pictures of today's progress!

flower bed in front of house, on right 

front yard flower bed around tree, on right

So first here are some pictures as promised!  These first few are from the front yard, I have lots of big plans for up front this year, but with it only being March 2nd, I have only just begun. I raked all the beds clean removing old mulch and any leaves we missed last year. Now the bulbs that are positive it is much later than it is, are much more visible!  My plans for up front include building a retaining wall around the right side (closest to the driveway and where Miss Maya loves to wander).  I will probably only get one level done this year, but I eventually want it to be about three or four pavers high. We are also going to be getting some more Hostas (we have some but they are not popping up just yet), especially for around the tree that is on the right side.  We used to try to grown grass there but it kept dying so we turned it into a bed and planted Hostas and some colorful annuals and mulched it and it looked great.

Cigar tree, with hanging basket

On the left hand side both beds are a little smaller. the one around the tree will have some Hostas, and some perennial flowers, the one up against the porch already has some perennials and a rose bush but it will also get a few more Hostas and we have a cute little fence that we put around it. I read that roses are to be pruned when the forsythia blooms so I am on the look out for the bright yellow sign!  When we moved in the rose bush was taller than I am after being abandoned and neglected for so long, so I am always amazed when it blooms!

rosebush

 In the back:

We raked leaves on to the bed in fall and have been using it as a makeshift compost area all winter, as we researched what to do about the walnut trees...  We, of course,  are now aware that ALL of our compost is poison since the leaves are intermingled (walnut and non walnut). So I raked some of the leaves and put down the cardboard and then the first bale. Our fence has seen better days as well, but i read that someone used drywall wire and they said that it was very inexpensive and much taller (which we will need given the height of the bales) so we are going to look in to that once all the bales are in place.  

After: Now with Straw!

Before: old garden covered in leaves