Installing the path!

First the digging up of sod and sod and more dirt. Luckily J came over and graciously helped me accomplish this in less than 1/2 the time it would have taken if I were by myself:

Then a layer of pebbles:

Then a layer of sand and the first few rocks:

Then more rocks:

Then dirt!

And this one doesn’t really need to be posted – I found some “stepables” — plants that can be walked over, but even splitting 8 containers of various tough, low ground cover type plants …. it still looks mostly like dirt around all the field stones.

AH well. At least all this rain has helped enormously in the “settling” of these rocks. I may try seeding the cracks if I can decide on what exactly I want growing there. Any suggestions?

A small territorial stake

Here is baby step #1 to getting a fence up around my front yard:

It’s the far end that was the crucial bit to my territorial stake. SO far, no news from the neighbors. Is this good? Or the calm before the storm?

Pink roses!

Here’s a picture of the rose that (finally!!!!) likes where it’s been planted. This rose has been moved no fewer than 5 times in the last 7 years. phew! and this is the very first year it’s bloomed.

Yesterday:

Today:

There are at least 10 more buds just waiting to open! Yay!!!!

Winter sowing

Laura asked how to be able to identify seedlings when you are growing your own from scratch . . . . I suggest winter sowing. . . . not only is it low effort and it makes you feel better about the winter (because you’re doing a spring-ish activity in the dead of winter) but it also keeps all your seeds together in one place so that you can definitively identify what’s what before planting them elsewhere in May/June.

I got a little carried away this winter (15 of ’em!!! yikes.)

Tiny daffodils!

Check out what sprung up in my yard in the last couple of days!

I did not know that any of the bulbs I bought last fall were for miniature narcissus….. but these are definitely in the newly planted part of my yard.

Latvian Easter Eggs

Here’s the only picture I have to prove that I colored some easter eggs this year. This was done entirely naturally using onion skins, rice, barley, pasta, and plant material (like grass and bush clippings).

April Flowers!

Speaking of April flowers — does anyone know what this one is? I got the plant out of a friend’s garden, it’s pretty low to the ground, has spotted leaves, and apparently it blooms with little pink and purple flowers!

December 2008 – miniature flower arrangements!

Invited to “A Giants Christmas Party” where everything is small (because let’s face it, we don’t have good giant outlets here in the US) . . . . with the help of my mom, we came up with the idea of miniature flower arrangements for the party . . . . and with the help of S, we made the actual arrangements just minutes before heading out for the event:

Flowers include: baby’s breath, fern, two types of stattice, and goldenrod.
Vases are various candle holders.

(Click on the image to see individual arrangement close-ups.)