What a mess, but, it ended well.

G'day. I got the bright idea on Sunday morning to do something with this area of the backyard. We have been planning on making a "pretty" garden here since moving in six months ago, but, I had had a lot of trouble controlling the weeds that kept popping up. This area is just outside the glass doors from our kitchen/dining room and when sitting at the kitchen table, this garden is what we can see. So it had to be nice and attractive.

I ran the sprinkler on it for a very long time to make it easier to dig, as the gound had become very hard and dry with all the warm weather we have been having. It did soften it up a fraction, but believe me it was still  hard work. Hubby was busy putting all new pop up sprinklers in around the place and so my brainwave to get started on this area became my responsibility to dig it all up.  It was very labour intensive and a few times I could have kicked myself for even starting it, but, I kept going. After a few hours, a sore back, sore arms and a sore leg from pushing on the pitchfork I had managed to get over half of it done. Hubby then took pity on me and as soon as he finished with the sprinklers, he took over and he had the rest finished in no time. We did get a massive thunderstorm while digging and both ended up rather wet, but, not to be out done we continued on when the rain had eased.

After many hours of work, we had finally got around to planting. We had been collecting pot plants for some time and even though, when these were bought they were destined for other areas. But, they all suited this area as well and so in they went. It will be some time before they all bush out and grow, but we are pleased with it so far. Since this last picture was taken, a few more plants have gone in. I will wait till it all settles down and then will mulch it heavily. Somewhere down the track, I will have my pretty garden and will be pleased that all the hard and tiring work paid off. Oh, by the way, I have planted a couple of pink/white daises, three Tiny Mice bushes, these are around the cherub and were planted as a rememberance for my daughters cat Gasket, who was sadly put to sleep a few hours before the bushes were planted. There is one Australian native bush called Southern Stars, a couple of small bushes that are evergreen and come out in small purple star shaped flowers for most of the year and three Gaura plants that have the most delicate pink butterfly like flower on the end of long thin stalks that wave around in the breeze. There is also a Scaevola, called Aussie Salute. All in all, a good selection. The taller bushes along the edge of this area were all put in some time ago and have established themselves really well, so hopefully this new lot will thrive and do well. You can see on the lower right hand corner of the last picture that there is water laying where the pipe is, yes, you guessed it, I put a hole in one of the new sprinkler pipes with the pitchfork.  Hubby bless his heart, didn't bat an eyelid and straight away fixed it. Take care. Liz...