Is your garden neat? How about your backyard?

[awakenedsoul]

Is your garden neat? I maintain my front cottage garden really well, but the backyard needs a lot of work. I finally spent some time out there tonight. I've got a lot of Bermuda grass that I'm digging up and throwing in the green waste. I plan to trim the trees, cut off all the dead sunflowers, and make it look nice. I don't have any junk, just some old reed fencing that needs to be cut off and tossed. I got part of it done this evening. I probably should rake up the leaves, but I like to use them as mulch for the fruit trees. They really seem to make the fruit taste better. How about you? If you were a stranger and you looked at your front and backyard, how would you describe it?

[Aroha]

Nope, I don't have this area under control at all.

My favourite elements are the fruit trees - feijoa, lime, lemon, grapefruit - they seem to thrive on neglect, or at least intermittent care. Same goes for the kowhai and ancient magnolia.

There's a pink hibiscus that flowers for months and always draws positive comments, though I don't love it myself.

The rest is fairly random, shambolic or downright neglected. I make periodic attempts at vegetable gardening, which sometimes result in a harvest but seldom look neat.

[awakenedsoul]

I love my fruit trees, too. They don't need that much care. My front cottage garden is small, so it's easier to manage. I'm going to do some more pruning today. I need to cut back the lavender, rosemary, and sage. They've cut back our water usage because of the drought. So, I'll layer out some more straw mulch. It keeps the soil cool and conserves water.

I've been thinking of planting a hibiscus in my garden. They have them at the gym, and they are gorgeous! Plus, I love hibiscus tea...

[razz]

Between sorting and packing for my upcoming move, the garden is not looking at all as it has in the past. I did a general mulch but with the rain that has coming so frequently, the weeds have taken over in so many ways. I even tried to spray the weeds and the rain washed off the spray so the weeds are looking happy and vibrant. Will mix up a batch and try again as the forecast is for sunny weather for a few days ahead.

[awakenedsoul]

razz, Yeah, the weeds are my main challenge, too. Hope your solution worked. We have Bermuda grass here, which is really hard to eradicate. Heavy straw mulch works okay, and for me is easier on my back. I love Ruth Stout's book, How To Garden Without Breaking Your Back!

With our reduced water restrictions, I've been getting creative with the look of the garden. I realized that I like to frame the house with plants. Instead of a lawn I have mulch. It's kind of pretty to have some space. It pulls your eye to the front of the house. I've got a basket of dried flowers hanging on the front door. I have flowers in the window baskets, two hanging baskets of miniature petunias on the porch, and a variety of blooms in the flower beds on both sides of the house. Fortunately, the original owner planted some drought tolerant plants: Japanese irises, a poplar, and a fruitless mulberry tree. I keep the porch clutter free, and I'm happy with the look. There's still more work to be done in the backyard, though. Bit by bit...

[goldensmom]

Neat, very neat. I am retired and, as my husband says, the house, yards and orchard are my 'job'. I go about it as though it were my job with routines to keep things neat and in order. My husband and I then survey and note needed repairs, plan special projects, make materials and purchase lists, do time frames, etc.. My job doesn't pay money but it pays in satisfaction.

[Packy]

I keep my garden very neat.

[Rosemary]

I'm working on it.
Each summer (and they're short here!) I try to take over part of the yard from lawn and the inevitable creeping Charlie and other weeds. This year I've made a great deal of progress. My vegetable garden is not neat all the time... by this time of summer it's usually clear that I've been working on other things... It's all a work in progress. I'll be spreading 10 yards of mulch next week.

[awakenedsoul]

Thanks for the replies. goldensmom, I should look at it that way. I have that kind of commitment to the front, (and what you can see of the back from the front.) The back orchard is so large, it's a little overwhelming. I just need to focus on clearing the weeds out there for now.
Rosemary, I love mulch! I think I'm going to order some tree trimming to spread in the backyard. I like that look.

[Gregg]

Yes and yes.