Yesterday we finally had the walnut and sycamore tree in our backyard trimmed. The crew arrived bright and early. We were so excited to finally have this team remove the dead branches and let in some light. We peaked out the dining room window and watched as a huge sycamore branch fell right on the foreman's knee. It was crazy. I ran out with an ice pack. He said he was OK. Pedar and I were worried about him, but we had to go to work. We got a call around 12:30 that the project was done. Unfortunately though, one of the crew had put their foot through the deck, where it had dry-rot. He was OK, but the deck was not.

Pedar has been fixing sections of this yucky deck for the five years we've been here. We know we need to replace it, but was putting it off for other projects. I guess the time is now.

Pedar dropped by the hardware store on his way home from work and patched up that bad boy in no time. We will be making a few calls to see about removing this beast and replacing. I am so grateful that the person who stepped through it wasn't hurt.

This month, before it gets crazy hot, we are planting a bit and cleaning up. When we got the keys in July of 2013, it felt like our yards would NEVER be presentable. I wasn't sad to leave my house on Oxbow Dr. I was sad to leave the yards that I spent hours making beautiful and creating an oasis. We are slowly making it happen here on South Park Drive. I am starting to see it happen. We spent the first years clearing out and removing so much overgrowth and fences and yuck. It is starting to look like the blank canvas I so badly want and need to visualize what it can be.

This is the front yard in July of 2013.

This is the front yard in April of 2018.

I started gardening in 2002. Because I have tried and killed so many plants all these years, I have a few favorites for our zone 9 Sacramento weather that I wanted to share, just in case you are wanting to add some plant friends in your yard. Don't forget, all plants need to be fertilized because the soil does not provide the essential nutrients required for optimum growth. Even if you are lucky enough to start with great garden soil, as your plants grow, they absorb nutrients and leave the soil less fertile. I always give my baby plants some food right away and then maybe two or three times the first two years and only once after they are established.

Fringe Flower
Jupiters Beard
Barberry
Jerusalem Sage
Crepe Myrtle
Smoke Bush/Smoke Tree
Potato Bush
Rice Flower, Ozothamnus diosmifolius
Butterfly Iris
Daylily
Dwarf bottlebrush
Kangaroo Paw

I look for ideas and purchase plants from Green Acres and High Country Gardens

I look forward to making every corner of my yards magical!

Hole in the deck