New patio project

For some time I've been thinking about putting pavers down under the pergola in the back yard.  It is a big project and although I could have hired itt done, I'm obsessed with DIY.  I wanted to do it myself.  So..... I spent a great deal of time trying to decide on the pavers and how in the world I could manage all that sand, gravel and heavy pavers. 

How I managed was just taking it a small step at a time,  doing only as much as I could each day before getting too tired and making mistakes or getting hurt.

I took pictures before, during and after but for some reason I could only find the 'after' pics.  Oh well. After many trips with my trusty wheelbarrow hauling gravel, sand, and pavers I have finished!!!!  Hurrah!

I kept this stump in the paved area and plan to plant succulents and maybe that gray dichondra in the top after chiselling it out some.  It will look good trailing down the side.

The finished area before placing the furniture.  I used bricks for the border that I had left over from my house construction.

After placing the table and grill.  

There was about a foot drop in grade I had to deal with.

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day - November

Not too much blooming after the cold front.

The esperanza has been a real knockout but is showing the effects of the cold now.

Poor coral vine.  It is shrivelling and drooping.

No more basil.

No more tomatos.

No more marigolds.

The salvia farinacea is looking fine.

The 'batik' iris  is a tiny bit droopy but a nice surprise bloom.

The citrus club.

Cyclamen and pansies. 

pink turk's cap.

Purchases pink snapdragons - I couldn't resist.

Asters and dianthus.

GBBD Oct 2014

The recent rains have made ALL THE DIFFERENCE.  Wonderful.

Ruby Crystals grass

Creamy lantana

Marigolds in the veggie bed.

Purslane in the window box

Perennial morning glory, a real beast.

October in the garden

It's pumpkin time!

The parterre garden is really looking lush and healthy.  Love the salvia greggi.

This lavender pot used to be the home of a giant agave Americana.  Took me forever to dislodge it.  This Texas sage is the Green Cloud variety that blooms the color of the pot.  Can't wait to see it in bloom.

One of the kitchen garden beds - mustard, broccoli, brussel sprouts, asian greens.

The zinnia bed in the kitchen garden has pretty much gone to seed.  Amaranth is in there as well.

A view of the long border.  that pale yellow sickly plant is a rescue plant from Lowe's.  It is a mountain laurel and I'm pretty sure it will do fine.  Gread bargain, they grow so slow.

I need to get rid of this perennial morning glory.  It is swallowing the Crepuscule rose as well as the shed.

Sweet autumn clematis starting to bloom.

Close up of that mountain laurel.

Another view of the parterre.

Ugh! Lots of weeding needed here.

Variegated lemon is blooming.

Roses are blooming again.

The horseherb has recovered from the heat and is really taking off after the rain.

I love the heirloom pumpkins.  They are like little works of art.  I didn't grow these.

The Brakelight hesperloe is blooming again.  I wonder if the seeds from the seed pod would produce more 'Brakelights' or the native variety.  I'm going to propagate and see.  Hesperloe seeds are very easy to germinate.

Red red rose.

Let's see, where is the kitchen garden gate?

Oh, there it is.

Pink knock out rose, with the yellow center.

Nameless yellow rose.

Belinda's Dream

View from inside the kitchen garden.

This little Straberry Fields Gomphrena is a tough little bloomer.

Another Lowe's rescue.

Butterfly vine.

View into the parterre from the archway.

The redbud tree.

'Dynamite' crepe myrtle.

Loaded Beautyberry.

The seedpods are spectacular.

Salvia farinacea.

Cowpen daisy with Mexican Bush Sage.  I'm going to move the sage to another spot where it will get more sun.

Lot's of frost weed.

THAT'S ALL FOLKS!