Spring Cleaning in the Garden

Spring arrived several weeks ago, and we have been hard at work improving our neglected gardens.

I realize my recent posts have been rather gloomy so decided to share some pictures of flowers.  It's impossible to be gloomy with flower pictures!

The first picture is not actually my garden.  This is a neighbor's tree whose branches hang over the fence.  I am happy for the beautiful "intrusion".

I believe the original owner of our home must have had the property beautifully landscaped, as there are winding paths and terraces.  Unfortunately,  subsequent owners didn't maintain things so when we purchased the property some areas were overgrown while others were bare dirt.  I say "we" have been working hard on it but, to be honest, my husband has done the lion's share of the work.  He spent hours pulling some ivy near the foundation of the house. It was unsightly and, more importantly,  it provided great cover for mice.  (He found 7 mouse nests in the ivy!) There is another, larger area of ivy that needs to be removed but that has to wait until another day.

The picture below is part of a terraced slope.  There are 2 lovely types of thyme on the slope.  One is lemon thyme which I ADORE - if you step on it or clip it the scent of lemon fills the air.  The other blooms for months with lovely purple flowers.  Last summer it was buzzing with honey bees.  Makes me think I should learn to be a beekeeper!  Last year the thyme was surrounded by bare dirt but this year we have covered all of the bare areas with mulch which improves the look quite a bit.

We have also been adding flowers.  Last year I planted 2 clematis.   One is doing quite well this year, while the other is limping along.

This is a branch my husband cut off of the neighbors tree so that I could use it in a vase.

Perhaps you can see some of the flowers I've planted:  creeping phlox,  rock cress and wave petunias.  The upper terrace has been mulched but we haven't finished the lower terrace yet.  Doesn't the mulched terrace look so much nicer?

That's all for now.  Happy spring!