We did the lasagna with the first layer newspaper than leaves, then horse manure, more leaves (but these mixed with grass) and coffee grounds. So I’m crossing my fingers that we’ll have some nice soil next year. Steve wants to plant his herbs in this area, and I (of course) have a few things I could plant!

First the before pictures.

The current shrubs are (near to far) a small pink lilac (which we were unimpressed with – it will have to do better next year or be yanked); burning bush; lavender lilac; burning bush and spirea. The spirea is the little shrub behind my butt. It’s really cute, but quite hidden here. I have been wondering about transplanting it. Foolhardy? You can also see that the edge of the neighbors property has some lilacs. These are actually nicer specimens than mine, and a dark purple. So that’s nice background. Their front yard is almost all zeriscape and has some lovely plants.

The second picture shows the backyard fence.

I already have a Clematis Huldine overwintering in a pot that’s going to go along the backyard fence. I’d like to add a climbing rose on the fence next to it.

The garden to the right of me in the second picture is the little perennial garden I put in this year. Before this was a two foot strip of irises of which few were blooming. I took those irises out, expanded the garden to a half moon, replanted some of the irises, a lot of little perennials from Bluestone, stuff I got from the fall swap and a Harlequin honeysuckle. I also have a Jackmanii clematis for the wall of the garage you see there. At some point in the future, I may put something in right about where Chance and I are standing between the crabapple and the pine, so that the area behind it will be even more enclosed. Since we first moved in I’ve thought of this area being my "secret garden".

A couple of in progress pictures… including a close up of the spirea. Such pretty fall colors. And it had lovely little pink flowers against very light green foliage.

And now the finished product. Not much to say, but I really love the shape of the garden and all in all am very pleased with how it’s turned out so far.

But it is kind of an interesting coincidence - the houses across your street are the exact, same houses across from my folks house, the siding identical as the neighbor to the south, the same trees, even the same slant to the driveways. Those same pictures could have been taken from one house over. My Dad is yet to discover the joys of digital photography, but Santa is thinkin' hard about that, so perhaps some day you guys can see why I am so astounded at the similarities.

By any chance, does the red brick house with the grey second story across the street have a circular driveway with a big rock garden in the middle?

Great job!

Bonnie

Since the pigeons have flown the coop, I guess I could be out walking the tree squirrel.

digitS'

Thanks Bonnie. Good luck with the bed in the spring. I didn't mention it, but the perennial bed that is already in is my pink and purple bed. Probably give you hives just to look at! :)

Thanks for the link Digit. That was pretty cool. And very appropriate. You have quite a knack for finding the interesting tangent.

I think it was Charlene's post on her lasagne garden that got me interested in this method to create a garden (and get rid of a bunch of grass). And compared to the raised beds that I put in the back for vegetables this was much easier. We started and finished in a day (not even a full day). That included Steve making a trip to go get a pick up truck full of manure. Although I will say that after laying all that newspaper (standing up and squatting down) my muscles were VERY sore for a few days.

Sorry to hear about your ribs. That does not sound like fun, but I guess it's sort of a relief for a gardener to have that happen in the winter, not spring or summer!

Thank you Alice for the lovely pictures. I'd heard about the Lasagna thing, but had not yet seen it in action. Keep us posted how it goes next spring.

I took some garden pictures over the summer but so far haven't found time to figure out the pictures thing here. I hear the little one waking from nap, so I'll have to look into it another day.
Later,
Bruce

I am excited for next spring and to start planting in the new garden. The other day (before the snow), I was cleaning out another flower bed of dead annuals and took the remains and threw them on top of the lasagne garden, but not before shaking them vigorously to loose any seeds. Whether they take or not is probably iffy, but I think it would be neat to see some volunteers next year.