Lets see, plans for this years gardening season. First of all get all those plants I just ordered into the ground. Don't want to lose any of them.:) Drainage around the perimeter of the backyard. We don't have problems with it going to the house but we do get large puddles in the spring and every rain. Put in flowerbeds along the deck, back of house and one side of the fence. Hopefully get a new shed built that isn't in the middle of the backyard. Who build a shed that is 10'x 20' right in the middle of the yard? Then if that get done, put in the veggie garden for next year. Plus if the shed and drainage get in in time I'd like to plant some fruit trees along the back fence. Oh, and I need a new garden in the front for Dahlias. That one I'll need help from you guys for. I can't decide what to do. Should I do an Island bed, or continue the bed I put in last year down one or both sides of the front yard.

Pudge, what about growing grapes on the arbour? I think that would look great with those leaves mixed in with clematis and the fruit hanging down. I know there are both green and purple grapes hardy enough for here. I'm planning on putting some in. Or if you don't care about eating the fruit. There is a kiwi that will make it too, the kiwis are only an inch big though.

Syreeta

Pudge, your 2006 project sounds spectacular!

Well, as always IÂm still in-between doing projects. Late in the season, I started the beginning stages of a rock garden, I still need to fill in with sand, rearrange the rocks and of course fill it up with plants, whoohooo. We also still have the finishing touches of the new deck to get done, there are 7 pillars on this new deck and my plan is to buy those Victorian wrought iron plant hangers so that I hang 7 Tidal Cherry Wave Petunia baskets from them and perhaps Clematis/Morning Glory Vine growing up them. One necessity that IÂm so happy that was completing last year was our new roof, itÂs dark green and it sure looks good. If time permits, I would like to paint the window trim to match the roof.

But for sure I would like to get started with the Water Gardening Pond this year. Hubby will use the front bucket on the tractor to start out the hole as much as he can and then he has a friend with a bobcat to come level it out. I have already a little pond, but its so small, I think I will convert that into a bog garden. I want my new pond to be a good fair size so that I can grow hardy lilies and have fish/frogs/dragonflies and birds using it. So you all know what that means, that means collecting MORE ROCKS!. Hubby is going to wring my neck when I ask him to come rock hunting with me! LOL

Sharon

This year I have a lot planned, and I'm optimistic that at least some of it will get done. The reason for my optimism is that DH is sworn to help so that means there's two motivations at work.

1) New fence at the back. This is kind of a big deal because it will mean that my part sun garden will turn mostly shade and I'm not sure what's going to stay or go. We're going to get those cedar fence panels with the lattice at the top. My stupid dog runs through the garden barking at anyone in the back lane so hopefully with solid panels he won't know who's there. This surely will do more good for the plants than being trampled, even at the cost of a little sunlight.

2) DH wants a little pond. Just one of those little plastic pre-formed ones, not a small but unnamed lake like you gals with acreages have ;-). Thinking of building it up rather than digging it in so hopefully the dogs will stay out of it. Any advice welcome, I have always been wary of water features because they seem like a lot of work...

3) The back flower bed and possibly others really need a retaining wall. I'm thinking of about three bricks high in red concrete wall bricks since my house is red wood, I think it would be nice. My yard is old and unlevel, which drives me nuts, so I am hoping that with retaining walls I can pretty much equalize the main part of the yard.

4) My vegetable garden is going raised bed. I think I will start with four 3'x 7' beds and see how much more I need next year.

That oughtta keep us busy!

Thanks for the excellent suggestion, Syreeta - hardy grape vines might be just what I need on the arbour - some natural food for the birdies. I'll have to research that a bit more. You certainly have a lot planned for the season. Will removing the 10X20 shed give you a 10X20 area for a new garden? Or is that where the veggie garden will go?

That deck sounds nice, Sharon - looking forward to the pictures. More rocks, huh? Gotta love it! I will also be looking at hubs to haul rocks for me, after he builds the arbour, LOL.

Speaking of rocks, have you ever read this thread from the Gardening with Stone forum? (Sharon, I am not instigating nor enabling nor encouraging you here - just an interesting read, and some awesome photos at the end of the thread).

Here is a link that might be useful: A most amazing rock pond

Oh yeah right Pudge, do you want my hubby to have a heart attack. LOL! I would love to have one that size, but around here it would take me the rest of my life to look for that many rocks and to make one that size, let alone take out another mortgage! I would like something like Laurie's pond ;)

Yes, the grapes are a good idea plant for your birds and of course for homemade jam for you and hubby. My MIL has a couple of them growing on her back trellis and I think they look so cute once they start to fruit. Cute fruit, oh man, I've really gone crazy. LOL

Syreeta, I love Island beds, compared to straight lines, but thatÂs just me, maybe post a photo so that we can get a better perception.

Yes, yes, everyone take photos of their projects, would love to see what everyone is up to this summer!

Sharon

Wow, that's insane, Pudge! LOL I don't have to worry about a quarry garden ever happening around here!

Everyone's projects sound so ambitious! I don't want to start anything big this year because of the garden tour. However, dh wants to put a deck in front of our porch. The porch is 12' across the front, and the deck would probably end up being 16'x8'. I'm really hoping he follows through with that, because i'd like to put lattice along the parts that extend out to either side of the porch and grow some more clematis on them. I'd also like to do a couple of pathways in front. I was thinking about putting landscape fabric over the grass, a layer of sand on top of that, and then flat rocks on top of the sand. Does that sound like it would work? The rocks would have to be purchased - maybe i'll ask my kids to buy me rocks for my birthday! (i can just picture them all shaking their heads!)

Everyone please keep their fingers crossed for me that this deck gets done! He first said he'd do it last July, and things move v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y around here, but maybe if i nag? :)

Aside from that, i want to do small extensions on existing beds, just to even things out a bit. And i need to redo the brick edging around my big front bed - i took a lot of it out when i extended that bed last year. And i need to keep up on the weeding, lawn mowing a whipper-snippering this summer. That's a major project in itself!

I'm not sure which projects we will do this year but here is the list of things we want to have done eventually.

• Remove back fence. It's rotten. Will either replace with new fence or shrubbery.

• Remove lilacs.

• Add a bush to separate front of the yard from the back. This is more my boyfriend's project because he wants a division. I personally like it open more but whatever.

• Do something with the TV antenna in our garden. Probably find some sort of climbing vines to grow on it.

• Do something about the front bed before boyfriend's mom invade it with petunias and geraniums again (everyone in town grows almost nothing but petunias and geraniums and I want to be different). Last year I grew tomatoes there and his grandma freaked out. So his mom went and planted a bunch of petunias and geraniums around the tomato plants. It got crowded :/

• Get planters for the front deck.

• Pretty up the old wagon wheel the boyfriend's dad decided to put on our front yard

And then I want to fix up my mom's garden a bit. My grandma passed away a few years ago and we put her house on sale last year. So my mom, who loves peonies, went nuts and stole every peony plant from my grandma's house. Now my mom's garden is way over crowded. My mom never cares for her lawn so I think we should reduce her lawn space and add garden space and spread it all out.

Steph I hear you about petunias and geraniums. I think the attraction is a lot of colour, trouble-free, and fast. And they're cheap because you can buy little plugs. Nothin wrong with tomatoes, I grew one in an ornamental planter last year :) Just make sure you keep food plants far away from anything you might spray with ornamental garden chemicals.

And what a coincidence, I run a shelter for homeless peonies! For only a dollar a day, you can help these abandoned flowers... ah never mind. Good score! Sorry about grandma tho. :-(

Marcia, start building the deck yourself... that's what I do. DH will be in there like a shot because you will be doing it wrong!

Everyone's projects sound wonderful and yes we need pics!

Our plans for this summer are:

Finish up the back patio area. When we moved in here they had some concrete slab that was way to small. We could barely put a table out there and any guests sitting at the table would be out on the lawn! Yeah. So DH started extending that 2 years ago after removing about 5 trees from our tiny backyard (and we still have 2 huge trees back there).

Pretty up the new patio with containers and planters with morning glories that can grow up the fence.

We need some new trellises or oblisks... I just may have to invade DH's work shop area! Hehehehehe! I KNOW that threatening to make them myself will scare him into making them for me. Yeah, that is TOTALLY DH's area and he is possessive of HIS workshop! LOL

Possibly put in an Island Bed ?? Maybe. I KNOW I went beyond crazy buying seeds this year at the Dollar Store. How can you pass up 3/$1.00 ?? LOL. Now IF they all grow for me I'll either be in trouble or be out there digging! LOL

Hey Marcia, last year I got rocks for my birthday! They were flagstones which you just can't get around this area.

From the sounds of it there's going to be a lot of awesome pictures to look at this fall of everyone's projects. I can hardly wait!

This summer, I was planning on taking it fairly easy. I only have the beds around the pond to finish up, and I'm going for a somewhat Japanese style with lots of greenery and interesting foliage and trying to keep it somewhat serene looking with not a lot of colourful flowers.

I also need to completely re-haul a shade bed by the house. It's not a huge bed, but because there was a pile of chickweed growing there I used rocks as a mulch and will have to haul those away and will substitute with bark mulch. I sure hope chickweed seeds don't last longer than 6 years in the ground, or else I'll be right ticked off!

Now due to all the new daylily links posted, I think I may have to connect two island beds together to have enough room for the "new" stuff. I was hoping that I would be doing this next year, so thanks to all of you enablers!LOL

Pudge, on my arbor I've got the Arctic Kiwi growing up with clematis. It's only going on to 3 years, but I'm hoping some year(hopefully in my lifetime anyway) that it'll produce little kiwis. Getting grapes maybe more hopeful though. How about a hops vine and you could start brewing your own beer?

Good luck to all you pond builders too. It's a big job putting them in, but once they're in, maintainance isn't too bad. Just remember to have the edges 100% level, because it will show once the water's in it. Fortuneately for me, mine's not too bad, maybe 2" out on one side, but it does bug me. And yes, DH and I have been called anal before!LOL One thing we did do right, or maybe got lucky on, is with having clear water. We made our own filter from a website, which I'll give at the bottom, and it worked great! Just clean it out once a month and it's good to go.

Just an idea for everyone to take before, during and after pictures of their projects. Years down the road you'll be glad you did.

Laurie

Here is a link that might be useful: Adam' s filter

Ohhhh we have soooooo much planned for this year.

The fence along the other side of the property.
Then hopefully the fence along the front of the property.
Paint the new fence.
A sitting area in the front....with trellis to give us some privacy
a trellis for the clematis I planted last year in the one bed.
Build my greenhouse.
painting trim on house.
Finish painting the garage.
Apparently replace the main beam on the deck.
Put up some sort of privacy block on the deck.
Paint the deck.
Add more larger planters
Finish planting the new beds that were put in last summer.

That all should keep me busy for a while.

Oh and CD...the seeds I got from the dollar store seem to grow better than all the others....and they put generous amounts in those packages too. I happened across them a couple of years ago...and tried them 4/$1.00. I still have a few that I will probably finish sowing this year.

Sierra

Gillian, great idea! That area in front of the porch was a wasteland for so many years because, as usual, he couldn't decide what to do there. Finally he said he'd pour a concrete slab and even built the form and put the rebar in. But about three years later, i'd had enough. He got the hint when i hauled the cement mixer over there myself and started asking questions about how to mix it. However, the slab heaved and cracked - bad idea. :( So last summer it was removed, and that's when he sprung the idea of the deck on me. Such a perfect idea!

Anyway, one of these days, i'll present him with a list of must-do's for summer, and the deck will be on the top. He already took the yellow emergency van away from the side of the house, so i can strike that off the list. :)

Today when i was on my way back from town, i thought of another project. The trim on the windows behind the house needs to be painted. And i had already planned to erect some lattice trellises along the back, three or four of them. I planted wild cucumber vine in a few places in the fall in anticipation of those trellises.

One good thing about all you enablers is that you're encouragers too, and since we've all told each other our project ideas, we'll have to work extra hard at accomplishing at least SOME of them!

Marcia LOL about the van... I totally understand. When you pretend to start the deck yourself, make sure you don't appear too competent. Swing a running saw around wildly and drag lots of lumber out into the lawn. Select one piece of lumber and cut into smaller and smaller pieces. You know you can operate a skil saw, but he must not find out. It takes a bit of practice to be as conniving as me. I got a fence built this way a couple of years ago. ;-)

Well, the biggest project that I want to start this year is a courtyard/pergola for the front of our house. We've only lived here for three years but I have always felt that there was something missing there - couldn't quite figure out what that was. Anyway, had a 'Eureka' moment and I started playing around with the idea of a courtyard. Let's just say that the concept is evolving - can see it in my mind, now I just have to get that idea onto paper and, finally, convince DH that this would be a great project. He currently thinks that this is 'not one of my better ideas'. But what does he know, right?

This is certainly going to be a multi-year project, but can hardly wait until the snow goes and the ground thaws so I get started on this. Then, who knows, DH may decide to help me do it right...LOL.

Oh, yeah, then there is one thing to work around....the dreaded budget!

Margaret

WOW you guys - lots of plans in the works.

My DH is always quite willing to take on or help with a project. If he's building something, though, I try to help. I'm not always that keen on it, cause I land up with some boring job like hold this board or pass him that tool, and all the while I'm thinking about the garden stuff I could/should be doing, but it helps him and gets it done quicker. We both like creating things - I'll admit I'm probably the instigator in most instances - and bow to each other's expertise (I'm the boss of the soil and rocks and plants, he's the boss of wood and tools and anything too heavy for me to do) so it usually works out quite well and not sending us off to divorce court.

LOL, Gillian - I've always avoided water features for the same reason. Maybe if your DH wants it, your DH will want to maintain it? Our neighbors have a large pond, and although wifey seems to take care of the veg garden and flowers, hubby's summer hobby seems to be the pond. He did an awesome job, especially on this last expansion. He buys and winters the plants and fish, keeps it clean, etc. We get to hear the splashing water sounds, so that's enough for me, LOL.

I thought about Hops, Laurie - I know that would grow without any trouble at all and would have the vigor I'm looking for, but I can't find anything that says the birds will eat Hops, and something to attract or feed birds is my main objective for a fruiting vine.

Would grapes vines (beta or valiant, it appears are the hardiest) grow to 12-14' and would those vines survive winter or would they grow from the ground every year? I'm finding conflicting info on the web - a University of Saskatchewan site says those vines would have to be laid down on the ground and trenched or mulched for winter. Yeah, that ain't gonna happen here.

I agree wholeheartedly about the encouragement on this forum, Marcia, and I love to read about the musings of others. Maybe we should start a daily community blog thread over in the conversations area.

I just read your last post, Gillian, and this time it was my turn to spew coffee all over the keyboard. I never thought about swinging around a saw - oh...I have tears in my eyes laughing so hard.

Pudge,
Grapes should be hardy and regrow from the vines each year, not die to the ground...otherwise the variety is not hardy enough for your conditions.
My mother in small town zone 2 has had an old grape variety, 'Beta' I think, since when I was a kid (so we're talkin' at least 30 years or so!). It's engulfed a 6' wire fence and archway, and extends about 20' feet from the house along the fence, covering it from top to bottom. It's on the south side of the house, and I suppose the shelter of the house must have helped a little at the start but the conditions are still harsh there. It fruits heavily and she uses the juice along with purchased grape juice to make jelly every year. A very sturdy trellis would be good...

Sierra,
Our yard is all about low maintenance...
Reading your post about having to rebuild your fence and then paint it, I was just wondering if you'd considered a lower maintenance fence, that is one that doesn't have to be painted or stained, then repainted/stained every 3-4 years from then on? It leaves a lot more time and money for the fun stuff, gardening, LOL!
DH replaced our fence in fall of 2004 and early 2005 (all 415 feet or so of it!) with pressure-treated lumber (the new copper-based compound treatment). It looked great to start with and has improved since then, aging to to very attractive golden tones - he has gotten countless compliments on the fence! Anyway, we don't intend to ever paint or stain it - we expect it will fade somewhat with time (probably becoming grayish), but so what?

Anyway, just a suggestion for a possible alternative...

A sort-of-funny story - we replaced the back fence in our house in Regina with a cedar one - beautiful! - again, with the same intent of low maintenance and NEVER painting or staining it. To us, the natural graying of cedar would have been a totally acceptable thing (as it seemed to be in a whole lot more upscale neighborhoods than ours) ...but, I went by the place a few years later, and of course, the fence had been painted/stained (probably one of the first things the new owners did (after killing all of our plantings, that is, LOL!)...thus launching themselves onto the never-ending cycle of fence maintenance. Sigh....

Well don't I feel like the lazy one in here...hahahaha..I have just a couple projects that I plan on being the foreman on...my greenhouse needs new rafters..so no 'maters this year :-(..I yelled dibs on my daughters old bath tub to make a pond out of..and one small arbor for the foot path to the greenhouse..lol..did I say a couple projects?...NS I laffed so hard about your commnent about using the skill saw and DH doing the fence because you wouldn't have done it right..it took the same thing last summer for hubby to come up with a solution to keep our one mare from earing the hollyhocks..he wasnt impressed with my solution with the fence..lol...savona

I've done the lumber dragging thing before - well, it was wood dh had cut up for ties and i dragged them over to the house so he'd have to cut them up for me. He has a sawmill, and i think he told me that he had already done some of the decking. I'll have to locate it once the snow is gone and start laying it out, at least! I'm not sure about the skil saw, but hey - that might just scare him into getting going! LOL

Savona, that's so funny about the bathtub! We were just kidding a friend about using her old one as a pond. Her dh can tend to be a junk collector too and he had asked her what to do with the old bathtub once he replaces it. She was just shaking her head, but we said she'd have to make a pond with it. You'll have to take pictures of that!

Pudge, I just thought of another suggestion for you. How about Virginia Creeper? The berries are poisonous for humans but birds can eat them Plus you get that wonderfully coloured fall foliage and it is fairly fast growing so your design would mature that much faster.

Syreeta

My main project is to figure out where on God's green earth I am going to put all the stuff I winter-sowed, indoor sowed, and plan on sowing. Will probably make some of those homemade version of Earth Boxes talked about in the Frugal forum. At least then I can have a few tomatoe plants. If I get any kind of sucess with sowing, there will be a plant sale coming up in my yard this spring, to help recover some of the cost of this addiction. Being renters we cannot do TOO much to the place structurally.

Oh and I forgot to add that dh also wants to put the pond in this summer.......but that will be last on the list. I've had ponds before....not even sure I want one now....but...........

Abgardeneer....We did consider the treated wood....but it was very expensive and when we were purchasing the wood for the fence last year....they didn't have enough to do even that one side and said they didn't know when their shipment was comming in....so we went with just the regular fence boards....the posts are treated. So now we want it all to match.....this is a new fence...there wasn't one there before.....it was all just wide open.

The neighbour put up a 4ft fence in their back yard....it was those pannel things.....but it turned black and looks moldy and terrible. EEeeeewwwww. We put the 6ft back there and it looks better at least for now.

triple_b...haha.....we all have that problem. I won in the bowling tournament last night......so that means....doodoo
doodoo......that I will be placing another lily order this week .......where do I think I am going to put them.....Ohhhhh well..I will have till they arrive to figure that out.

Sierra

Thanks for the grapes info, Lori. There was a lady in our town who also grew grapes (unknown variety) but they were trellised right up against the south facing foundation in a very protected yard. She's since passed on, and this past winter her husband also. I've heard town scuttlebut that the house is to be moved off the property (the small towns just keep getting smaller) and I immediately thought of that garden that she maintained so beautifully. From what I've read you need a backhoe to dig up old established grapevine roots, though. The house currently sits empty - I may ask their son for cuttings of that grapevine in the spring.

Shows you what I know, Syreeta - I didn't even know Virginia Creeper produced berries. I do admire it in the fall. Certainly another option for me. Thanks!

I have a well established Hops Vine and I have never seen a bird eat the Hops ;)

My MIL has never had to trench or mulch her Grape down, but she does have a sheltered back yard with a high fence and trees all around.

Sharon

I want to re-vamp this flowerbed. I want to remove most of the plants and dig the bed into a horse shoe shape, reinforce with a rock wall, plant the flowers back into the new elevated bed on the grass side and then put in a pond/water feature right off the deck. What do you think? Do you think it would fit with my gardens style or just leave as is?

The water feature would be more like a bubbler but the feature would be a old stone with water bubbling out of the top and going into a stone filled pool.

Echoes, it looks really nice how it is, but I think a water feature would be just great there! You could sit and watch it from the deck... ahhh it would be so relaxing.

Pudge, glad I could help you with some suggestions for the arbour. If I think of any more I'll let you know.

Sharon, when the three feet of snow melts I'll go out and take measurements and a photo to post. This way everyone will get an idea of the space I'm dealing with for the new bed. Everyone in town I've asked have said that they think the bed that is there is more than enough.

Echoes, I'd go for it. I think that a water feature off of the deck would be wonderful too. Especially if you have a bubbler, than any noise you hear would be blocked out while you sit on the deck. Were you planning on putting any fish in it?

Syreeta

No fish.... I found over on hypertufa or garden junk directions on how to make an old fashioned round stone that they used to use for grinding grains... I want to make my own and place there....

Echoes, your water feature sounds awesome! Remember to post pictures when you're done!

Sierra, I'm glad to hear that the dollar store seeds work well! Hahaha! 'Cause I ended up at that same dollar store last night ended up buying one of each of the rest of the stuff I didn't have yet! OH just imagine the colourful chaos my garden will be this year! LOL

Sounds like everyone has some amazing projects planned and I am looking forward to seeing the pics.

Echoes, I LOVE your purple deck! And your water feature? You will love it. My parents had one and it was just wonderful to sit out there enjoying the sounds and scenes of the pond-life.

Wow, All of these ambitous projects put me to shame. Those water features sound awesome. I was just wondering about any problems with Herons and Raccoons eating all of the fish and frogs.

Most of my garden projects are more hardscape instensive. My father is an impatient and fickle landscaper, so when he decided to pull out the three year old limestone rock wall at his place and replace it all with diamond block, I proceeded to spend several weeks slowly hauling the whole ton to our house. I have two walls up and topped with four kinds of thyme. I have one thyme covered wall left to build for the front yard, and another that is in acid shade for the side yard. This is where I hope to put Wintergreen (which I will have to order. No one local bothers to grow it), Wild Ginger, and I will attempt white Astilbes.

I have some old garden hose laying around the yard that has ceased to be useful since I got the springy hose that doesn't kink. So I am going to try my hand at homemade soaker hose irrigation. If it doesn't work, I'm only out an old hose and some effort.

My garden next to the house will probably be dug out to deal with plumbing issues in the basement, so my Hostas and Lilly of the Valley will need new homes. The hostas will go on the southeast corner of my lot, where the neighbor went a little crazy with a skid steer. I have couple of 6 x 6 (inch) railroad ties that are going with them. I'm not sure where the LOV's are going yet. They smell wonderful, and like dry shade just fine, but they are so invasive I need to be careful.

My mother is pulling all of the blackcap vines out of her veggie garden. She is going to help me plant them down a trecherous hillside laid bare by my wonderful electric company (gotta love that eminet domain. Oh well, I do like having electricity). And on another hill I am going to terrace with old logs and try to seed with wild Lupine, and maybe some cosmos for some contrast. I have some wonderful red corn poppy seeds that spread like crazy. I'm afraid to use them, but I have a small sandy mound where I can only get Artemesia and Yarrow to grow, so maybe I will put them there.

I want to get variegated Solomon Seal (which I will probably have to pick up in the Metro), and I found a Day lilly farm to get one of those purple ones with the yellow throats. These will go in the Cottage garden. I think I will put in a couple of hollowed-out wiskey barrels to cover my sewer covers, and fill them with some easy annuals.

Ortho Doc says I should be walking by spring, so I can garden no problem. Yay!

Wow! These projects sound amazing! I just want to plan out and start acquiring and planting the massive renovation we did last year. A few more trees, lots of shrubs, lots of perennials. Everything is so bare! I also want to get three good size rain barrels,(already have a lead) and get them installed and working for me. Hopefully I'll get my small veggie garden turned into a raised bed garden and a cold frame built. I'd also like to paint the fence. It sits up high on our slope and the previous owners PAINTED!!!! white over a soft grey stain and we are constantly blinded by it.
Kate

I think we only have three on the agenda this year. We want our garden shed built so that we might be able to get at least one of our cars into our double garage. Our old house didn't have a garage and now, we can't even park in our double at our new house.

However, the first project for DH is to get the second part of our deck finished. He has the outside beams completed - ground level and sort of an octagon shape that overlaps into the rectangular, raised part of the first phase. We spent a mint on the composite deck boards and they are all piled up there waiting to be laid out. I know that he will get that project done because it involves invested money. lol

The smaller project I want done, also, is our firepit. That vast space of lawn that you saw in the picture I posted the other day will have a firepit surrounded by patio brick, I hope. We acquired an old washer tub that I plan on using, but I can't decide if I want the pit sunk into the ground, totally above ground or half sunk. I'm leaning toward the half sunk. but then I have to convince DH that it is a permanent feature and he will have to put a hole into his precious lawn. I don't think he knows I'm planning on surrounding it with a patio, either. Surprise!

Laurie, I know what you mean about the anal part. DH, once I get this all "approved" by him, will be out there surveying the firepit spot so that everything is absolutely level and appropriately lined up. He gets out the survey stick and the transit at least 4 times a year to measure something up and I have to go be his surveyor's helper by holding the stick. Now that is a boring job.

We should resurrect this thread in the fall to see how much we'll get done. Nice knowing all of you. We're all sounding so busy this year, we won't (or shouldn't) have time to post here and stay in touch. lol.

Shauna

Wow, I'm already half done one of my projects! Yesterday I bought all my fence panels, 4x4s, cedar for the raised veggie beds, and some brick to raise my main rose bed.

Aaaaand... that's not all, I built two of the veggie beds today. I just have to wait for the rest of the snow to go, to fill them with soil. After long thought, I decided to go with 2x6 cedar and 4' x 6' beds rather than 7x3. The cedar was a bit expensive but I don't want treated lumber in my veggies and I also don't want it to rot. Will post pics when they're all in place.

WOW...you're sure on the ball!!...I've been out poking around, and doing a little cleanup, but that's about it so far. (DH did manage to get out and take a chainsaw to the caragana in the front though.)

I guess I missed this thread...must have been just before I started lurking here...(I didn't lurk long...LOL)

Plans for this year (hopefully we get at least a few done):

1. Cut down all caragana (front and back), and dig out (hiring a backhoe).
2. Remove fence on south side of property (2' high rotten peeling pickets).
3. Build latice fence for front and side, privacy fence with latice cap for back.
4. Build latice arbor for front gate.
5. Remove all plants from south flowerbed (before removing/replacing fence), transplant to garden space, round-up chickweed, re-shape/extend with puddle pattern, edge, (install fence) replant - will be putting saskatoons in the back, some blueberries, and then hostas & flowers at the front.
6. Construct puddle pattern flowerbed on both sides of new front fence. (Seed with popies/bachelor buttons/etc for a low maintenance bed this year and next.)
7. Strip & repaint soffits.
8. Replace facia.
9. Finish painting garage. Install window.

10. Replace all windows in sunroom. (1/2 are cracked or not even glass...just heavy plastic...gotta love buying an old house...LOL!)
11. Fill the dog run with pea gravel.
12. Cut down 2 spruce :-( Don't want to but they're in really dying.
13. Take out front steps (they were constructed as concrete on a wood frame, the wood frame has rotted and now the steps are on a deadly slant), build front deck and new steps, replace walkway.
14. Replace front living room window. (It isn't sealed at all.)
15. Replace front porch window (both panes were broken out before we moved in.)
16. Remove cement from in front of garage and make flower bed with golden glow and ??
17. Overhaul shade bed, remove plants to garden, get rid of chickweed, fix soil (with a lot of peat & compost), replant.
18. Oh yeah...and DH wants a stream/waterfall/pond this year...LOL Good thing he likes to help me!!
19. Remove back concrete walkway, run house wiring underground, then replace with stone walkway (that way I'll never have to worry about digging it up.)
20. Have a life outside of this list and do some fly-fishing and camping!
    All this in our two months of summer...LOL!
    Last year I managed to repaint the trim on the house and garage green (was brown and peeling), so this year I have a bit more ambitious list...of course last year I was working full time and now I'm home...'course now I also have a little guy to look after, which takes a bit of time ;-)

Verena

LOL Verena that's quite the list!! I just have to point out the coincidences between us again... hopefully it will make it seem a little more manageable for you. These are things I am doing or have just done.
- DH also cut down the caragana last thing in the fall, I haven't booked a backhoe but I am still debating what to do about the stumps.
- We are also replacing the 4' high rotting picket fence out back.
- Also with a privacy fence with lattice cap for back
- We built a small lattice fence at the side two years ago. Unfortunately, I am going to have to replace it because the weight of snow against it keeps breaking the lattice. Hope yours fares better.
- Also need to repaint soffits but it's not an emergency
- Also had facia replaced last year (and shingles done)
- Re-painted garage 2 years ago. Built over existing window because of break-in.
- DH also wants a pond. I think I need to do some more hardscaping before I commit to a pond, don't need to be working around it if you know what I mean.

Sounds like you got a lot of work girl! Better start teaching that baby to weed! No not in your mouth, in the compost... yes that's right, that's chickweed...LOL

LOL! That's too funny! Growing up in Eaton's houses, similar current homes and to do lists...Is your DH 12 years older than you too?? (DH gets braging rights with all his family & buddies - at 31 he snagged a 19yo who hunts/fishes & cooks...and I get to be 19 forever, cause that's what all the inlaws calls me...and what can I say...there are *benefits* to marrying an older man...too bad I forgot to pick a rich one...LOL j/k!! ;-)

Isn't that called imprint training?? LOL! I put 50 rounds through the shotgun two days before I had Brayden, and when he was little he would *sleep* in the car (parked 10 feet behind us so we could keep a really close eye on him) while we did target practice with the rifles (DH and I both hunt...so we're trying to hook him on it early...LOL) If he can be quiet we'll probably take him out this fall.

Forget baby animals...I'm going to put pictures of baby plants around his crib. That way he'll be able to identify "keepers" from weeds as soon as they poke their little heads out of the ground..."That's right, son...weeding is fun!! Let's do some more..." LOL!!

I think the only way I'm going to end up without chickweed is if I start eating chickweed salad everyday...who needs to grow letuce??

With the fence, we're using white vinyl 3D latice. The house & garage are white with green trim, so I wanted to have a white fence (was going to go with pickets, but I remember spending almost every summer growing up wire brushing and repainting mom's picket fence. (Dad built it for her, and it looks lovely...but I don't want the maintenance issues.) The vinyl is a lot more expensive so I'm hoping it will stand up well. If it works as planned I should only have to worry about repainting the posts & rails.

Verena

We started the birdfeeder arbour yesterday - the frame of the structure is up - still some trimming work to do which will only take another day. The landscaping around the bottom will still take some time - don't have rocks or sand yet, and still have to kill the grass and install brick mowing edge.

I've managed to revamp a few beds - those that have caused me a few problems the last couple of years. Once I find homes for all the perennials that have overwintered in the holding bed, and those I started this year, I've got 50 bags of cedar mulch to spread and a huge pile of half-finished compost I'll also be using as a mulch. As of Thursday I'm on vacation for a couple of weeks so I'm hoping to go great guns and get it all done by the 29th, and then go camping for a few days (we bought a tent-trailer and can't wait to try it out).

I sure hope the weather cooperates for gardening - I have high hopes of having all the annuals planted out by the 29th, too. I've got somewhere around 1300 plants started - most are flowers for drying (statices, strawflowers, etc) and some for fresh cut bouquets (that I'm still contemplating selling at a farmer's market this year).

Another new project added to the list - since we bought the trailer, we now need to make a parking area for it. Since we'll be bringing in crushed rock for the parking area, I'm thinking about getting a whole lot more of it and rock the paths in the raised bed garden. Most of the times I have no hesitation in covering an area with crushed rock, but doing so with these paths scares me a little - what if... whatever... and then I have to remove those rocks. But oh, it would be so much easier than constantly hoeing, raking, or round-upping all those weeds that just seem to love germinating there.

Anyone else have an update?

Well the greenhouse is built. Half of the fence on the other side of my property is built. Now we are going to be starting on the front fence this week. Will probably pick up some paint this week and start that as well.

Busy busy busy

Sierra

I got my back fence built yesterday. Neighbourhood teenagers two streets away jeered and mocked while I ripped down the old fence. I went over there with my axe and told them nicely it was definitely funny that I was demolishing my fence but could they please keep it down. They didn't look at me or say anything and when I left they jeered again. Little buggers. At least I have a 6-foot fence now sweet privacy.

So the fence went up without a hitch and I just need to level the posts and tamp down the backfill. Looks good! And while we were working on it, the neighbour came over with 10 wheelbarrow loads of fill from his yard that he didn't want... my yard is a swamp and that gave me enough to fill the whole low spot where the veg. garden used to be. Yay!

I also got the raised veggie beds built and filled, and partially planted. That was awhile ago now.

Busy busy busy me too!

Oh and today we rented a marriage shredder... oh I mean a chipper-shredder... LOL and started chipping up a bunch of brush but tempers got short so now DH is shredding the brush and I am indoors eating potato chips and reading GW. LOL.

Oh Gillian, you DO make me laugh!

Tee hee you would like the Gate Kit then. Two years ago we put up a fence with an odd sized gate, so we bought one of those Gate Kits from HD where you buy your own lumber and it has hinges, brackets and a latch. Well we screamed at each other all day about how to put it together so when we decided to use anther one this weekend DH said let's get another Hate Kit. I was like, oh yeah the Divorce in a Box. It should come with divorce papers. LOL. Actually once you get it figured out they work really great and never sag. It will probably outlast my marriage (just kidding, I did not say that!)

BTW I stopped being mad and went back and helped finish the chipping/shredding. :0)

My lily bed is almost done. It is a corner triangle bed with a rounded front. All of my lily bulbs are planted. I have a few blooming lilies to go in, but I want to wait until they are done blooming. My theme is pinks, purples, yellows and whites. I did manage to squeeze quite a few perennials in. Four different peonies(white, pink, red and purple), a few cranesbill geraniums, monkshood, daylilies, and a Theresa Bugnet rose. My DH bought me an arbour with a bench for Mothers Day and I put it in the back corner. I will be moving my John Cabot rose on one side and a William Booth rose on the other. I have to put the edging around yet, but I'm not in any hurry to do that yet. I have much more planting and prepping to do in other beds.
Shelley

Well...so far this year, I've put in a new row of six cherries, including one 4-foot Evans my eldest son and I moved out of deer munching territory - took us 3 hours to dig and move it, but it didn't even wilt. Moved some more fruit bushes and put in some honeyberries. Yesterday, we planted a caragana windbreak - almost 300 trees. Talk about the perfect gardener's Mother's Day. I went to check out plants at Extra Food and Home Hardware after church, we did our speed-cleaning (40 minutes, including lunch dishes, putting supper on, and folding laundry), and then I got the whole family to help me plant trees! Next up this week, planting the garden, finishing renovating my shade bed, putting in a new row of saskatoons, and starting my new rose bed. I'm also hoping to get the new patio in before our 25th anniversary party in July, and get some kind of fence around my kid's current project, which is going into it's second year. About 30 feet from the house, there is a square cistern from the old house, about 5' X 9'. The kids wanted a bigger fish pond, so they have been digging it out by hand. It's about six feet deep, and they're almost to the bottom. The little guy is waiting for the biggest guy to help, because he's too short to shovel the dirt out anymore! Someday, it will be gorgeous, but right now it's a big hole with weedy dirt piles around it. I have a feeling there is no hope of getting all that done by July 8th, especially since work gets a bit busy this time of year. (School librarian). Like usual, I'm doing my GW on my lunch break while supervising the library. Typing all that was hard work. I think I need a little rest now. Seriously, I've been working outside till about 9:30 every night, which is great, but nothing else is getting done!
Connie

House? What house? OHHHH_ that thing that stops the flowerbeds-RIIIGHT! Let's see between 2 kids in track, another kid going to be a freshman next year, and a total of 5 in school, as well as working at a school (special ed) during state special olympics games -in our town no less- I see the front door once in a while! Usually I just drop my purse and keys at the front step and grab a shovel LOL!

Actually, we've accomplished alot - even though it doesn't look like it at the moment.

We moved a cherry tree out of the veggie garden into the renovated front bed- past which you can see the rock garden blvd along the road we just did:

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We are in the process of creating an entire section of flower bed out front by killing, digging, and amending-same as the blvd:
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I dug out a stretch of fence for beans this year, who knows what next year (last year it was sweet peas)- and added strawberries and herbs at the end:

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We expanded the veggie garden to its maximum:

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I improved the clay and planted/ seeded in my shade beds:

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Now hopefully I'll have this all finished before the end of June so I can go on vacation! Oh i forgot the entire north side of the lot that is going into sunflowers and hollyhocks etc instead of weeds- i mean grass- Oh and the dog kennel at the back door- that too. Um maybe i better stop before I think of something else I need to finish!

LOL- I say we did all this but mostly me-- I made the other half do the tilling in the veggie garden (I can't push that heavy tiller with abad shoulder) and kids who want extra money haul rocks lol!

You've been very busy vrie! I especially like the beginnings of your rock garden blvd! What plants are you going to be planting in there?

Keep us posted on your projects ;)

Sharon

Well, i said i was going to keep up with grass-cutting and weeding this year - major projects! - and i actually cut grass yesterday, though not all of it. I got done, heaved a big sigh of relief, dumped the clippings in a wheelbarrow to save for a future lasagne bed, went inside for some iced tea, and thought, "Hey, i still have the front to do!" LOL Tonight's job! :)

Update time again.

Here's our pretty much finished arbor - we still need more rocks and if it ever stops raining, we might make an attempt at going to get some. I planted 2 Valiant grape and 1 Polish Spirit Clematis - dug big holes to China and filled with really rich soil/compost so here's hoping all will survive. To keep the 4" of sand away from the grapes I cut the top 4" from 5 gallon nursery pots and put them around the base of the grapes - I'll mulch the grapes for the winter so will be able to fill in that ring with straw.

I'd still like to get some decorative objects to place in there - I did have a willow chair but it quickly became a favourite roost for too many housesparrows so I moved it out. Costco sold out the big metal birds I wanted and I haven't seen anything else just yet that has caught my eye. And I have an idea for a mini hypertufa pond to serve as a birdbath. Oh well, all in good time.

well since this got bumped up, now I have to add in what I've done!

Let's see the blvd is seeded in mostly allysum for now-- I've added a ton of sedum and hen and chick. Native flax and phlox I'm still waiting to pop up in there. I killed some stuff out there that was given to me and now I decided I love the ease of the viola in my aunt's back yard (their former veggie garden is a viola patch) so I stole about a hundred (they're selling the house) and plopped them out there and the shade bed.

Let's see I stole about 20 Lily of the valley from my brother's new gardens (they needed thinning LOL) and put them in the north shade bed that hates me. Let's see I put a bleeding heart in there too. I also put ferns where the pond used to be on the north side of the house and mixed in foxglove, canterbury bells, and - maybe they'll grow there- coleus and violas. I also put runner beans along the deck there so we can decide if we want it to be a permanent trellis.

I added a few roses to the rose bed. I bordered and barked the west perennial bed and bordered part of the north beds. I changed my mind on the bean fence and brick bordered it. I recycled my brothers paving stones and made a path through my new big perennial bed and seeded it to insanity and added some annual seeds there just to give first year color.

I killed the entire alley border on the north side of the house and seeded it with a mix of stuff, but a good portion is sunflower and hollyhock.

My aunt also had a bunch of raspberry shoots that were invading a flower bed, so I put them in the strawberry and herb bed (where the strawberries died anyway). That means my raspberries will go in the alley when that area becomes another driveway.

I put sunflowers all along the edge of what will be his driveway and down the road edge of our house- now to keep him from weedwhacking them! I also added them and hollyhocks to the iris bed on the south side.

Let's see what else. Oh he did put up a little dog run out back-- but it's probably going to be upgraded later this summer or next spring. The poms love it but the lab goes over whenever she pleases!

The most ironic part of this is that the heavy work was all done by the beginning of june-- I 'm off for the summer as of June 2!

That's OK, I also added a major project. Many of my starts and flowers and pics are going to our local farmer's market with me every Sat morning. I spent much of the last week and a half prepping for that!

Since it rains for a day, then gets to 90 for 2 days and starts over again (sometimes raining for 3 days, then really nice for 3 days!), my main project now is WEEDING! Between lamb's quarter and bindweed, I am about insane! Oh wait, I can't forget the creeping charlie, creeping bellflower, dandys, and false salsify! Oh yes and where did all those mushrooms come from?

Frankly I have too many pics to put on here, so I'm going to drop them in the gallery- ...