I did not, however, have a Tiny Yard -- the lot size is 5000sf, and if you deduct the house, driveway and carport, and the two little outbuildings, you have over 3500sf of yard left. When I bought Dog End, the yard was all grass. There was a Douglas Fir and a Western Cedar (still here!), and a decaying cypress (gone) but otherwise, just lawn. I soon discovered that I hated mowing grass.
So I got to work taking out the lawn and replacing it with shrubs, flowers, and paving stone pathways. It took a long, long time, and it is definitely still a work in progress as I love to experiment with new ideas. As the growing season moves along here, I shall post periodic updates.
This is from last year around this time:
I have a nicer lawn chair now.
This time of year, the garden sprouts bluebells and forget-me-nots -- they are "weeds" (in that I never planted them) though I like them and rarely yank them out unless they're too close to the roses.
This was taken last Sunday:
I am very fond of garden statuary -- last time I counted, there were 35 stone critters out there.
I also have random Bleeding Heart plants that I didn't plant, either. I love volunteers!
I added a conch shell to the beach scene area:
I'm contemplating sticking a 3-1/2 foot tall lighthouse behind the pelican statues. Meanwhile, over at the new arbor, a Steller's Jay found a good perch:
While weeding this weekend, I discovered another plant I never planted (this happens a lot -- though I do actually plant a lot of things myself, honest!). I have no idea what this is but it's quite lovely, and very tiny -- about one inch high. I nearly missed it entirely:
Tomorrow and Sunday is the annual Florabundance plant sale sponsored by the Arboretum and held at Magnuson Park's Building 30. Get there early!
I love your yard. I hate lawn mowing too but hopefully one of these people living with me will take care of it - LOL. I love the blue jay too. My co-worker Tawni discovered just yesterday that you had done the calendar in my office and some of the drawings on my walls and she is just amazed that you are not making millions of dollars off calendars and/or coffee table art-type books. Just thought I would let you know. I sent her a link to your blog. Perhaps she is one of the new readers!
ReplyDeleteWeeding is more therapeutic than mowing, if you ask me.
DeleteThanks for telling me about your coworker's comments. I'm always open to letting someone send me a detailed business plan/model for an independent art business, with step-by-step instructions on just how to make millions at it. Me and of course, the other 100 million people in the United States who are part-time hobby artists itching to make it big. Can't wait!
There's been a pair of jays hanging out in my back yard of late, along with a Spotted Towhee, quite a few robins, and a pair of nesting Bewick's Wrens. Truman, of course, chases them off so I can only watch them from the kitchen window when he's inside. He does not allow BIRDS in his yard!
You'd think Truman would know that birds are OK since you are constantly talking him on those nasty walks to look at them. What a funny dog.
ReplyDeleteHe is perfectly well-mannered towards birds when we are out and about. I've had birds skipping along the path five feet in front of him and he completely ignores them. And I think he's afraid of ducks. But his yard is a whole 'nother thing entirely -- it's HIS yard and it MUST be protected from any and all critters. So the same birds he is utterly disinterested in at the Fill suddenly turn EVIL when they dare to cross the sanctity of his home turf. He is indeed a funny dog.
Delete