Monday, May 05, 2014

C'est Fini


 The piles of mulch and compost are gone. The tarps are folded and put away in the garage, and the remaining soil is tucked away in the yard, in containers and in piles. We, meaning me, decided that we needed one more trough to hold the majority of the remaining compost. I returned, with my sister, to the farm supply store and got this narrow trough which fits perfectly under our dining room windows, at the back door, on the patio. This is my new herb garden, which I will fill with basil, parsley, cilantro, chives, fennel, mints, thyme, oregano, and whatever else looks good. This trough was way cheaper than the others, like $100 less. How could I not get it? Plus these nice people are delivering our water garden (koi pond) tub on Tuesday!!! It is slightly smaller than the one we previously saw
at Tractor Supply, and will be just right for our remaining space. Our plan is to get the water in, buy water plants and get them going and THEN get the fish. I just hope we have a level spot to place it. And then the garden will truly be finished.


Dave and I got the last of the eleven trees planted along the west side of the house, and most are looking good, all but one. O well. The leftover compost is piled in the back corner on the east side and tarped, and we will eventually spread it along the fence for planting something.

Our tubs are filling up with flowers and veggies, and the green beans look like they like the sun.Dave used the last of the mulch to fill in the low spot, and so far it looks like this will work. Our little tree is raised up enough not to drown when the neighbors sprinkler floods our yard. 

We plan to completely rid our yard of grass, and mulch it. We found a nearby spot with piles of wood chips just waiting to be tapped, and long time readers will understand how happy that makes Dave. Once again, it's a good thing we have a fence, since we are big time backyard nonconformists. Our thinking is that we will have a parterre garden like this one, eventually:
OK. Not with the gravel, but wood chips, and not on the ground but in the troughs. Just like this, only different. Sigh. Use your imagination.

In the meantime, the beets have sprouted and I have a few tiny Juliet tomatoes forming a tantalizing bunch.

We keep saying, "This is our last garden" and so the work we have rushed to do is because we are taking advantage of our remaining youthful strength and endurance. We squeezed every bit of it out on this arrangement and now we can relax and enjoy watching it grow. I can't wait til after Mother's Day when my desired plants go on sale!


13 comments:

  1. That's got to feel good, getting all the hard stuff done! I hope all grows as planned, and that you have plenty of patio time to enjoy it all!

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  2. Anonymous8:41 AM

    I'm staggered at all the work you've done in such a short time. It all looks fantastic. Julie

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  3. Love your amazing garden - and so fast! I know what you mean about the "last" thing. I just got a puppy saying this will be my last dog so I need a good one.

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  4. I have been stopping by everyday just to see what you two have been up to. I love gardening and it has been so much fun watching your garden grow!!!

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  5. Everything looks great, and how wonderful that many of your seeds are already growing so well! Here in rural northern MN we still are in the stage where warm jackets must be worn, and the early rhubarb leaves are only about an inch tall - sigh.....
    Great job!

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  6. I hadn't visited here in over a week, and am amazed at how much you have done!! Youthful strength and endurance, indeed! (It doesn't LOOK like you need worry about that as yet.)

    Living in droughty southern California, I can only applaud your "nonconformist" disposal of "lawn." I do wish it were not such an American standard, even in climates where it is totally unsuitable (not only here, but the major growth areas of Phoenix, Las Vegas, etc.) So even if it is good for SE Tennessee, bravo for *ahem* paving the way to alternatives!

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  7. Hi there! A friend of mine read my post about raised garden beds and gave me the link to your blog and post. Amazing! I love your tubs and I may have to do something similar, since we do kinda live in a farm house! They are so good looking!
    We had a half whiskey barrel many years ago for water lilies and fish. At that time we lived in sunny, sultry, coastal South Carolina. We found the water got too hot for the fish and had to provide some shade midday, which, in turn, the lilies didn't appreciate. I'm not certain whether your tub, being larger, and your living in a place where it might not be so darned hot, will yield better results. I hope so, as I think it is very good looking!
    My post: http://livingadream2.blogspot.com/2014/05/weeds-and-seeds.html

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  8. Gosh Melody, you two are amazing - you've achieved in a few weeks what most of us would take months to accomplish! I agree about lawn - it's hard work keeping it looking good, and the alternative is so easy on the eye.

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  9. I'm exhausted! When I get home (to Fl.) I'm going to buy a narrow trough and plant my herb garden! Question: How long does it take you to water your garden? and do you do it by hose, or have you rigged up some kind of sprinkling system? Inquiring minds want to know.

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    1. I do water by hose, and have two sprinklers which I will use when I get good and lazy. But I love to hand water with my wand so the seedlings are not crushed. It takes about 30 minutes for the back and front beds. Not a hardship, yet. But honestly I do get tired of it eventually. At the moment when it is all new, I am thrilled to see sprouts appearing. Today I saw my dahlias and hyacinth beans appear. The tank on the patio was deeply watered last night and today a big stain of rusty colored water leaching from the drain holes appear on the concrete. I tried spraying it clean but no...it will be a constant. Darn. I didn't consider that.
      O well.
      Mel

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    2. I am terrible at hand watering. I had an herb "garden" in a SINGLE 10" pot that I "rescued" many times from limp drooping plants. It finally net its demise. My theory has been "if God doesnt water it, why should I"? I really need to re-think that if I want fresh basil all summer!!

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  10. It might be your last garden but I can see many happy hours to come being spent in it...
    I have plans to get rid of our grass eventually.

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