January 2012. Our photo albums show some of what we've been up to since winter 2011. Mostly we've been preparing the garden in ways that aren't especially evident if you go there, but are crucial to making a healthy home for our future plants.
Last spring, we installed irrigation. Yay!
We've been working on correcting some very serious drainage issues. Yes, it was a clay swamp, but it will be a healthy vibrant butterfly garden one day.
We planted a trial morning glory teepee. The kids took to it right away. It will be a really fun thing to repeat in future years. This year, the kids aren't permitted to play in the "garden" too much yet until things are a little more finished up.
We planted a Dutch White Clover lawn. Even though we will probably have to turn the clover under, this will add a lot of nitrogen to the soil. We will keep the clover lawn inside the teepee.
We solarized weeds with lots of plastic and sometimes cardboard. Battling the weeds while we wait to get plants has been a tough job.
We put in place some of the plants from our wonderful garden plan drawn for us by landscape designer Jenny Carpenter.
We planted moonflowers along the righthand chain link fence. They did very well and showed us that the fence will look great bedecked in flowers--hopefully thornless roses in addition to annual vines one day.
We prepared a bed of Highlands-Blue spring bulbs. There are many varieties to give a long show. We hope they will prosper and propagate for decades to come. Can't wait to see them this spring!
