Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Expansion!

Every summer I say I'm done putting in gardens and by the next spring a new plan is hatched! This year is no exception. I found out at a family wedding that one of my cousin's sons was doing landscape work when he's home from college. I called early and I was number 2 on the list. He called Monday night and said he'd be here Tuesday at 7am! Believe me I asked if I had heard right! A college kid working at 7am the day after a holiday?
I've been thinking about enlarging this middle bed for awhile. This year my foxgloves (They are just beginning to open. I'm hoping for blooms by"Green Thumb Sunday)are spilling out of their place so I needed to do something.
I also decided to do something with my part of this hill. This is the side of the house that has this view most of the time.
A. not only showed up at 7, by 11:30 he was done removing sod and planting bushes. There is not an easy access to my back yard so he used a wheel barrow up hill and put it in the driveway. Then he went home for lunch and came back with his Grandpa's truck. He loaded all the sod into the truck and then had to unload it!
I had him do this little spot too as it's hard to mow. I moved some of what's on the right side to the left.
A also dug up the butterfly bush on the left and moved the bush next to the clematis to where the butterfly bush was.
Then he dug up this raspberry spirea. I stuck it back there several years ago when I didn't know where else to put it.
The bush on the top left is a burning bush and it was already there. Below it is the spirea. In the middle is a small forsythia that was left in the shade garden. At the bottom is the butterfly bush.
Today A brought a load of top soil and used the wheel barrow to add top soil to both areas.
I went out this afternoon and planted a couple hosta . I'm using burgundy glow ajuga instead of mulch because of the hill. I dug up 2 flats full from under a rose of sharon in the middle bed. I'm not sure what else I'll do here. I didn't put the ajuga all the way down until I decide what to do at the bottom. I don't want to have to weed so everything has to be low maintenance here.
A said he worked 8 hours and he only charges $10. per hour. I gave him a good "tip", believe me. I had all the plants so all it cost was the labor and top soil. It's a good thing because I can't wait to go shopping for the middle garden!

6 comments:

Carole Burant said...

Wow not only is he a good worker, he's a fast and responsible one too!! It will look so nice once everything is in its place and blooming. There are so many different kinds of flowers I want, I'd have to dig up half my backyard...hmmmmm...lol!! xox

The Tiquehunters Wife said...

Wow! You have been busy Jean! Not only with your garden, but with your cool hanging glass window too!
Happy to hear you were able to get such a good worker in your cousins son! I just know it will be beautiful when you are finished!
Blessings to you-Claudia O

OldBagNewTricks said...

Wow!! He is amazing!!! I'm hoping for his sake you got the "Family Rate" -- he's a great worker. This all looks fabulous. Very Smart of you to hire him!

Jenny

savvycityfarmer said...

Sooooooooooooo much work...did it all day, and Im pooped...sleep tight

Anonymous said...

Hi Jean,
What a busy day you had and very productive. I love hostas and ajuga so they will look great.
Sara from farmingfriends in the UK

Tammy said...

Ya'll are the hardest workin' family I know of!
PS...hubby keeps eyeing those pickles...I'm making him wait till June 8
;)