The Grand Design

I've talked about it in pretty much all of the posts I've made before about the garden, but I haven't ever posted a picture of the design I'm seeing in my head. So today, I'm letting everyone in on the secret.

(BTW, I drew the outline based on the Google earth screenshot of my house, it's a little wonky but it's the right proportions)

It's a big picture, it's crowded with all kinds of little notes and circles. And then, it isn't fully complete either. In the backyard I'll have tons of two foot and smaller plants, most of which I didn't draw in. Even so, I look at and love it. I can't wait until we can finally take that first big trip to the nursery and start filling in the landscape. Sadly and happily, the contractors will soon be starting on the garage so we won't be able to do anything in the back for a while. But in the meantime, we'll start on the front, maybe this weekend! The only obstruction that will likely be there is the port-a-pottie... right where I want to plant a tree, sigh. It won't be much longer though, maybe a month and a half more of construction to get through and it'll all be done. By then, the rain will have started and it will be a great time for planting.

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A Short Postscript

I know I only just posted a minute ago but having posted, I looked down at my previous one and thought it made me look like I kinda don't know anything about pruning.... heh. I had posted this picture of my newly dwarfed Hibiscus.

But while I still haven't found the time to get out my pruning saw and clean it up, you have to see the disgusting plant I was dealing with. (Why did I forget to take before pictures!)

Now that is a nightmare created by bad pruning. Also, possibly termites because I found some oddly light branches - over an inch thick but weighing less than a small newspaper. So that first picture is the result of a long hour going through that bush and carting away the bits. I'm quite decided now that I'll cut the old branches farther down but I'm going to wait until it has a few more leaves. When I stopped before, I was pretty much thinking that I didn't want to completely defoliate it (and I was so tired).