Sep 9, 2012 |
[NOTE: You can find links to all My Housing Project posts here.]
When the Fruitless Mulberry was cut down a year ago, the remaining roots started to wither and unlevel the underground. So as I worked on pulling up the Mock Orange root ball, Dot sat in the shade and began to pull up roots.
Dot’s Hard Work
Pulling Up Roots
It’s exciting to find actual soil mixing up as well; that will make planting next year so much easier for both myself and the new plants.
As one led to another, she was careful to not dissect the largest root; but rather keep it intact until the end of the day. The little dried up feeder roots were easily pulled, but the thicker ones took some effort.
Thick Roots
So Lizzie Cat got involved.
Lizzie Helps Dot
At day’s end, this is the result of Dot’s hard work:
Roots
I can’t wait to get out there and rake the ground level again. And then work on another section of the yard.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Sep 2, 2012 |
When I first bought Bedford Manor, there were three trees in the front yard.
Before I moved in
Before moving in, I had the overgrown Juniper shrubs, Lily garden and miscellaneous items removed. The Fruitless Mulberry closest to the driveway grew so quickly, there were times driving into the garage felt like a trip on Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise. We made the decision last year to have it cut down [you can read about it here].
That resulted in the stump that I surrounded with scalloped brick and tried to utilize as a flower garden.
Stump Garden
Unfortunately, Southern California just went through one of the hottest heatwaves we’ve had in years. Which means that my potted flowers, the seeded flowers, and anything else that was supposed to grow, didn’t.
And in a hilarious turn of events, the tree stump began to reflourish. Even after two summer haircuts.
It Doesn’t Know It’s Dead.
Two days ago I decided it was time to stop playing pretend, and I made some drastic changes to the yard. First, I moved the scalloped brick to the side of the house. Then I cut all the new growth emitting from the stump.
I now have a stump. Not a garden. Not a pretend garden. Not a hedged-in dirt plot. A stump. It still needs a little more care to finish (drilling and salting). But thankfully it will cease to overrun my happy home.
Stump Growth
And I’m actually okay with that. Without the brick and the overgrowth, my yard is actually starting to look more like a yard again.
I’m so ready for Spring planting. My Italian Desert designs will come to life. I’m thankful that I have fall and winter to prepare the yard.
So much to do, so little time.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
