Poor People's Landscaping
There are ways to landscape your yard without spending much time or energy or even money. One of my favorite areas of the yard is a little island of hodge-podge, conglomeration of vegetation. Several years ago a variety of vines, weeds, and a few small trees popped up with great vigor in a sunny space approximately fifteen feet across. I didn't know what to do with it as it looked so lush and pretty. Yet, it was just a bunch of weeds that would probably get bigger and unkempt and grow over the nearby grass. But I just couldn't do away with it. It was fascinating. Every time I looked at it, it held my attention. There were young grapevines growing up and out. Honeysuckle creeped across the ground and upon other errant weeds. Three small sassafras trees came up. I decided it would stay.
Thinking on a way to keep this chaos confined within limits, I employed the often stationary mower. To keep the vines from leaving "the island" I mowed around the edge. This not only stopped the vines from taking off for other places but left a lovely, neat pine straw border. The pine straw covered this ground before it became vegetation and the ground around and beside it is pine straw. I cut out two of the sassafras and left one. Trees that get too big are also cut. This little island is situated between a car port--workshop and the beginning of the backyard landscaping, fitting in like it had been placed.
One day while knockin' around in a nearby neighborhood, I spied a lovely pile of broken concrete. What Luck! What incredible bounty! I needed some heavy rocklike edging for a limerock walkway I had on the side of my house. I needed edging to keep the limerock from being dispersed from its original location. For some reason four or five driveways in the neighborhood had been busted up to replace the culverts that were under the drives. Now, just..how..am..I? My three main men! That's right. If you are too skinny and scrawny to tote several hundred pounds of broken concrete, you only have one choice! The male specie.
Well it didn't take long and soon there was a truckload of the stuff up at the house. The very next Saturday my two young men toted and placed the concrete rocks down the whole side of the house. Beautiful!
Did you spend good money on a Christmas tree only to have to toss it? A christmas tree can continue to serve long after Christmas or New Year's. It will actually remain green into February or March, depending on which type of tree you purchased. Even if it turns brown quickly it can still make a dramatic statement. I take mine out right after New Year's and place it in the bird station. Since many of the trees outdoors have dropped their leaves, the old Christmas tree adds great visual interest. The biggest thing is trying to keep the guys from burning it. I have been asked countless times if it is time to "burn the tree".
Winter | Spring | Summer | Fall