Front yard update

 So I finally got some plants in.  It took a while to get it together and I had made cuttings of gardenia and lavender to add to the yard.  Some of them were finally big enough to plant this weekend, but I'm waiting for several others to grow a little stronger.  Here's what it looks like today...

I left a spot to plant a hydrangea or some kind of larger bush.  And one of my daylilies seems to be taking a long to time adjust.  It looks like it's growing new leaves, but it's very slow. The pentas grow well, my variegated ti leaf plant looks as though it's doing okay (might need a little shade) and my fairy lily bulbs are thriving.   The calla is doing well, and I'm thinking of taking cuttings of the sage plant.  It grows in a nice mound and looks really nice.  Eventually (probably around halloween) I'll add a few solar lights.   I still have to work on the other side of the entry steps, just started adding a couple plants the other day.  But I did put in a hydrangea and it appears to be growing well.  I guess the water sprinkler works miracles for a dry front yard.  

My son had placed his science project from summer school in the yard... a small milk carton with a lettuce seed in it.  It grew beautifully and we ate for dinner last night.  So as per his request, we will plant more in small pots and grow some veggies there.  Our community association doesn't allow vegetable gardens in the front, but I'm going to try and work around it.  We'll place the pots in empty areas and they'll be more like "ground cover" plants.  It looks lots nicer than the weeds and dirt we just cleaned up...

Yesterday, I spent my morning working on cleaning up and placing some pavers along the edge of my backyard.  The wild area is full of weeds that keep growing into my yard and I'm hoping the edge of pavers will help prevent the weeds from invading our yard.  I'm planning on adding a light weight fence, or row of simple trellis' (removable, just in case the property owners in the back area don't approve) and growing pakalana vines for lei making.  I considered doing stephanotis (I love those), but the vine is very heavy.  I'd need a heavier fence for that...

Been too long....

It's been nearly one year since I've posted an update... and for a while, there was good reason.  There was nothing new to update.  But Spring Fever has hit and friend availability (and a good sale at Lowes) has inspired me to get out there and FINALLY get the front yard going.  YIPPEEE!

First off, remember this?  These were my front yard BEFORE pics....

Oh... and embarassingly, some After pics too...

Well, the yard never got any better, the stairs remained overgrown with awful looking grass and the plants never seemed to thrive.  I think my water sprinkler wasn't working for a few months and everything became a fire hazard....   I tried just digging out the grass, but it's tough and just doesn't want to give up trying to take over the world.

BUT recently, I did lots of sewing for a good friend who is also a handyman by trade.  And Lowe's had wall blocks and pavers on sale at a  price I couldn't resist...  Now, handyguy has all the tools we need and is perfectly willing to trade services for some hours of work. So DH and I picked up the materials, and handyguy and I got to work.

Less than a week later,  VOILA!  The foundation is set.  Oh, we also laid black plastic down after this picture was taken and added a few more sprinkler heads to keep the plants from drying out again.  I can't believe it's finally happening!   I know it's not very impressive yet, naked as it is... but just you wait, it'll be great!

Now I'm waiting for word on my load of compost.... (free from another friend), which is due to arrive sometime this week.    Then the planting can begin!  Boy... I'm so happy I might burst!  :)

So far, I've spent about $120.00 for materials.  And I don't expect to spend much more until planting time. Sand is free from the beach, gravel I got from my mom (she's been wanting someone to take it away), and sprinkler materials from a box of stuff I found in the garage.  Apparently, DH and his friends thought they didn't need to use them when they installed the sprinklers the first time.  I'm hoping I can find a few beautiful plants that will thrive in this hot spot.  But now that they'll get water regularly, I think everything will be OK.

Backyard Update

The patio is ready for summer break.  We could dine outside, it's so nice... except I can't figure out where the cats have laid their bombs this time...I think it's in the neighbor's planters.  I should plan a grill-out soon.  It'll force me to keep it clean and get me working on that table cover I plan to make.  It'll be done by the next post!  LOL

Anyway, the yard is coming along very slowly, but my tiny strawberry patch is finally planted, mulched and covered with the remains of my bunny cage to keep the birds out.  I'm still working on getting my raised bed garden in there somewhere, it's getting a little late I know... but our growing season doesn't really end.  I have my seedlings planted so that raised bed will have to be put in very soon.  Hopefully it will be in this weekend.  I still need to remove more grass (which I would've just done it the easy way, place the raised bed directly on it and cover the grass with newspaper before filling), but my sister is replacing her yard with the same kind of grass I have.  So I've been digging it up and bagging it for her.  Whew... so much work.

I have a few pallets sitting around in my backyard and need a trellis or fence that is non-permanent. I tried taking them apart rather unsuccessfully.  Guess I'll use them whole. So I'm thinking I'll make kind of a barrier/trellis, mostly because  I want to grow some pakalana and stephanosis on it.  I'm planning on making a lei garden too, with those flowers, some ferns, and more pikaki.  Maybe some roses too.  I really love lavender roses.  Here's a photo of a lei I'd like to be able to give my daughter when she graduates...

 Pikaki wraped with pakalana lei - wonderfully fragrant!

It grows great at my mom's house and would be perfect for lei making.  Hopefully there will be flowers by 2013, when my daughter graduates high school. 

Back yard update

Yes, I have been OCCASIONALLY working in my yard.  Not really following the schedule I've set up, y'know, those zones?  But things are slowly starting to take shape.

I rebuilt my backyard circular patio as it kinda got buried, and started adding a little herb garden.  We have a small strawberry patch that is slowly growing in, and I planted a few more ti-leaf plants.

The front yard is more or less set up for planting now.  I finally finished building the borders and will eventually get to setting in the pavers on the grass steps.  The planting area is only dirt right now, so no pics at this time.  I'm thinking of putting in my poinsettia plants.  I bought a bunch for my mom when it was $0.85 at Lowe's.  She gave most of them back after Christmas.   Pic coming eventually....

Power tools!

We worked on the front yard today and made a bit more progress.  Mostly because I had help from my DH.  I bought a GOOD weed whacker so he trimmed the grass and did a little bit of weeding.  Meanwhile, I continued to dig up some of the grass.  I really want to get rid of most of the grass in the front and plant some flowers and ground cover plants.  

There's a bit of dirt where I dug so I'm worried the stray cats will use it as a toilet again.  It's covered with a few pokey bromeliads for the time being, till I can get back to it.  Hopefully that'll keep them out.

Plumeria Hill

 When I was younger, there was a hill of plumeria trees along Moanalua Road.  It was part of someone's yard that was a steep slope down to the roadside.  People used to ask them if they could pick the plumerias to make leis.  Nearby schools would pick flowers for Mayday.  It was beautiful.  Then progress came along and they cut into the slope to widen the road.  The 2 lane road became 5 lanes and the hill disappeared.  Now, there are only a few plumeria trees.  It was sad to see it disappear.

I have an empty hill in the back of our house.  It's not our property, but really at this time, no one is using it and it's just an eyesore full of weeds and rubbish.  I want to turn the hill into that memory.  So this week, I'm going to make some plumeria cuttings. I saw a discarded branch of plumeria at my son's school which I could break off some branches from and prepare for my little plumeria farm.  It'll be great. 

Last year(?), I bought a cutting from the urban garden sale for $2.00.  It's still in the pot, but has bloomed a few times.  It's a miniature plumeria and I might use it for the front yard.  Funny... when I was younger, plumerias were so common that I took them for granted.  It was the CHEAP flower lei and I didn't really like them much.  I wanted the roses and pikaki.  Now I want the plumeria.  What a memory can do to ya....

Not working as planned...

Yeah... I've been especially lazy, no, just too busy to get to the yard everyday.  Not only that, but I just can't seem to decide what I want to do to my garden.  So many ideas, so many things I want, but will they work?  And can I afford it?  Now that's the biggie.

Anyway, I've been searching for more inspiration and found rainchains, water barrels, fairy houses.  Wow... I really like those..  Anyway, here's a few inspirational pics....

 The rain chains were found at Rain Chains Direct and The barrels are from Aaron's Rain Barrels.  I think we will have to find something here 'cuz I can imagine shipping will be a killer, and it's expensive to start with.  Maybe we can find something a little more economical.  It does say free shipping, but most times, it doesn't apply to us.

I found this treehouse as I was searching for info on fairy gardens on the internet.  The treehouse is from A Proper Garden  I hope I got the right place, they seem to be a landscaping/design company.   Cute...

So many ideas, so little time (and money).