Or at least before and most-of-the-way-through.
I've been wanting to do something with this garden for some time. It used to be a wildflower garden, but that was back when I couldn't tell the difference between a seedling and a weedling. OK, so not much has changed since then in my gardening abilities. I seeded most of the neighborhood with the collection of weeds that came out of that attempt and all I got out of it was a single purple cone flower that took hold and refused to be bullied by the weeds.
I have loved purple cone flower ever since.
(Click on the picture for a better look.)
After that, it became my bird feeding station. And it was a lovely spot for it right outside the bedroom window and right outside the sunroom window. We'd watch birds for hours. Unfortunately, that got to be a bit of an expensive hobby and we gave it up. The black oil sunflower, however, did not. Hence the sunflower mess. The pen is for the chickens. I gave them a section to tear up in preparation for my plans.
Here's a better picture of them for those of you who read often enough to remember what they looked like when we brought them home:
Anyway, I've wanted to do something with this garden for a long time. Then I fell in love with the free garden plans at Better Homes & Gardens, and spent a little too much time browsing all the plans.
One hundred dollars and several hours later, I have this:
(Click on the picture for a better look.)
The trees at the front still have to be moved to their permanent homes so I can plant the ornamental grass, the salvia and whatever that stuff is called I chose because they were out of alyssum. I left a small patch of sunflower, because I really do like the sunflower. Just not quite that many in one place. I think I even found my purple cone flower in the mess. Then the kids placed stones in the bird bath bowl for the butterflies to stand on, and I thought the stand by itself made a pretty addition to the garden.
I can't wait to see what it looks like when it has had a chance to grow in a little.
I doubt it looks much like the picture, but flowers and butterflies are pretty either way.
I've been wanting to do something with this garden for some time. It used to be a wildflower garden, but that was back when I couldn't tell the difference between a seedling and a weedling. OK, so not much has changed since then in my gardening abilities. I seeded most of the neighborhood with the collection of weeds that came out of that attempt and all I got out of it was a single purple cone flower that took hold and refused to be bullied by the weeds.
I have loved purple cone flower ever since.
(Click on the picture for a better look.)After that, it became my bird feeding station. And it was a lovely spot for it right outside the bedroom window and right outside the sunroom window. We'd watch birds for hours. Unfortunately, that got to be a bit of an expensive hobby and we gave it up. The black oil sunflower, however, did not. Hence the sunflower mess. The pen is for the chickens. I gave them a section to tear up in preparation for my plans.
Here's a better picture of them for those of you who read often enough to remember what they looked like when we brought them home:
Anyway, I've wanted to do something with this garden for a long time. Then I fell in love with the free garden plans at Better Homes & Gardens, and spent a little too much time browsing all the plans.
One hundred dollars and several hours later, I have this:
(Click on the picture for a better look.)The trees at the front still have to be moved to their permanent homes so I can plant the ornamental grass, the salvia and whatever that stuff is called I chose because they were out of alyssum. I left a small patch of sunflower, because I really do like the sunflower. Just not quite that many in one place. I think I even found my purple cone flower in the mess. Then the kids placed stones in the bird bath bowl for the butterflies to stand on, and I thought the stand by itself made a pretty addition to the garden.
I can't wait to see what it looks like when it has had a chance to grow in a little.
I doubt it looks much like the picture, but flowers and butterflies are pretty either way.
