Yard Fun

Two years ago, Younger Son and I put in a garden. In some ways it worked, in others ... disaster. That was the first of two hot, scorching summers. Last year I did NOTHING for a garden.

This year, Younger Son did his own thing and planted peas:



Here, he's describing how the pea vines are going to climb up the string trellises.



Now to patiently wait for them to sprout and grow.



For me, the "flower bug" bit this year. I just HAD to have some color around this house. Everyone has to eat food every day. But sometimes, you have to "feed your soul" as well with something, such as the beautiful flowers God created.

The first batch I put out - orange and yellow cosmos and purple petunias in the big container by the front step.



Also in "round one" of planting, got this pan full of some kind of "flame flowers," plus marigolds, yellow pansies and purple pansies.



I also swept out all the grass and junk from the rocks on the front step, and arranged them nice with the horseshoes.



Then yesterday evening, after a few days' break, I got the rest of the flowers planted. Maybe not perfect, but it's done, and I can just water and enjoy. Here's by the front step, with the added pot of flame flowers, marigolds and yellow pansies.



Front step area.



I think this is my favorite "batch" of all the containers I did - a red-orange-yellow theme. (Though I like the orange-purple combo in the big container, too.) This has the flame flowers, marigolds, and yellow pansies.



This was difficult to put the tall root balls in a shallow pan, so they're laying on their "side" in the dirt. -ha ha- Purple pansies and purple petunias. I'm not sure I'm thrilled with the brick thing, I may do something different.



The front corner of the house with some added flowers.



Yet another favorite - lavender-colored salvia and yellow pansies in a little flower-decorated pot I found at the thrift store for 30 cents. :)



The front corner again.



The wild rosebush/vine is really putting out the blooms this year! The last year or two, grasshoppers stripped it of every leaf. Then we cut it back. Now ... beauty!



A tad blurry, but a closeup of one of the roses, and a bud.



The back corner of the house.





We have here purple pansies, some yellowish "moss roses" (which I love) that were a little wilty when I bought them and hope they come out of it, some marigolds, and some pink petunias. That tin container with the handles --- I had two pansies and three petunias left over, and no container. So I went in the house and found that container and just shoved everything in there in some dirt. -ha ha- So I hope they get along alright! Now the moss roses - I know they kind of like it dry between waterings, so I hope they'll be ok with all that other stuff that maybe likes a little more water.



The back corner again.



A friend on Facebook shared a photo (from Pinterest, I think!) of birdbaths made of a tall stack of flat rocks, with a trash can lid for the birdbath part, and a rock in that to hold it down. So since I had a lot of those sandstone-slab-type rocks, I rearranged the rocks by the white fence, and took a few big slabs and made a "mini" version for my little birdbath. Not sure I'm through - I think I may need to level it a bit, and maybe take one of the rocks out. But over all, I LOVE IT.



A final look at all the fun stuff by the front step. THIS CHEERS ME UP every time I go by, which I sorely need in my life. Thank You, Lord, for the beauty in Your creation!