Fourth Gardening Season is in Full Swing

Welcome to my new gardening blog.  Instead of just updating Facebook with pictures of my garden, I thought I would start a blog so that I can add more pictures and more information on the garden as the season progresses.  I have been working on the flower gardens and lawn since 2010 and the vegetable garden since 2012.  In this first post, I'm going to look back at what the yard looked like when I started and what it looks like today.

Spring Break 2010- Where's the house?  I think it's behind the giant bushes. 

Spring Break 2010-We wanted to get rid of some of the all-dirt zones of the yard so we added  a  stone border around the plants and filled them with mulch

Spring Break 2010- Note how small the pine tree is in this picture!

2011- Let's get rid of these trees!

2011- All gone!  Now we need to plant flowers

2011- Starting to plant flowers in the now mulched in area under the bushes and trees

2012- Now the deck needs some work!  We removed part of the railing so that we can watch the kids and dogs play in the yard while we sit on the deck.

2012- That pine tree is getting bigger!  

We added the playset and worked on getting the lawn in shape.  This included digging out weeds and planting new grass

And now at the beginning of the 2013 season...

2013- So far I took down all of the overgrown, dying bushes at the back of the property and I'm awaiting a new fence going in soon

2013- I even started a new raised bed for vegetables where the bushes were.  

I have a lot more plans for the 2013 season.  After the new fence goes in, I'll plant an oak-leaf hydrangea in the back corner and find an annual vine to go behind the pine tree.  I also might put in an espaliered pear tree or sunflowers along the fence.  Future projects include redoing the deck, replacing the siding, taking out the pine tree and planting a shade tree, and...as always...planting more flowers!