The sod went in, the rains came, perfect timing

The pots on the steps are there to keep the dogs off the grass at first, but as it turns out, it's totally ok to walk on it, and they love it. Lots of stuff waiting to be put in place, it is all coming together.

Ta-Da! The sod has arrived!

Ready for sod...

All that clearing this summer, now the ground is almost ready for sod. One pallet this week, and one next week.

The Great Blackberry Eradication Project is almost over.

- Those pots barricading the deck from the planting area are some of the Rescue Roses. Trying to encourage the dogs to take alternate routes so it won't be so hard on the sod once it is in.

Here's a photoshopped simulation of how it will look:

A-a-a-a-nd, here's the real thing, in progress:

Japanese elements

This year's additions

A passel of terra-cotta pots, some Balinese wind chimes and smaller statuary picked up at an estate sale. A couple of fig trees (small) and a dwarf variety, in pots right now, to go in the ground later. Lots of annuals for color, some more white hydrangeas to go in the ground later, a peony. Gotta plant my deep purple lilac, too, it really was the perfect dark purple.

Make Your Own Hammock

◼ How-to HERE

Last year's Hydrangeas

The Zebra Hydrangea planted last year in the back is doing great, and blooming well. Another blue, which I think was a florist plant is growing and blooming, and there MAY be a surviving Shooting Star back there. The Shooting Star in the front yard is blooming and happy, finally taking on some stature, so that's encouraging, it's been a long time with that one.

This year's new additions, the Wedding Gown, Libelle and Endless Summer Hydrangeas are pretty good sized to start with, and may just need some pruning to make sure they're nice and sturdy going into next year. (Might change out the Libelle for an Incrediball.)

Sometimes, neglect is exuberant

The roses are amazing - the 'carpet' rose is 4' tall, profusely flowering; Hot'Buttered Popcorn also flowering like crazy. The white parahebe is an amazing addition, and looks especially nice at night, lit up with a solar spotlight.

BUT.

Sometimes it's not...

And this is what I mean when I say I am starting over. Everything has to be cut back, blackberries are mixed in with the good stuff. The devastation is amazing. We're unearthing lots of what was once good, but it's not as easy and romantic as The Secret Garden makes it seem.

Nonetheless, there's hope. We'll see.

The disaster

Ripping things out. Blackberries had overtaken everything, and choked it out, trees were growing almost prostrate, trying to reach out for the light. What isn't being ripped out is being pruned back drastically. What survives, survives.

It's starting over, albeit with some mature plantings that didn't exist before.

It's about restoring some of the charm and details, the little barrel pond under the Coral Bark Japanese Maple (the water seeped out just enough to keep the maple well watered), the pathways... everything is gone, obscured or disintegrated.

Some years of neglect have that effect. Now it's about the ruthless breaking of eggs to make the omelet. And that brush pile marks the beginning.

Update: A few years later, we finally got rid of that pile. Should have done it as we went, but didn't, and once the pile got so big and so entangled it became a massive undertaking to disassemble it. So many truckloads of greenwaste later (couldn't burn it, because there's been no rain and thus no permissive burn days), it is clear, and a nice lawn is in its rightful place. Yes, the pile did affect our ability to enjoy the space, but we were busy and working, and putting it off 'til later' just became a long time.

Zebra Hydrangea

Going in the back, against the house, in the 'Japanese garden' - very shady area, gets light but no direct sun, is under the eaves.

It's a white mophead, with contrasting black stems, very excited to see it grow. Pics to follow, this one is off the internet.

◼ Comcept Plants: Image source

Christmas presents of sorts

Bought this Madaga Gazebo (assembly required) from Target - sturdy posts look like big bamboo... has curtains and mosquito netting, with the umbrella top... can get an outdoor chandelier, hang plants from the archways, room for lots of seating
Protective Qualities: Weather Resistant, Rust Resistant
Finish: Powder-Coated
Features: Free Standing
Includes: Mosquito Netting
Frame Material: Steel
Textile Material: 100 % Terylene
Care and Cleaning: Wipe Clean With a Damp Cloth
Warranty Description: 1 Year Limited Manufacturer Warranty
Dimension:Height: 120.0 "; Length: 120.0 "; Width: 120.0 "
DPCI: 009-05-0180
ASIN: B000VYLBB2
Catalog #: 10688914
Floor model, deep end of season discount (75% off)

Comments on site RECOMMEND assembling top first, says it take about an hour an a half to assemble... Sunjoy Industries in Steubenville, Ohio for new canopy - phone number is 740-283-2815. Or try Gardenwinds.com... spray the material when new with a UV canvas protectant that you can purchase at your local Marine Supply store. Got that tip from a local canvas awning company. They say it will more than double the life of your canopy material.... i went to sunjoy industries website as instructed by some reviewers. they are available now and actually on sale for $ but please read the descriptions. target has sold TWO different models in since 2005. one is from 2005-2007. and the other is from 2008 to present. the canopies fiT differently. home depot also sells one. so read!...put up curtains and fairy lights and turned the gazebo into a second living room...One hint is to put the top small canvas to the small roof before you connect the small roof to the big one!!

Question now is, where to put it - on the deck? Over the firepit? In theory the canopy makes the deck usable on rainy days, and extends the living area.

Matilija Poppy, The Fried Egg Plant

(Romneya Coulteri, native to California) Looks like crepe paper, absolutely beautiful huge blooms. This one's still in the pot, thinking of planting it near the deck because I want to SEE it - AND they are very fragrant, I hadn't realized that before. I have another one planted in the far back, and it has migrated under the fence into the alley, so near the deck might not be such a good idea. A little further out...
Care - Once established, Matilija poppy doesn't need fertilizing or extra water.
Cut old stems back to the ground in late spring using bypass pruners. Propagate by dividing the rootball or, from seed; direct sow outdoors in fall. Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed. Allow pods to dry on plant; break open to collect seeds.
Interesting note, though - Very much a Fire plant, this native of dry, California canyons is often found in burned areas. These seeds are a challenge to germinate. Since this plant's seeds are triggered to germinate by smoke, one way to get them to germinate faster is to sprinkle them lightly with moist soil, cover that with pine sawdust, and light the covering (don't use any accelerants). Burning that continues for at least 15 minutes is best. Water when the fire is out to wash the smoke chemicals down to the seeds, since it is the smoke rather than the fire that induces germination. A less effective way is to burn pine sawdust, mix it with potting soil, moisten, and plant seeds in this mixture. A third method is to smoke the planting medium with burning pine sawdust.

Passion flower!

Homegrown, no attribution necessary. Planted a couple of weeks ago. Need to train it up the fence.

A few years later and it has taken over. Covered the fence, and climbing up the house. Going to cut it back severely. See what happens. It's beautiful, though. Lush and the flowers are awesome.

Cutting back the jasmine has been a massive undertaking, it has sent out cables almost the entire length of the property.

The fabulous Playset

Made of Port Orford Cedar, does not splinter, wears like iron. Spent many many hours looking for a good playset, lots of books of plans, responded to an ad in a local paper - Playset for sale, you dismantle and move, something along those lines. It was a doctor who was moving to Peru or somewhere. He wanted $700 and we paid it. One of the best buys, and best investments we ever made. Been in since 1999. Needs new canopies now, but otherwise same as the day it came here.

It has a castle, a sandbox, a fireman's pole, a slide, swings, monkeybars, and a tire swing. It's seen many hours of fun. The monkeybars became a rite of passage, because at first the kids were too little, it was too high, and too scary, and they'd try it and there were many screams for help. But when they mastered it, it was a BIG deal. Not just our kids but the neighbor kids too. They've set up tadpole farms in the upper castle. They've almost outgrown it now, all but the swings. We'll see what this summer brings.

(Just did a quick google search - the company, Krauss Craft Inc. is still in business, selling playsets, but boy have they changed.)

Backyard plantings

Detail

Secret Shade Garden

Tucked in the back corner, white hydrangeas and rhodies, azaleas, etc... (well, right now that area is covered in Blackberry vines. But this is the plan...)

The greenhouse

The greenhouse...slash bedroom slash playhouse... salvaged windows... one of my favorite things. click image to enlarge

Getting set up for backyard dining

(Martha Stewart 'Amelia Island' 6-piece dining set. Powder coated steel with e-coat primer.) Thought about a wooden picnic table but this is easier to move around, I like the glass, and the cushions, and the set up for the umbrella.

Here's the product photo...

The kids love it, the table has a turntable/lazy susan. You know, it's funny, you start thinking you need a cabinet out there to stash glasses, plates and stuff. Should probably resist that temptation.



One new challenge - how to get lighting out there. Candles aren't practical.

Another challenge, how to further screen out the neighbors. Potted bamboo? Some banners? When the jasmine fills in across the fence, it could solve the problem, but that's also a great place for the wisteria.

Trouble is, my neighbor likes tropical colors, and her paint job REALLY clashes with mine.

Switched to a black umbrella - from Ace Hardware, $30. I like the natural canvas, and the black, but not that taupe. Maybe I'll experiment with paint and stenciling on that one. Got some umbrella lights, they look like Christmas lights but are set up to run down the umbrella spines, $20. Prices on umbrellas vary widely, $1,300 to $30. Here, where it rains alot, you'll get a coupla seasons out of them, you can put them up "for the winter" but we have bursts of nice weather all year long - ahh the dilemmas! For $30 who cares?

UPDATE: Martha's stuff is usually pretty good, but that set did not hold up. It rusted, like everywhere. We can blame it on living near the coast, I guess, and the climate here, things rust. But from now on, no metal.

The beginning - composite shot

That's the bare lot, the fallen down fence, the neighbor's shed... the challenge.

The Plan of course, is to plant for privacy. To create a sanctuary. On a third of an acre.