udders provided an endless supply of beer was waiting for them in Valhalla (Viking Heaven).

Always store beer upright. This reduces oxidation and contamination from the cap.

Cenosillicaphobia is the fear of an empty glass.

Pilgrims on the mayflower stopped at plymoth rock rather than continuting on to Virginia because they ran out of beer.

Project #5 this summer. FINAL PROJECT. Mowing strip along front walkway

2012-02-04T09:57:00.022-06:00

Our final project this season is to create a mowing strip along our front walk. It is very difficult to mow currently. Our property is every so slightly sloped, thus the need for the stepped walkway.

I plan on finding antique / reclaimed brick similar to those pictured above. When everything is done, the brick mowing strip will flow into the "brick" front porch.

How To Install The Mowing Strip:

Step 1

Measure the walkway. Standard bricks are 4 inches wide and 8 inches long; use other types if you prefer but make sure that they are designed to be used in ground installations.

Step 2

Dig a trench around the walkway at least 4 inches deep. Make your trench wide an inch wider than your bricks so that there will be room to work bricks into the sand.

Step 3

Fill the trench with sand up to about an inch below the surface and tamp it down well by walking around it or leaving it to settle for a few days.

Step 4

Lay your bricks in a line or across the sand and work them into the sand foundation until they sit evenly against the edge of the grass. Lay them flat, on end or tip them on their sides. Add a second row of bricks inside as a "curb" around the bed. Tilt bricks against each other in a sawtooth pattern. Use a mallet and board to tap them so they sit evenly.

Step 5

Sprinkle some sand around the edging to fill any gaps and backfill the edging from the garden side with soil. Water the edging well to settle the bricks into the sand.

START: Start by Sept 1.

MATERIALS LIST: reclaimed brick

ESTIMATED COST: relatively inexpensive, depending on where the brick is acquired.

PROJECT DETAILS: SEE ABOVE

PROJECTED TIME LINE: 2 weeks

WORKERS FOR PROJECT: 2 (Honey bunny and me)

Project #4 this summer. New Garage Door(s)

2012-02-03T09:36:00.012-06:00

Only one of our garage doors currently opens, the other has to be manually lifted. To complete this project will will need to also get a garage door opener for the larger of the two doors.

We plan to get a new large energy efficient door to match the existing small door. The large door is not insulated and lets considerable amounts of cold air in during the winter months.

the second part of this project is to turn these standard garage doors into faux carriage doors by using a commercially available kit. The picture above is magnetic hardware attached to a standard garage door.

We will also purchase magnetic window kits for the look of a window on the door as well. I have no idea how it will actually look when everything is said and done. I hope it looks fairly real. Skymall has a really nice "carriage" door kit. That's a picture of it to the left. I can only hope that it actually turns out like this.

START: Start by July 15.

MATERIALS LIST: large garage door, garage door opener for large garage door, magnetic hardware kits for both doors, window kits for both doors.

ESTIMATED COST: Pricing dependent upon hiring help or DIY

PROJECT DETAILS: SEE ABOVE

PROJECTED TIME LINE: 2 weeks

WORKERS FOR PROJECT: 2 to install faux look of carriage doors, may hire help to assist with hanging large garage door.

Project #3 this spring summer. Replace Wood Trim around Garage.

2012-02-02T09:39:00.029-06:00

Raise the garage door up. Using the flat-head screwdriver, pry the old trim off the doorjamb.

Using your hammer, remove any nails that may be remaining. Use the claw end of the hammer to remove any residual caulk left behind by the old trim.

Sand down the jamb by hand using a sheet of rough-grit sandpaper. This will help ensure a smooth application.

Close the garage door fully. Start at the top and measure the opening. Using a miter saw, cut a piece of trim to size.

Have a helper hold one end of the trim to the header while you hold the other end. Position the trim by allowing the weather strip to slightly bend over the garage door. Tack the trim into the header with the finishing nails spaced about 12 inches apart.

Measure both jambs from the ground to the trim, and cut each piece of trim for the appropriate jamb.

Line up your jamb trim even with the top trim, and tack into place using the finishing nails.

Make sure that the weather strip is even all the way around the opening. Finish nailing the trim into place.

Put the caulk in the caulking gun and apply a small bead between the trim and the door jamb. This will help in keeping moisture from between the trim and wood.

Allegedly... the above procedure is how this whole thing will work.

Seems easy right?

Somehow I don't think that this will go as smoothly as it describes.

START: Start by June 30.

MATERIALS LIST: lots and lots of wood trim, nails, caulk, sandpaper

ESTIMATED COST: Don't even want to think about it.

PROJECT DETAILS: SEE ABOVE

PROJECTED TIME LINE: 2 weeks

WORKERS FOR PROJECT: 2 (just honey bunny and me)

Project #2 this spring. Faux Brick Front Porch

2012-02-01T09:21:00.004-06:00

PROJECT #2

I will be painting our front porch in a faux brick pattern. Replacing the worn front porch path with natural stone would be a great way to go, but it requires loads of cash...which will be spent on project #1.

Instead of resurfacing, I'm going to give it a face-lift with paint.

STEP ONE: Sweep the surface, then prime it with a concrete resurfacer, like Rust-Oleum's Epoxy Shield.

STEP TWO: Let dry.

STEP THREE: starting in one corner, use a 4-inch roller to create a "brick" with a terra-cotta-hued concrete paint. Paint another one below it, and so on, to make a border; repeat along the other side. Fill the space in between with a running bond pattern of 8-inch bricks. Don't worry about keeping them exactly the same size or the lines pin-straight; imperfections make the design realistic.

Let dry, then watch visitors do a double take as they walk in your door.

START: Start by May 31.

MATERIALS LIST: Rust-Oleum's Epoxy Shield, Terra Cotta Hued Concrete Paint, 4 inch roller(s)

ESTIMATED COST: Less than $50

PROJECT DETAILS: SEE ABOVE

PROJECTED TIME LINE: 2 weeks allowed.

WORKERS FOR PROJECT: 2 (just honey bunny and me)

idea and project from: This Old House
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh

Project #1 this spring. Hedge Row.

2012-01-31T09:04:00.004-06:00

Arborvitae is a good choice for a hedge row because it doesn't need pruning to keep its shape. They can reach 15 feet or more when they are mature. As the hedge fills in, you have a solid wall of green to enjoy year round. The dense canopy of an arborvitae tree provides cover for birds and mammals year round.

Arborvitae trees come in many different shapes. Some, like the American arborvitae, are wide, cone shaped. Others, like the pyramidalis, are thinner. The globe arborvitae is rounded. For my projects I will be choosing the Techny Arborvitae.

The techny arborvitae is a fast growing arborvitae tree. They generally have denser foliage than many of the other species of arborvitae, and make the best hedges. I plan of making a wall of green between our house and our neighbors house, as well as planting some along the side of our home to give us some shelter from the street. When planted three and a half feet apart in a row, the techny arborvitae will grow to be a full shield in only a few years. Once planted, a techny arborvitae requires little maintenance.

There you have it folks. PROJECT 1.

START: Start by April 15.

MATERIALS LIST: About 12-15 arborvitae. Ground cover / perennials to add to the foreground of the planting beds.

ESTIMATED COST: Thank god for Menard's gift cards for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

PROJECT DETAILS: Dig up strips of sod along both the north and south side of our property. Likely, a sod cutter will be rented to make the task of sod removal a bit easier. The north side will provide privacy from the street whereas the south side will provide privacy from the neighbors. The trees planted along the south side will also help to shade some of the plants in the front beds that are currently getting too much light (azaleas) After the beds have been dug, the soil must be amended. After the bed has been prepared, they will be planted. First the trees will be installed, followed by the perennials then ground cover. After the install, both beds will be mulched.

PROJECTED TIME LINE: 4 weeks allowed.

WORKERS FOR PROJECT: 2 (just honey bunny and me)

Hummers

2012-01-30T09:11:00.007-06:00

How to get hummers. I'm not talking about the car, nor am I being vulgar...

I'm talking about the hummingbird

Hummingbirds are found throughout North America. They are a winged gem for every gardener. As a matter of fact, early spanish explorers called them flying jewels.

Are you trying to attract these little beauties to your garden this summer?

Read on, I'll tell you what to plant to help attract this little bird.

But first, I'll tell you some interesting tidbits about them.

Hummingbirds are the tiniest birds in the world

Hummingbirds can flash their bright colors, as well as hide them when needed.

Hummingbirds are very smart and they can remember every flower they have been to, and how long it will take a flower to refill.

Hummingbirds can hear better than humans

Hummingbirds can see ultraviolet light.

Hummingbirds have no sense of smell.

A hummingbird's heart beats up to 1,260 times per minute.

A hummingbird baby is about the size of a penny.

Females will lay a clutch of two eggs.

Most hummingbirds die in the first year of life.

The last fact is the biggest reason to provide them with plenty food and consider yourself fortunate if you have been successful in attracting them to your property.

Plants to Attract and Feed Hummingbirds

Trees and Shrubs

Azalea
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
Cape Honeysuckle
Flame Acanthus
Flowering Quince
Lantana
Manzanita
Mimosa
Red Buckeye
Tree Tobacco
Turk's Cap
Weigela

Vines

Coral Honeysuckle
Cypress Vine
Morning Glory
Scarlet Runner Bean
Trumpet Creeper

Photo © Ann D. Martin

Flowers

Some may be annuals or perennials depending on climate.

Perennials

Bee Balm (Monarda)
Canna
Cardinal Flower
Columbine
Coral Bells
Four O'Clocks
Foxglove
Hosta
Hummingbird Mint (Agastache)
Little Cigar
Lupine
Penstemon
Yucca

Annuals

Beard Tongue (and other penstemons)
Firespike
Fuchsia
Impatiens
Jacobiana
Jewelweed
Petunia
Various Salvia species
Shrimp Plant

The above highlighted plants are plants that we have planted around our property. We had success last summer in attracting hummingbirds to our backyard. We are hoping to have even more luck this summer.

Honey Bunny vs. The Funny Bunnies

2012-01-29T08:00:00.006-06:00

You'll shoot your eye out, kid.

Every year we battle with rabbits, and every year we become better warriors...

This past Christmas Lex got a [honest to god] red ryder bb gun. The exact same gun that Ralphie had in "A Christmas Story" (which is by the way one of my FAVORITE movies).

Actually he got a shotgun (Remington 870 - REAL shotgun) and some bb guns. The shotgun is to shoot zombies and burglars, the BB gun is to shoot the bunnies.

Yes. I said zombies. We are HUGE fans of the Walking Dead. If you have not seen it yet, I highly recommend watching it. The mid-season premier is coming up on February 12th on AMC. Anyway... back to the bunnies.

Lex wanted the BB gun to shoot the bunnies we found on our property this winter.

The bunnies cause such devastation to new plantings and bushes.

Which (coincidentally) every year we have so much of.

Rabbit damage can be seen in gnawed wood and sprouts that have been nibbled to the ground. They dig up bulbs that you have painstakingly planted, and reduce your perennials and shrubs into nubs. A few years back they even chewed through our Christmas lights outside. PESTS. But they sure are cute. Even as they ate all of our blueberries and strawberries last summer.

Now when we seen one sitting on our property, Lex runs into the house to grab the red ryder and I quickly run at the bunny [clapping my hands] shouting "run bunny, go go bunny". By the time he will return with the gun, I have safely shooed the bunny from our yard, delivering them to safety. So far this winter, Lex hasn't had a chance to shoot a single rabbit. What can I say, they are destructive BUT I have a soft spot for them. I had a rabbit named Thumper when I was a kid. True, I bought him the BB gun for Christmas; but I can't bare the thought of him actually shooting a bunny.

So each year we try different "weapons" to protect our home from these fuzzy tailed monsters.

LIQUID FENCE: This is our choice product early on in the growing season. It seems to work from March through May. Warning: it is the most nasty smelling stuff you will ever encounter, and your neighbors will probably hate you for a few days. The odor lingers for about 24-48 hours, but the product lasts a few weeks (give or take some spring storms)

SHOTGUN BRAND REPELS ALL (GRANULES): We swear by this product. This year we sprinkled it in with every bulb we planted in the fall (~1100 of them). Every few weeks during the growing season we sprinkle some on the ground. We found that this is the product to use the beginning of summer through fall.

CHICKEN WIRE AROUND YOUR PLANTINGS: Self explanatory. The cage protects your plantings. Just make sure to bury it slightly to discourage burrowing animals to dig under the fence. This would work all seasons to protect your garden.

If rabbits are a big problem in your area consider planting specimens that are "rabbit resistant". I say that tongue in cheek because they ate my barberry bushes last winter. Barberry is often thought to be rabbit resistant.

Here is a brief list of flowers you can add that are thought to be rabbit resistant:

Agastache - Licorice sent. attracts butterflies. full sun. zone 5-10

Allium - my personal favorite...the wild onion. full sun. zone 4-8

Astilbe - adds great texture to the garden. part shade. zone 4-10.

Baptisia - full sun. attracts butterflies. zone 3-8

Bee Balm - sun, part sun. attracts butterflies. zone 3-9

Catmint - another favorite of mine. incredibly hardy. sun, part sun. zone 3-9

Daffodil - sun part sun. zone 3-9

Daylily - SO EASY TO GROW. sun, part sun. zone 3-10

Foxglove - part sun, zone 3-8 PROVIDE LIGHT AFTERNOON SHADE.

Fritillaria - attracts hummingbirds. unique looking flower. can't wait to see mine in the spring. this is their first year. sun, part sun. zone 4-10

Hellebore - one of the first plants to appear late winter/early spring. part sun, shade. winter interest. zone 4-9

Iris - great cut flowers. sun, part sun. zone 3-9

Lambs Ears - great texture (soft and fuzzy) full, part sun. zone 4-10

Lavender - outstanding smell. full sun. zone 5-10

Peony - unbelievable sweet smell. beautiful (if you don't mind a few ants). full sun, light shade. zone 2-8

Salvia - I have them everywhere in my yard. beautiful. drought tolerant. full sun. zone 4-10

Veronica - easy to grow. interesting flower spikes. full, part sun. zone 4-10

Yarrow - attracts butterflies. great cut/dried flower. full sun. zone 3-9

Sweet Peas... more than a term of endearment!

2012-01-28T08:58:00.000-06:00

What is a Sweet Pea?

1. Popeye and Olive Oil's love child (swee' pea)

2. Someone cute and sweet

3. A beautiful, fragrant flower you could start growing this weekend

SWEET PEAS.

more than a term of endearment (or Popeye's baby)

Here's an inexpensive January project you can do this weekend.

Start sowing sweet peas indoors now to be rewarded with a beautiful display this summer.

When should YOU start: In colder areas (such as the midwest), sow starting containers about 6-7 weeks before our last frost date, then plant them as soon as you can get outside and start planting; sweet peas CAN handle light frosts.

INDOORS: Sweet peas like a good root run, so sow them in deep cell packs that you can buy relatively cheap from garden supply stores OR make your own! Use newspaper rolled into tubes (taped together) or...wait for it... empty toilet paper rolls to make "cell packs" for your sweet peas. Place the tubes side by side in a tray and fill with quality peat free potting mix. Make sure you know your seed type as some require soaking.

Sweet peas do not need a high temp to germinate, meaning that there is no need for a propagator.

In milder climates, where the ground does not freeze, you can plant sweet pea seeds in the fall. Directly into your garden. September through November are reccommended planting months to insure that the plants grow strong root systems and then bloom in spring.

Sweet peas will flourish if they are planted in a sunny spot. These climbing annuals will need vertical support. Isn't the twiggy trellis above awesome? It's easy to make too, provided you have the patience for collecting twigs and weaving. Still interested... I'll tell you how to make a simplified version called a sweet pea swath.

PROJECT: TO BE DONE OUTSIDE IN THE SPRING. (AT PLANTING TIME)

* Collect a stack of twigs or branches (or buy some bamboo stakes from your garden center).

*At the end of the area you are wishing to plant the sweat peas, sink two tall poles about 6 inches into the ground so that they're angled slightly toward each other. Using twine, tie the poles together so that there is a small "V" above the joint.

* Continue this procedure at regular intervals to create a frame.

* At 12-18 inches above the ground, tie a horizontal post to width between one side of the base. Continue along the entire length of your trellis and then repeat on the other side.

* Set another row of horizontal posts into small "V" above top joint. You can secure these with twine.

* For additional stability and a flexible holder for your sweet peas, string lengths of twing at open horizontal areas.

* Plant your sweet peas.

SWEET PEAS ARE TOXIC TO DOGS.

If you are planning to plant this beautiful flower, PLEASE take precautions to make sure that it is in a location inaccessible to your pets.

Sweet pea contains a substance known as aminoproprionitrite , which gives the plant its toxic effects.

Dogs that ingest sweet pea often develop symptoms that include pacing, head pressing, weakness and lethargy. According to the ASPCA, ingestion of sweet pea also can lead to seizures, tremors and even death.

Dog owners should contact their veterinarian immediately if they are concerned about sweet pea poisoning

For more information on sweet peas and other garden dangers... please visit
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/

How much longer until spring?

2012-01-27T17:09:00.000-06:00

WINTER.

Truly, to a gardener it is nothing more than a speed bump in the growing season road.

Yes, I will admit that there are some stunning features in the winter landscape. From the cool shape of the harry launders walking stick, to the striking color of the red twig dogwood bushes. Even the berries on vines and shrubs this time of year are quite pretty.

But let's be realistic... inside every gardener there is a little voice that is SCREAMING to get out and dig in the dirt...now. Spring can't come soon enough.

Only about 100 days until the craziness begins. But who's counting? :)

I have been bombarded with several mail order garden catalogs the past month which brings me to:

WHAT TO DO DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY FOR YOUR GARDEN.

Order your summer flowering bulbs and perennials now.

Last summer, I'm sure that as you walked around your garden you imagined adding something here or there. You might have even jotted down some notes.

Pull out your garden journal and start thumbing through the pages.

There are several mail order gardening companies. Many offer special deals this time of year in the way of free shipping or free product. Order now for delivery and planting in the spring. This is kind of a "fix it and forget it" approach. As the weather warms up during the next few months you will have time to head out and clean up your flower beds, or in our case DIG NEW ONES!

By the time our beds are clean and the new ones dug, our plants will be arriving ready for planting.

If you took a look around your yard this winter and realized you had nothing to look at, consider adding some grasses, red twig dogwood or coneflower for more winter interest next year.

Some companies that I like are:

White Flower Farm
Burgess Seed and Plant Company
Dutch Gardens
Michigan Bulb Company
Spring Hill Nursary
Bluestone Perennials

DID YOU KNOW...

January is National Mail Order Gardening month

Stay tuned over the next few weeks for more winter tips and to hear about our upcoming spring projects.

Natural Stone Flooring under Pergola

2011-06-01T20:26:00.001-05:00

After two exhausting days of digging sod, two injured backs, two days of hauling stone and one day of shoveling dirt... THE PERGOLA FLOOR IS [almost] DONE.

The only thing left to do is a small area in front of our gate, which shouldn't take too long this weekend IF we can find more rock.

THE BEST PART?

This project was done FOR FREE. ZIP. ZERO. NO MONEY SPENT.

As I've been saying we have collected rock every sunday morning for the past several months and we have two compost bins... meaning... we make our own dirt.

The project itself was very easy.
Don't get me wrong... it required quite a bit of muscle, but no technical skills.

Are you thinking you LOVE it?

Do you want to know how you can do it too?

Well, read on... here's the scoop.

1.) Start off by scouring your roadsides for natural flat rock, pay close attention to areas along rivers where they are working. This rock is FREE for the taking - OR - you could pay for rock at your local stone yard or quarry. But seeing as we are the Duke and Duchess of Frugal... we collected ours.

2.) Remove any existing fire pits or furniture from the area you are working in.

3.) Cut sod out of area you are working in. The amazing thing about sod is... in just a year or so it will turn into dirt again. I mention this because if YOU want to avoid having a sod pile in your driveway you could stack it in a garden area and forget about it. After many years of sod piles in our drive, this is the route we have taken. We are using one of our vegetable gardens to compost our sod.

Obviously, we won't be using our raised garden this year. You can see the area in the foreground that was tilled. This made it much easier to shovel the dirt into the wheelbarrow.

4.) After your sod is removed, install some depth/height gauges to insure that your floor is level. Lex tapped some stakes into the ground and ran some string from one side to the other. We used this string as a visual guide in determining which rock to place. We built up areas where it was lower with smaller rock and more dirt. You could buy sand or construction gravel for this purpose too, but as I said earlier we are "fugal".

We opted to have a "sunken" fire pit look. We did not place stone under the fire pit. We placed stone around it. This gave it a custom "built in" look.

In case you can't see the smile in the picture above...

I AM WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR

I AM EXCITED TO BE DONE LAYING STONE

And last but not least...I am thinking about the COLD BEER waiting for me at the end of the day.

5.) After our fire pit and stones were in place we tilled our garden until we had enough dirt to fill about 15 (no joke) wheelbarrows. We then used the dirt to fill in the areas between the stones. The dirt became our grout. We used a push broom to level it out and push it into all of the cracks and crevices.

6.) After it was smoothed out and all areas were filled, we watered down the entire site. The water will help the loose dirt to firm up and become more grout like. After it dries tomorrow, we will re-sweep the stones add more dirt. You should expect the dirt (and stones) to settle and become lower than they initially are. But that's OK. With a little patience and initial prep work, you'll end up with a flat surface.

CHEERS !

A frosty mug of Lex's homebrew. mmm, mmm good.

Here's to another thing off our list!

Then VERSUS Now

2011-06-01T10:42:00.000-05:00

We decided to post some before and after pictures of the big blue house.

THEN: February 2005


NOW: June 2011

I would say that there is just a bit of a difference. :)

THEN: February 2005


NOW: June 2011

Stay tuned... today's tasks/to-dos still to come.

where do I start?

2011-05-31T21:07:00.000-05:00

So much has happened since we last updated our blog.

I'll start with today.

We went from this...

That big bad boy leaning against the fence is dubbed "the widow maker". It is standing about 4 feet tall and about 2 1/2 feet wide. It weighs about 250 pounds. I shimmied it into place today [mostly] by myself.

To This!

Every Sunday morning over the past few months, we collected rock... TONS of rock. We had stored it in our garage in anticipation for this week. The weather (and our backs) hadn't been cooperative over the past few days. Unfortunately we got a late start getting the stone laid under our pergola.

On Saturday I threw out my back. Bummer. After a few days of light work and rest, mine had improved. I was ready to rock and roll. Today we got up early and tilled the ground under the pergola. Lex bent over to get a stone and BOOM, that's when it happened. His back went out... game over. Straight to the couch for Lex. It didn't deter me. I was on a mission. See the rocks in the picture above? I moved and placed them ALL! That's right... I AM WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR.

At least that's how I felt until I tried to lift some of the really big ones.

Then it sounded more like a meow.

I need help with those. Hopefully after a trip to the chiropractor, Lex will be ready to go tomorrow.

To complete this project, we have to:

Finish about 1/3 of the rock "floor"
Fill in between the stones with dirt
Re-build the fire pit
Plant ground cover
Move the furniture back under the pergola
Re-hang the "chandelier"
Re-hang the decorative windows

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We have also turned an antique water pump into a fountain for our pond.

Pay no attention to the plants, rocks and other craziness around the pond. We are in the process of re-doing the entire area. It was done in the "pre-landscaping school phase". Let's just say... it's not planted so nice and needs (a lot of) help. Over the past few years this pump sat in our native prairie garden. This year we decided to make it functional AND aesthetic. More pictures to come over the next few weeks.

Aw... here they are begging for food. aren't they cute?

This is our native prairie garden. The pump used to be where the antique milk jug is now. I picked up this little number this past weekend at a GARAGE SALE for $10. I love thrifty garden finds!

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Yesterday Lex turned an old sink into a fountain...

I saw this sink at an [overpriced] garden store a few years ago and just had to have it. I knew the perfect place for it. I was so excited to get it home and put it IN THE FRONT YARD.

Are you loving the ugly mirror? GARAGE SALE FIND. $8

Now, I know what you're thinking... CLASSY, this woman has taste.
And to answer your second thought: NO we do not have a toilet with flowers planted in it.

This look [in the front yard] was straight out of Better Homes and Gardens... NOT.

After we came to our senses we decided to move the sink to the backyard. We had no idea what we were going to do with it, but we knew we just couldn't have it in our front yard any longer. So we put this thing in the willow courtyard and hung a mirror over it. It looked better there, but there was always something "a little off" about it. We went through a phase with flowers being planted in the bowl... but I still didn't like it.
Then one day...[light bulb turning on]...it hit me. It has a spigot. YES. We could turn it into a fountain. Now, I LOVE IT. It looks cute. After 3 years, I am finally happy with the "kitchen sink".

There it is in the back corner with all of our hosta.

knocked two things off of the to-do list today

2011-05-06T18:24:00.000-05:00

Today, we finished the decorative fence in the side of our yard. After the wood has dried we will go back and paint it white to match the fences in front of our house. We will also be adding some decorative finials to the top of the posts.

As the spring bulbs are dying back... the summer plants are coming in nicely.
The paperbark maple also seems to be making a comeback. :) HOORAY.

A few days ago we finished the tree rings in front of the house. They are completely planted and mulched.
We went with shrub roses to add to the country "cottage" charm.

Today we also discovered that our egg... was an egg no more.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK!! yes. his name is chuck. Congrats to Sunflower and Barry.

Here are some random photos of the house from various angles. It is essentially the "fruits of our labor" over the past few weeks...

natural stone with thyme planted between.

front bed with berm in background.

front beds

raised tree ring in front

view of all three tree rings + front flower beds

front flower bed with butterfly garden and pathway in rear


side walkway to backyard.

How we made our rock fountain for under $10

2011-04-30T20:44:00.001-05:00

Step 1

We buried a large bucket in the ground. Make sure the bucket is below the surrounding top of the dirt.

The bucket was $6.99 from Menards.

Step 2

We then positioned a large piece of pond liner over the bucket and surrounding dirt.

We had leftover pond liner from when we built our pond.

Step 3

We cut a small hole in the liner over the center of the bucket.

Step 4

Next we positioned several rock from larger to smaller over the liner.

The rock was found on the side of the road when the village put in sewer lines.

Step 5

We then drilled holes in each of the rocks using a masonry bit.

Step 6

We used a small fountain pump with a hose attached. We put the pump into the bucket under the liner, ran the hose up through each of the rocks as we placed them over the liner.

The pump was a leftover part from a fountain that stopped working.

Step 7

After making sure the system is working we trimmed the liner back and then added additional rocks to hide the liner.

FINAL COST FOR PROJECT = $6.99

Today marks the end of a BUSY weekend

2011-04-24T19:23:00.000-05:00

WHAT DID THE BONAM'S DO TODAY?

1. Entryway complete

2. (1) tree ring in the front yard done

3. Planted several pots of annuals PLUS added a birdbath to the frontyard.

4. Finished the fountain in the backyard

5. Fertilized each and every tree on our property

6. weeded and dead headed the gardens in the front yard.

7. Planted creeping thyme in the rock "garden" in the front yard

8. Blenderized moss to paint on several rocks around the property.

1. We finished our entryway by adding the "sidelights" to our door.
Have I mentioned that I love Big John's flea market in Joliet? If you are in the area, please check it out. With a little imagination and some elbow grease, you are sure to find something that you will love there. http://bigjohnsfleamarket.com/

2. Finished (1) of the tree rings in front yard
Ok, so this ended up being a bigger project that I originally thought that it would be. After digging just one of the tree rings, we decided to postpone the 2nd until next weekend.

The grass is so long in the front yard; it looks terrible, but we're not able to cut it yet as it was reseeded. We're trying to give it a chance to grow. It will be cut later this week, before we spray the lawn with weed killer.

3. Planted several pots of annuals
After finishing the tree ring, I stood up and realized that the bench in the front garden looked naked and was in desperate need of some flowers. We did a quick Menards run, and rushed home to get back to work.

4. Finished the fountain in the backyard.

We still have to hide some of the plastic around the edges, but it is (mostly) done.

We'll show you the finished picture, but go over the details of how it was made tomorrow. Because we are re-doing the pond area in the backyard, we needed to give the birds a moving (safe) water source. Last year we had some birds drown in the fountain that we had. So, with a little creativity... we made this fountain for about five bucks! The water is fed up through the stones and "bubbles" out the top and over the rocks.

5. Fertilized the trees.
This is a no brainer, I've urged everyone to do this for the past few weeks. Lex figured out a quick trick to make this job go faster. You can use a drill with an auger attachment to drill the holes and place the fertilizer spikes in (we use Jobe's tree spikes). NO MORE BROKEN SPIKES!

6. Weeded and Dead-headed flowers.
TIP: If you keep your flowers dead-headed, they are more likely to re-bloom. Simply pinch off the spent bloom.

7. Planted creeping thyme in the front yard between the stepping stones.

Creeping thyme is a vigorous ground cover. I planted 6 today, but still need a few more for more immediate coverage. This should fill in nicely by the end of summer.

8. Blenderized moss.
Yes. You read that right.
Moss instantly gives items such as pots and rocks an established, weathered look. Both Lex and I enjoy the look of moss on rocks. It is supposed to be pretty mild and rainy this week, so we thought it would be a perfect time to try to grow some moss. We started by harvesting moss from our backyard. We put two handfuls of moss in the blender along with 1 quart of buttermilk. NOTE: There are several variations of this recipe. You can use yogurt and manure in place of the buttermilk. Don't be too aggressive with the blender and puree it, instead use the "pulse" until it is blended. Once it was blended, we wandered around our property with the blender and paint brush splattering goo on rocks. This will work best on damp shady areas that are north facing. Once you have the goo on the rocks, make sure to keep it moist by misting it with a spray bottle.

moss smoothie anyone?

To make it look natural, we put it on the undersides of rocks and in crevices.

This is a north facing area under our pine tree (on the berm) that still needs to be planted.

Tomorrow, we will give step-by-step instructions on how you can build your own fountain for about $5.

A fun day in the garden

2011-04-23T18:14:00.000-05:00

Lex couldn't help but snap a picture of our EMPTY driveway. It is nice to see that the driveway is once again functional. It hasn't looked like this in four years. Now that this sentimental moment is out of the way...it is time to move on to the walkway to the front yard.

We started our path... by laying out the stones in an order and size that looked good. After we had them layed out, we used some spray paint to outline around where each rock will sit. After the outline was created, it was time to cut out the "circle" and dig out the sod. After the holes were dug, Lex turned the soil with our mantis so that we could make the rocks lie flat.

We then went back through and leveled out each rock and backfilled the hole around the stone. This space around the stone will eventually fill in with grass. We opted to leave the grass in between to maintain some of our lawn. You could rip out a larger area/strip of grass, lay down stones and plant a ground cover in between them. But for us, we felt it would be easier to maintain our yard if we could mow right over them.

This is what the finished project looked like today.


The pathway extends all the way to the clean drive.

We also did some fun & quick finishing touch projects today. I put this old barnwood bench in one of the front gardens. It has a few stones leading up to it. I figure I can put a pot of flowers on top of it.

Remember last weekend when I mentioned that I had scored some cool items from Big Johns in Joliet...

We hung the windows today, and will get the doors in place tomorrow. It should give the entryway an instant face lift

On a side note, a complete stranger drove past our house today and stopped to compliment us. She said that she drives past our house everyday and just wanted to tell us how nice it looked.

It is NICE to hear this, as we have never been that house.

For the past four years, we had the dirt mound and broken down suburban in our driveway.

Tomorrow we will finish off the tree rings in the front, and hang the "side lights" on either side of our front door.

But for today, I will end this entry with a very cute picture of one of our resident birds.

When she got off their nest today, I couldn't help but sneak a peek. There are at least 2 bright blue eggs in the nest.

Rain, rain GO AWAY.

2011-04-22T17:08:00.000-05:00

Well doesn't that just stink. It has rained all day. We were not able to get out and play today; however, tomorrow is certainly looking more promising for us.

Since there are no fun pictures of plants or landscaping today, let's take this opportunity to discuss a much overlooked staple that every gardener...scratch that... every HOUSEHOLD should have.

RAIN BARRELS.

It is always wise to plan ahead for the hot, dry months and conserve as much water as you can now. Spring is the perfect time of year to fill your barrels! Rain water can be collected by diverting house or garage gutters into rain barrels. There are many types of rain barrels available from plastic to honest-to-god wooden barrels. Wooden barrels are gorgeous in a garden setting, especially when combined with the use of a rain chain. But beauty has a price. Prices that I found online range from about $50 - $500.

Most towns, in an effort to "go green", offer rain barrels to residents at discounted prices. Check with your city/town hall to see if they participate in any such programs. A few years ago Plainfield started a similar program at which time we purchased two rain barrels. They sit at the back corner of our house, both near garden areas. They are very useful come July/August when mother nature gives you thirsty plants and very little rain.

Rain barrel set up is simple. After you have your barrel in place (and have diverted water into the barrel), simply attach a hose to the bottom spigot or you can use a watering can. They also make pressurized systems now so that the water actually has some "oomph" coming out of the hose.

We built a trellis in front of our air conditioning unit (and rain barrel) for aesthetic purposes. During the summer/fall months, it is covered with sweet autumn clematis. TIP: Have you run out of gutters or only have room for one barrel? Try connecting them. Our two barrels are connected so that the lower barrel will collect any overflow from the top barrel.

REMEMBER: during the hot, dry summer months when most towns have water restrictions in place, you will still have a thriving garden when you use rain barrels.

Walkways

2011-04-21T09:00:00.002-05:00

After an exhausting work week, tomorrow brings a chance to "play" in our garden. This weekend we will be installing a stone walkway from our driveway to our front door.

A key element in installing an attractive walkways is using materials that will blend with your yards existing decor. In our case we will be using the large flagstones that we have rescued from the side of the road.

We will be using more of these flat flagstones to extend the walkway from this area to our driveway. Eventually this will be filled in by creeping thyme.

You can see the use of similar rock in other landscape features on our property. When possible use local stone/rock, it will give a more natural appearance.

This is the area that our pathway will go down toward our driveway on the left.

When using stone: Keep in mind that it will seldom crack when properly installed, but can shift so that your pathway becomes a tripping hazard to pedestrians. So many homeowners enjoy using this natural material for pathways because of its good looks. Let's face it...rock is beautiful.

Time to reflect in your garden

2011-04-20T09:00:00.002-05:00

DESIGN TIP: When used correctly, mirrors can visually extend a small area. They can be framed with climbing plants or taller shrubs to soften their harsh edges. Just make sure to use tempered glass so that is safe against the elements. You can also coat the back of a mirror with varnish to help protect it. Consider mounting it on a fence or wall to make your space seem larger, this is especially useful in shadier areas of your landscape/garden.

Dirt

2011-04-19T17:00:00.002-05:00

What is soil?
Imagine this...think of a stony outcrop. Watch those rocks for several thousand years. During this time they are effected by elements (rain & snow). They freeze, they thaw and the wind will blow. They begin to break down into smaller pieces of various sizes and textures. As more time passes, plants begins to grow on these fine particles. The plants lose their leaves in this pile. Earthworms crawl through it, leaving organic matter behind. The elements continue. During this cycle, the rocks have broken down and turned into soil. Pretty cool isn't it? I learned this in school.

By definition, soil is the combination of weathered rocks and decaying plants. There are four components of soil. Mineral matter, organic matter, air and water. About 45% of soil is sand, silt and clay. There are equal parts of air and water... composed of about 25% each. The remaining 5% is organic matter.

Plants need both air and water near their roots to survive. This amount of pore space changes constantly. Actual amounts of air and water will vary depending on how much water has been added to the soil by irrigation or rain.

Mineral matter can be further broken down by size. Sand is the largest, silt is the next largest and clay is the smallest. Soil texture refers to the amounts of each of the three particle sizes in soil samples. This is important because particle sizes affect how much water your soil can hold, and how often you need to water or add fertilizers.

Why am I busting out this wealth of knowledge you ask?
First let me say that today... all I thought about, looked at and touched was dirt.
Second... I'd prefer to show you.

My momma helped me shovel everything into the big ol' dumpster today.

After an exhausting day of shoveling... we can finally say:

THE DIRT PILE IS GONE.

Our Big Blue House

Spring pictures from the Big Blue House

WHAT'S BLOOMING AT THE BONAM'S SPRING 2012

The New Pond Area In Detail

The new pond area in detail.

let's get down to the nitty gritty...How did we do it?﻿

Lofty Hopes and Dreams

Change of Plans

So remember the project list from last month?

Plans changed.﻿ We decided that rather than doing the arborvitae, we would concentrate on our neglected backyard.

The First (of many) Post(s) About Beer

Project #5 this summer. FINAL PROJECT. Mowing strip along front walkway

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Project #4 this summer. New Garage Door(s)

Project #3 this spring summer. Replace Wood Trim around Garage.

The past few years we have noticed the trim around our garage doors was in need of repair. By the end of last summer, the wood trim was in sorry shape and must be tackled this summer. AHH... the joys of home-ownership.

Remove Rotted Trim

Install New Trim

Project #2 this spring. Faux Brick Front Porch

Project #1 this spring. Hedge Row.

Hummers

Plants to Attract and Feed Hummingbirds

Trees and Shrubs

Vines

Flowers

Perennials

Annuals

Honey Bunny vs. The Funny Bunnies

Sweet Peas... more than a term of endearment!

How much longer until spring?

Natural Stone Flooring under Pergola

Then VERSUS Now

where do I start?

knocked two things off of the to-do list today

How we made our rock fountain for under $10

Today marks the end of a BUSY weekend

A fun day in the garden

Rain, rain GO AWAY.

Walkways

Time to reflect in your garden

Dirt

let's get down to the nitty gritty...How did we do it?

Plans changed. We decided that rather than doing the arborvitae, we would concentrate on our neglected backyard.