Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Fathers Day Diligence



Fathers Day weekend found me with rocks in my head as usual hands. ↑↑ I was laying them along the side of the driveway for part 2 of our garden makeover, the idea being that those rocks will form one border of what's going to be our garden border in an area that resist growing grass and even clover.

Rock is in abundance here, very close to the surface as a matter of fact. Therefore, around these parts, most people bring in soil and raise the garden beds in an effort to give the pants a little soil to grow in. I've chosen the abundant rock resource to act as a bit of a retaining wall for the soil that will eventually be dumped here. You see how I've tried to leave the rocks at driveway level on one side (so I'm not running into them when shovelling snow in winter) but tilted them upward on what will be the garden side (to help retain the soil in place). ↓↓





It sounds and seems pretty easy, but it was a little harder than what one might think. This was especially true as I was trying to make the edges to more or less fit one one side, even though I wasn't actually abutting the rocks. ↑↑

Not that I'm trying to make myself sound like either a hero or a martyr (well, maybe just a little bit), but I am prone to head rushes whenever I stand up from a bent position, and there was much bending and standing involved with each and every rock. Let me confess that I was very glad of having Harriet the Chariot to lean on whilst the dizziness subsided. ↓↓





Once the rocks were laid, it was time to fill the cracks with soil ↑↑ and then to spread mulch over the edges. ↓↓



It doesn't look so bad, especially when you consider that part of the reason for making this garden is to get rid of the patch along the driveway where neither grass nor clover want to grow properly. Although the grass doesn't seem too bad right now, as soon as it gets hot and dry, it turns colour along that patch even when the rest of the lawn looks lush and green. And when the garden at the opt of the photo where I am standing ↓↓ is extended, I think it will be a very big improvement.



So, that's the story of my ridiculously enterprising and toilsome Fathers Day weekend. Now, I will wait for the nurseries to cut their spring prices , so I can purchase soil at a semi reasonable cost. I'm not sure if I will even get around to planting this year, but if not it will be ready to go come next spring. I'm not in a big hurry; I just want to make progress.

10 comments:

Jenny said...

Now see, I would be driving over those all the time. Our driveway's on a steepish slant and by the time I angle out of the garage and avoid hitting the used-car lot lined up on my right side, all too often I end up in the grass on the left side. I am the subject of pointing and laughing by my family. Your project looks GREAT though ... and I know that's backbreaking labor. Good job, A/c.

Anonymous said...

A/C that is intensive labor, especially in the hot sun. It was a love of love and pride for your neat home. I think it looks great. Wish I could get HH to lift a rock and plant a flower. But since he cooks all the time I quess he is exempt.
QMM

Donna said...

What a Lot of hard Work! But...it looks Great! I like stone placed like that. I must admit that This year Hubby and I have done Nothing outside! That's a first for us. By the time we get home from work, the last thing we want to do is go Back to work..Lolol
hughugs

Diana said...

Well it looks very nice AC. I have worked with brick and rock quite a bit. I usually use sand underneath to help level them. I can't do all of that bending over so my kids bought me a Lawn Buddy cart a few years back. I love it! It allows you to work at ground level and you can just roll on down the work area as you go. Some digging of coarse, needs to be done standing but for placing rock and planting it is amazing, it's a big help on the knees as well!
Your driveway looks great!
Love Di ♥

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Your stone laying looks as nice as the ones Grenville placed around our new circular wildflower garden last week. Maybe you should have gotten together and helped one another? What a way to relax on a warm Sunday!

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

The lawn is very lush. Your next job will be to mow the lawn.

Bernie said...

Looks great A/C, looking forward to see it when the planting done even if it is next year...:-)Hugs

Garnetrose said...

iT LOOKS GREAT. SOMETHING YOU CAN BE PROUD OF ONCE IT IS ALL DONE.

Pearl said...

looks nice already. sets off the yard.

eventually a bit of creeping thyme or lavender by its edge? or moss and lichen gradually marking the stones?

Anvilcloud said...

Thanks for the idea, Pearl.