One More Time....

Here we are at Friday again...already.

We've had another busy week.

You know how little kids love to be swung around?

How they don't want to stop, and yell, "One more time!"?

Well....I'm beginning to feel like the gardens here are little kids,

and we're the adults swinging them around.

And, they keep yelling, "One more time!"

This is the way the front looked, the first time we visited this house.

This is July, 2008.

Don't you just love that power box thing?  Great addition to curb appeal.

But, we're here to look at that front bed.  Lush groundcover (vinca),

 boxwood, an old Viburnum, and some old Nandina.

I knew right away I wanted to change all that.

The previous owner must have poured a LOT of water on this...
and the St. Augustine grass...
to make it all this green in July.

2010

Fast forward to 2010.  

2009 was spent mostly upgrading the inside of this 40 year old house.

The groundcover didn't fair too well, during the drought and heat of the

summer of 2009.  I wasn't too sad about it.  I wanted something different.

But, most of what you see above didn't make it, either.

2011

So, the Miscanthus that didn't make it, was replaced with a Soft Leaf Yucca.

The Blue Fescue was traded for some dwarf Yaupon Holly.

Not a very good photo.  You have to look closely.

2012

Last year, we redid the Island Bed.  Ripped out the groundcover that always looked ratty,

and planted some really drought tolerant things.

2011

And, we built the Driveway Bed.  That's changed since then, too.

But, I digress....

Late March, 2012

The front bed was looking pretty good.

2011

I was feeling pretty smug.  This all made it through the 

2011 'Summer From Hell'. 

 (Sorry, but that's how it felt.)

What do they say?

Something about pride going before a fall?

Well, Fall here didn't look all that great.

Another dry, hot summer.  NOT as bad as 2011.

But, bad enough.  It all adds up.

And then, there are the sweet little deer.

Remember back in January when I was whining about the deer...again?
Well, I didn't show you the Viburnum and Nandina.
Yes, they...or she....chomped that, too.
I wanted them out anyway, but this pushed us to decide.

So, Mr. P. ripped them all out.
Lovely, huh?
I especially like the downspout thing running across the bed, that we should have had buried...
but, didn't.

Then, we hauled off to that garden center on South Congress.
(Hint: Great Outdoors)

There's still a way to go, before we're finished with this round.
But, it looks better.

There needs to be something behind the Sabal Minor.
I'm thinking Bamboo Muhly, but haven't decided.
What do you think?

The boxwood are staying.  It would look just too naked, without them.

Need more mulch, and redo the soaker hose.
We're taking the stepping stones along the house, to the porch.
There's that much room....

I'm hoping those dwarf hollies finally do something.

But, so far, so good.
No chomping, no shredding...semi-success.

But, it's never DONE.
There could possibly be "One more time!".
This starting over EVERY YEAR, does wear one down.

Then, of course, there's the other bed I want out here
(I'm a glutton for punishment.),
and, the path around the house, and.....

So, we'll probably 'stick' to it.

  I'm pretty sure this yucca won't get to stay here.
Hmmm....center piece for the new bed?

*******

Whew!  I seem to have made a novel out of this post.
Sorry about that.


It's misting here.  And, we have a chance of rain for the weekend.
Hope they're right this time.

Have a great weekend.

Happy Gardening...
~~Linda~~