A Dream Comes True

The first couple weeks of May were very busy around here. In addition to getting the house plumbed for gas, replacing an old oil furnace, and converting appliances (and starting a new job), we also finally realized the big dream of getting a privacy fence!

Why this became such a big deal, I don’t know. The first two summers we were living here, no one really lived next door, where we share a large expanse of open lawn space. So it was very nice except that: 1) when sitting on the brick patio you felt on-display, and 2) the neighbor to the back left keeps a large rubbish pile, often covered in an eye-catching blue tarp (lovely). We’re sure that they just never realized that our patio arbor, covered with twinkly lights and blooming clematis, was framing this “Beverly Hillbilly” view (another neighbor's words). Then someone moved in directly next door. She’s quite nice, but busy and just can’t quite mow that lawn. Ever. Okay, once she had someone do it for her. And then of course, directly behind us was the family. I won’t go into all of that, but there was only a chain-link fence between us and their dog and kids and their swingset and their constant shrieking and barbeques.

So we’ve been thinking about this for a couple of years. Last year, we got a bid that was very high and were told we'd have to clear out all the bushes in the way. We tried contacting some other people about design and building, but it’s hard to get responses from people who actually want to be paid and work. We thought about building it ourselves but since we aren’t handy or good at math or have any tools, it felt a little like it was going to a long long sad summer of drudgery and never-ending post-hole digging and redigging (when we inevitably put them in the wrong place and have to redo it).

And then finally we got someone. In a shocking two days (well, after we spent about 16 hours of prep on the weekend ripping out chainlink, jackhammering concrete and cutting back shrubs), and several weeks beforehand of nervous fretting over neighborly discussions, we had a fence! The ex-Marine showed up before 7 a.m. and got to work each day.



The yard feels different and it probably has lost a bit of its open feeling that you just don’t see in this area. But wahooo!! It is sure fun to enjoy the garden without feeling like you’re on display. It’s clear cedar and smells wonderful, and we’re looking forward to a carefree weathering to gray (no staining; we have enough to do around here!).

It’s going to be a fantastic summer! (Note blue tarp peeking out in corner of photo on the other side of the fence!)

Two Years

Last month we noted it’s been two years since we moved into the house and started becoming gardeners of our own yard. One of the first things we did shortly after moving in in March 2005 was to order a very large load of mulch. I had no idea what the measurements meant. But I did know that when we walked through the garden with the past owners, they mentioned it was time for say, about 3 yards of new mulch or something like that. I can’t remember how big this order was, but I am certain that it was exponentially bigger. We wanted the (small) price break for a bigger order.

I will never forget watching from the upstairs window: A huge dump truck showed up out front, backed into the driveway slightly, and then unloaded this wall of dirt. I thought it was a lot, but I thought the yard was pretty big so it could probably take it (plus what are you going to do at that point?).

Several months and lots of sweat later, I had brunch with a group of women. One was talking about a work party they had the weekend before. They had gotten just about everyone they know to spread around dirt and mulch in their yard, about a full-day's work with dinner provided afterward for the tired workers. I kept very quiet when the amount of their mulch/dirt order was significantly less. That’s when I had a real-life awareness of the amount of mulch we brought in.

I don’t know how many hours or how many wheelbarrows-full of this stuff we moved around. But here is a photo taken in April 2005 to show how the pile did eventually diminish and get moved down the driveway.

A nutty relative of the neighbor house came over while we were working away one day and claimed to be a Master Gardener. She said we should just pile this stuff up thick! The plants will love it! You can’t really over-mulch! And put it in the raised beds! Okay!!! That’s one way to get rid of the pile, instead of sneaking around the neighborhood in the middle of the night with the wheelbarrow with the perpetual flat tire and trying to hide the stuff in other people’s yards.

Two years later, we still have piles of this stuff tucked away in corners and some not-out-of-the-way-enough places in the yard. We also lost that beautiful old rhodie that was in the first photo (it was already sick but I am certain we struck the final blow), smothered many things that were trying to poke up and grow at this time of year, and caused some very unhappy garden beds and sickness in other areas.

In the spirit of celebrating anniversaries, I am happy that we have a dirt-free driveway now! We have learned some good lessons about proper amounts of mulching, biting off what you can chew, and that saving a few bucks for buying in bulk just is not worth it sometimes! We are pleased to walk around the yard this spring and see things bouncing back from under the weight of our initial exuberance. We love our little garden. We’re learning!

Spring is in the Air

This past Sunday (March 4) we headed out for the first real day of gardening! Only a few days earlier, we had about four inches of snow but by Sunday all had melted, and the air had warmed and cleared. My tactic this year is to approach the yard section by section for initial clean up and some pruning, as well as finally deal with a few projects we haven’t quite been getting to.

So we started right out front by the street. This is the area under the plum tree, where we had a sick --- but beautiful --- very old rhodie removed about a year ago. We also had a completely overgrown patch of what we were told are irises, though we have only seen the small, orange berries since moving in two years ago. Although I seem to have a vague memory of seeing one or two flowers, we are fairly sure they just haven’t bloomed. I guess this is because they were overcrowded.

These irises are called “Stinking Iris.” I read a little about them. Supposedly when you bruise the leaves, the emit a bad odor, usually described as roast-beef-like and that can be smelled from a good distance away.

Although I haven’t eaten roast beef in about 18 years and have never cooked one myself, I am pretty sure I know what that smell is. And I don’t smell it! (Well, maybe just a little but I’m not certain that isn’t just from the suggestion.) Or maybe we are just used to it, and everybody on the block knows us as the Roast Beef People.

For 6+ hours, we raked leaves, weeded, and pruned. J focused on those irises. And he replanted them in a new pattern to help fill in. (Hoping for a new bush of some sort soon to add, too – and eventually really spruce things up with a full, mixed hedge and dwarf fruit tree!)

It felt great to get outside and make some progress. Yay for Spring! I am looking at (and smelling) the new deck furniture in the basement every time I go down to do a load of laundry. Can’t wait.