Spring Projects now Summer Projects!

Janet, I'm back looking that your thread again. Love the sedum with the white flowers. I also agree those plants are very large and healthy looking. I noticed your post about possibly needing to move. What a shame that would be. Thank you so much for sharing your lovely garden.
Ric says you were brave and daring to cut out those huge foundation plantings.

Thanks Teri

Holly: I hated those foundation plantings. Never so glad to see something go...LOL
DH couldn't see past them when we were looking at this fixer up house. I knew that once we got them removed and the roof done then things would really start to happen.

Yes with DH's loss of his job and income living here is on my income isn't going to be possible, and I'm not sure what we will do since houses aren't selling..

I picked up a few plants today but instead of planting in the garden every plant now goes in a pot, in case we do have to move...

Thanks for looking folks.

Janet

Well it's been almost a month since I started this thread and I'm finally getting around to coming back to check on everyone's progress! For those of you who haven't seen it, I started a separate thread for the update on my daughter's landscape: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1009424/ Now that I'm finally recovering from the "crud" that knocked me down after working for a week in the rain, I'm getting geared up to continue with my own projects, just not sure where to start!

flowerjen, sorry to hear about your Bradford Pear but it looks like you're making real progress in that area :)

Holly, so happy to finally see the pics of the bathtub - it looks wonderful and the color really does POP in that setting!

Janet, I took some time this morning and looked at all your photos, what an incredible transformation! I agree, I'm not sure I would have been "brave" enough to remove the mature foundation plantings but your hard work has certainly paid off - it's beautiful :) I had to laugh at your problems with the newspapers blowing away, been there, done that! LOL Your photos are giving me hope for my daughter's new landscape, I keep trying to tell her that everything will fill in and that's why they were spaced - she's not a believer yet but I'm sure by next year she will be :)

RRR, love the new planting around your bilco door! Reminds me of the area I wanted to get planted around my daughter's bilco door at the back of her new home. I had planned to transfer some of her beautiful Ferns from the woods to the area but I'm sure glad we ran out of time and never got the area planted. The builder had to come last week and dig up the area to resolve a leaking problem around the door and foundation. Fortunately that's the only area we didn't get done and now that the problem is resolved we can get it planted next year!

BUMP!

I've been busy with a few projects but most of what we've been doing is concentrating on weeding, pruning shrubs and limbing up of trees in the gardens - let there be light! LOL We usually do some minor pruning/limbing every year but this year we purchased a new electric pole saw and we've already hauled off 7 trailer loads of branches and we've only just begun! I wish I had taken "before" pictures - the canopy is much higher now and with the brighter light the plants should be much happier :)

Our most recent project was this addition to the deck - a new pool! This wasn't a "planned" project but Rick couldn't resist :) He originally bought a 9'x15' pool and when we finally realized the perfect spot for us to take an afternoon dip would be the deck we ALSO realized we'd need to build a new deck to support it! LOL So we opted for a smaller pool and it just fits on the end of the deck :)

This is the board that the builders thought would be the finishing touch between the steps and the porch.

Sooooooooo ugly. They painted a treated plank!! Of course this won't do. We are working on that and I am looking for a solution to get that plant pot ring off the bluestone step. Any suggestions?

RCN, That is really an awesome accomplishment in one week's time! Plants, firepit, walks, new beds...........incredible.

I have finished tiling the board on my front porch. When I came outside to take another look at my work, I realized that the tiles had slipped out of place and dried that way.

The grout that the tile store sold to me is a light tan color which I didn't think would hide the flaws (I have no intention of ripping it up and starting all over), so I went to the local guy and got a medium light grey. The owner here told me that I was not supposed to use the "thinset" that the tile store sold me since that was only for floors. He said that something like "liquid nails" would have been much easier to work with on a vertical job.

Hopefully when I apply the grout (if it ever stops raining long enough for me to get it put on with time to dry) it will hide most of the defects.

I still need to deal with the stain on the bluestone from the planter pot.

rcn- pool looks great- I'd love to pick one of those up but Addy would say==Big toy! and bite a hunk out in a minute.

Roses, the tile looks great, I'd never have thought you had a problem. Don't know about the stone stain problem though--maybe a rust remover like for toilets and sinks?

Thanks Sally,

I'll try the rust remover.

RCN, What an inviting looking spot. It looks wonderful.

Roses, your tile looks beautiful. Certainly no one will notice any imperfections.

Sally, at first I thought Rick was crazy with the pool idea but then when we returned the larger one and found this one on sale for $50.00 I had to give in! It's even got a filter but no heater and the water's not quite as warm as I thought it would be, refreshing nonetheless :) It's the perfect size, just long enough to lay out and kick and 30" deep so when you're sitting the water comes right up to your neck. Phoebe's been great with it but the new pup, Lucy, is a terror - Rick calls the two of them 'Double Trouble'.When we're in the pool, the dogs are INSIDE! We bought them their own kiddie pool last week :)

Roses, good lord, did you have to place each and every one of those teensy little tiles? I'm hoping for your sake that they came in some sort of strip? That project would sure test my patience but you did an excellent job and it looks fantastic! What about vinegar for the stain? I remember dropping tarnished pennies in a jar of vinegar when I was young and they'd come out looking brand spanking new! Maybe it would work on your stain.

Stormy, thanks, I'm actually enjoying it more than I thought I would!

RCN,

The small tiles came on 12" sheets. The reason that I used these for a border was so that I wouldn't have to go thru the trouble of cutting all the tiles that extended down past the board and did not have to cut around the electrical outlets on the far left side of the board.

I will try vinegar also. I know muriatic acid cleans up concrete but I'm afraid of what it would do to the stone topper.

Roses, could you try some on one of the side edges? I know several people who swear by a product called KLR for rust and mineral deposit build up. I know it's available at KMart and maybe HD.

Roses, did a quick search and even though I haven't a clue what the product is they're talking about, here's the info:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Construction-Contractors-1093/cleaning-leaf-stains-bluestone.htm

Then this site had some helpful information even though it doesn't list "bluestone".
http://www.stonecaretechniques.com/34.htm

R-R-R

You might go to HD or Lowes and talk to someone in the Kitchen dept. Why? Because they sell granite counter tops which also are known to stain--so they also sell some stuff to clean the stains off with.
Could be a difference between your stone and granite, but it might be worth a try.....

Gita

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will be at HD and Lowes tomorrow asking the questions.

RCN, What a nice spot for relaxing, it can be surprising how much enjoyment you can get from a small pool.
R_R_R you might try Mr Clean Magic Erasers, surprising what all they will clean, cheap and easy. Gita's idea is a very good one too. I would have never thought of that one. Love your tile.
I've been digging, leg is better so I started digging a new bed next to the veggie garden. First I turned over a section and then used that handy dandy little rototiller on it. Brought over several wheelbarrow loads of compost. I'm going to do more digging tomorrow weather permitting and bring around more compost. I have plenty of great plants from the swap and a couple of DG Co-ops that have been waiting in my drive way. I moved all of them down to the garden yesterday, they are just waiting till I get the bed done.

R_R_R, Muriatic acid will clean it, but you may have to treat the whole step to get it uniform. If you're careful it's relatively safe to use and easily neutralized with a baking soda solution. Holly's Ric

Holly, I've had serious envy of your pool for a long time but yes, a "small" pool is better than none! LOL

Roses, I'm so glad to hear that the small tiles came in 12 in. sheets! I'd be all thumbs if I had to place anything that small :)

I don't have any pictures yet, maybe today, but I almost finished another "unplanned" project yesterday. We have a patch of VERY tall grass, Arundo donax 'Variegata', along the back side of our pond. It drives me nuts every year because it starts arching over the path by July and it's impossible to walk around the pond. Plus the dogs have decided this a fun spot for playing and when they race around the back of the pond the tall stalks were really taking a beating. I knew if I didn't do something soon I'd have to either cut down the grass or look at broken 8' tall stalks laying on the path :( Our black bamboo patch needed some thinning and I got the crazy idea that I could use some of it to make a fence to support the grass! The construction of the fence wasn't too bad but cutting the bamboo was hard - it's so tough it took every bit of strength I could muster up to cut them down and I've got sore arms to prove it this morning :( Then my hands were all sticky from the waxed cord I was using to connect all the pieces! I've still got a few more connections to tie together and hopefully I'll get it done early this morning before the sun starts melting the "wax" on my hands. LOL The fence isn't perfect but it's definitely doing a good job of keeping the grass upright!

Thanks Ric,

I am thinking that muriatic acid will be necessary but I hadn't processed my thinking past "what if it changes the appearance of that spot"? Of course... apply it to the whole thing!!! Thanks for completing my thinking.

rcn--I've often been tempted to build things like that. We once saw a Cut your Own Bamboo sign, but almost an hour from here so I haven't. Hm, Craigslist...

LOL RCN, I'm always lusting over in ground pools, which I will probably never have. But we get so much enjoyment out of this old above ground. We bought a fairly inexpensive one during a half price sale and we put it up ourselves, way back when the kids were kids. I love your bamboo fence idea I bet that looks great. Can't wait to see pics.
I can't seem to finish my projects, Ric says I hop around the yard from project to project. I'm digging in 3 different places, putting in two new beds and still removing the forsythia. I've also put down some landscaping fabric under a section of the evergreens and have a pile of mulch to spread. Here is a pic of one that did get finished.

Each time I see a picture of that tub it gets better looking!

Thanks R_R_R, I'm getting a lot of enjoyment from it and love the location, so glad that is where it ended up.
We had some rain and should get more later. I have an edger a thought I would use it to tuck the landscape fabric down into the ground along the RRtie walk. Should make a nice edge. Going outside to see if the ground is still damp enough to make an easy job of it.
Here is the other bed I've started to dig. This is the path down to the barn you come around the clipped yew with the evergreens on the other side and down along the garden.

Well I did get another small job done. Years ago when the evergreens were pretty small we put in landscape fabric and edging. Over the years the vinca moved into that area and so did some grass and weeds. Also as the trees grew they moved past the old edged area. I have a spot near the front entrance that was a bit weedy and Ric would run the push mower in there to keep it knocked down. Also the Norway Spruce is now so close to the walk way that it is a pain to mow along there. A couple of weeks ago I pulled out a left over piece of fabric I had from another project and laid it in that triangular spot then started looking for a couple more pieces. Josh came up with a piece 16ft X 3ft to run down along the walkway. Sure makes a nice finish and Ric will not have to mess with mowing this anymore.

Here is the triangular spot next to the entrance. Ric says we will have to look for a "Garden Object" to sit in there. I think I will have to find something pretty good size.

Holly that entrance really looks nice. I keep looking at those pots of caladiums, I really need to go to Campbell pottery and nose around they may have some 2nds that are on sale. Don't want to sink a lot of $$$$ in their good stuff.

The vinca will probably creep in and give it a more natural edge in time. From the front.
LadyG, I picked them up very early this spring for $16 a piece. Leftovers from last year, I think they were $60 pots. This mulching job really neatened up this area.

That space looks bigger in the 2nd picture. I was thinking of a park bench, or how about those bears, K-mart had some this spring in their garden section. I got a good laugh out of one that had a sign "Wipe your Paws" and he was looking at the bottom of his foot with a Gnome squashed flat. I'll have to see if there are any left and on clearance, may have to have one of those myself.

Love the "Wipe your Paws" LOL Have to tell RIc about that one. The spot is big enough for a good sized bush but I know that the Norway will continue to grow and with the trellis that close I decided not to plant anything. I'm thinking about something tall that will show well from the front, too.

LOL, it's a never ending battle isn't it? I'm hoping one of these days that "project" ideas will stop popping up in my brain. At this rate I'll never finish all my projects and what I should be doing is just concentrating on taking care of what's out there now! Holly, looks like you've got the same "problem". Everything you're working on though looks great, so neat and tidy :) That was a heck of a bargain on those pots and I'm still drooling over your Caladiums. I think I need some of Claypa's "magic dust" to make mine grow :(

I almost finished the bamboo fence yesterday :) The waxed cord for tying together all the joints was giving me fits again even with the cooler temperatures of the morning. Of course the rain we received overnight wasn't helping :( I got almost all of the joints tied and then got carried away with digging up a lamp post we had elsewhere in the gardens. It got "lost" in the foliage of the trees where it was located and I thought it would be a perfect corner post for the fence :) This is what it looks like if you're walking along the back of the pond.

And looking from the other direction...I even got a shrub and Ajuga planted at the base of the lamp post! I have a board which needs to be replaced along the path and a few more joints to tie together and I can mark this "project" DONE! Well, almost...Rick likes the look of the fence so well he'd like to see me continue all the way around the pond :(

What a lovely thing you've created RCN. The lamp and fence go wonderfully in that natural setting.

That is really nice. Got to be carefull adding more, sometimes more is just to much. Right now it is a nice accent piece, and the lamp adds to the orential feel.
We had a large clump of the "Ribbon Grass" when I was a kid, I loved it, use to take off leaves a play with them, had to be carefull though there was always a snake hidding somewhere in the clump.

WOW, That looks great. and the light is a perfect accent.
One of the reasons I don't get one project finished is as I work on one project I see something else that needs to be done and move into that area. Like the other day when I was digging the new bed instead of finishing it I decided to weed the herb garden that is right next to where I was working instead. It did give me a break from digging and I will get back to it later. LOL

Love all the projects here. I'm mentally putting them into the Retirement List.
Hopping from project to project is one of my big weaknesses and the other is going into the garden with no clear plan and no tools and spending too much time thinking about what to do and not doing anything!

Today's project--I think LOL-- is take apart an old over-the-front-door light fixture and spray it with Hammered Metal bronze and make it a candle holder to hang in the shade. And something else may get in the overspray of paint if you know what I mean....I may get carried away. My mailbox is pretty boring. galvanized steel...on a bad black pipe

To think, Holly feels us guys are the only ones with AD! LOL
We had real downpours here last eve, we can use the rain, but it was too much too fast, and created runoff and a little erosion. Things are filling in quite nicely though. Ric

LOL Chris, that's one of the reasons why this poor grass has been neglected for so long! That's the corner of the pond where that huge snake had been hanging out for the past two summers and I wouldn't go near that area! Now that the pond's developed a leak and there basically is no water, yay the snake's gone and I can finally rework the edges of the pond :) Re: "sometimes more is too much", I know exactly what you mean. This fence had a little more 'style' to it, if I continue it along the path it will be much more simplistic and definitely not as much work! I wouldn't make it as tall, maybe gradually dropping down in height until it reaches the arbor on the other side. There's nothing there that it has to support, it will just be a safety buffer because there's a really steep drop off there. Even though no one's ever fallen "overboard" it always worries me!

Holly I've already switched projects this morning :( I got all the brush cleared up along the path near the corner of the fence that's been sitting there since last fall. I had to get it out of my way to make room for the next pile of brush! Actually I was good, Rick's been dragging the trailer all around, I think he's now on his 10th load of brush! He parked it so as I cut down the Barberry I was working on I could load it instead of piling it up along the path :) I'm famous for my "piles", just ask anyone in my family! LOL This time I got it all loaded and it's already out of there! But alas, when I sat down to take a break I started looking at another area and before I knew it I was down on my hands and knees weeding and planning what I could plant in the bare spots - so much for relaxation! If I can keep going after my break for lunch I'll move things around and have it planted by this evening :)

Ooooh Sally, sounds like fun and of course we'll want to see pictures!

Ric, you and Holly are just cruel teasing me with pictures of your rocks! LOL I do love how everything is filling in around them though, very pretty and lots of color :)

Holly--

Don't fee like the Lone Ranger! I have ADD so bad that I can never concentrate on any one thing.....ALL stimuli have the same urgency and importance in my life.....I flit like a butterfly from one thing to the next.....
Just like going from upstairs to downstairs, with a clear purpose in mind, and then getting distracted by all kinds of other things along the way. When i get there, I totally no longer know WHY I came downstairs.....And--i KNOW when i am doing this...and I say--"Now, FOCUS!!!".....and still i do not....It is so frustrating......

Sometimes I will go back upstairs in hopes some "AHA" moment will hit me and i will remember what I was going downstairs for! Not usually, though. It just becomes a lost cause......

That is also why i am not a reader. I cannot stay with more than a couple of paragraphs---by then my mind takes off to some La-La land--while my eyes keep reading--but I am not paying any attention......Then I go "WHOA!"----you were reading here, were you not??? Then i have to go back and re-read whatever i was not paying attention to. It's almost laughable!
Because of all this--College was pure H--l!!!!

And--being compulsive often goes along with this......I used to take notes in College with 3 different colored pens--all in my right hand.....Black or blue was for regular note-taking.....Green was for captions and titles---and red was for something really, really important!!!!

OK! This post WAS about Spring projects......sorry! Ric--you started this topic!!! It is your fault!!!!

Loving my B.E. S. in the front bed!!!! From ONE plant--3 years ago--it is now a pretty large clump!

Gita