EileenT's Blog at GardenStew.com

Got the doctor's okay!

EileenT — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:10:18 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:10 pm (GMT 0)

I'm officially allowed to do very minimal yard work. Yay! I didn't tell my doctor that I've been doing that for awhile now but that's okay. My back is healing well. I just have to be careful. I sat on a stool last evening after it cooled down and weeded the back garden. It was a mess! I also trimmed the banana trees and gave everything a dose of plant food and vitamins. I was so happy working out there. I plan on buying some plants this weekend and put out some new pots on the porch.

Gardening Is Healing

EileenT — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:18:17 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:18 pm (GMT 0)

I was able to get out over the weekend and get some gardening done. I didn't overdue it and felt so much better just getting out and playing in the dirt. It really lifts my spirits just to see how the flower gardens are doing, weeding them, planting some seeds and feeling proud of my work. It's definitely healing!

Planning A Cottage Garden

EileenT — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:44:59 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 5:44 pm (GMT 0)

Well, since I can't do much as far as yard work, I've been planning a few garden spaces. The grass isn't working as our yard is too small and our dog has about ruined the small space. I've been wanting an English Cottage garden but we live in southern California and I need drought tolerant plants. So I've been researching what might work for an English Garden and have found so many that would be pretty. I plan on getting a few plants in the fall and putting them in and hopefully get an outdoor fountain for my birthday next Spring. It's almost as much fun planning a garden as it is getting out there and doing it.

Got A Little Work Done

EileenT — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:44:45 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:44 pm (GMT 0)

Since my doctor gave me the go ahead to do limited work, I decided to get out front yesterday and do a little pruning and cleaning up. I also cleaned up the porch and am very happy with how it all looks. it was a mess and I was itching to get out and do something. I wore my back brace and was really careful. I was a little sore last night but nothing serious. It was so good to get out in the sunshine and work. My next project is to sit on a stool and weed out one of my flower gardens.

Giant Banana Plant

EileenT — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:27:50 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:27 pm (GMT 0)

I asked my daughter to buy a banana plant to put in the back garden next to my other two. These are the dark purple leafed plants - very pretty. I had been getting them for around $6.00 at our local garden center. So Angie, my daughter, brings me a 5' tree and tells me I owe her $28.00! It's beautiful and is sitting on the porch until I can get hubby to plant it in the back garden. It's going to dwarf the other two. I also want to get several Agave to go back there.

Cleaned the gardens and moved plants around

EileenT — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:29:16 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:29 am (GMT 0)

I had hubby do the work on Sunday and he completely cleaned out our back garden and transplanted several big plants. He also helped me pot some plants for the porch and patio. I need to buy a few succulants for the back since it's so hot and dry back there. I like the way it's shaping up. I can sit on a low stool and weed a little so I'm able to do something.

I did a bad thing!

EileenT — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:35:47 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 4:35 pm (GMT 0)

I couldn't stand it yesterday and went out to the garden to see what I could do that wouldn't hurt my back. Well, I started shoving the furniture around the patio, but I used my legs and hips to move them along. However, I was a bit sore afterwards and afraid I had hurt the area of my surgery. But a good night's sleep has me feeling better this morning so I don't think I did any damage. The patio looks so nice in the new arrangement. Now I'm eying the torn umbrella covering and wondering how I can fix that without stressing my back.

I plan to go shopping over the weekend and get a few plants and dirt. I hope to get hubby busy moving around some plants and cutting the grass. That should keep me happy for awhile. I hope.

Back Yard Woes

EileenT — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:00:34 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:00 pm (GMT 0)

I'm looking at so many bare spots in my grass. It's only been a year since the sod went in and it looks horrible. I don't know whether to add seed, rip it all out and start over, or plant a nice groundcover. I'm at a loss. My entire yard looks horrible and needs so much work. I'll be so glad when my doctor gives me the go ahead to do some work! In the meantime, I'm planning out new gardens and looking at plant catalogs. I'm determined to have a nice yard!

Back Surgery

EileenT — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:24:14 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:24 pm (GMT 0)

I had back surgery a few weeks ago and haven't been able to do much of anything. I'll be out of commission for several months and will miss doing my gardening. For Mother's Day, my daughters are coming over to help with weeding, pruning and general lawn maintenance.

Planning a small vegetable garden.

EileenT — Sun, 27 May 2007 17:21:43 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 9:21 pm (GMT 0)

I really don't know anything about growing vegetables but I have a small area that I want to try container gardening. I'll be doing some research and then shopping for supplies soon. Any suggestions/help would be appreciated!

Gardening can hurt!

EileenT — Wed, 23 May 2007 17:30:48 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Wed May 23, 2007 9:30 pm (GMT 0)

I had planned to finish weeding on Monday as well as redecorate our porch. Instead, I ended up in the emergency room thinking I had another blood clot in my lung. After extensive tests, being transported by ambulance from one hospital to the next and back again for more tests, the doctor came to the conclusion that I had torn a ligament in my chest. He asked what I had been doing and I said hoeing the garden. So, for the time being, I'm not allowed to do anything like that until this heals. It's hard for me to look out there and not do anything. I did get a Mole Moover stake in the mail today and will get that out in the yard tomorrow but I guess that's it for any gardening for awhile.

From a dump to a yard

EileenT — Wed, 16 May 2007 19:12:23 -0400

Author: EileenT
Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 11:12 pm (GMT 0)

When we moved into our mobile home, the back yard held a huge shed, junk all over the place and rocks where a yard should be. It took a couple of years to convince my hubby that we had to do something. The first thing we did was to remove the shed and all the junk in the yard. Then we had a guy come out and remove the rocks and underlying plastic.

We had decided to adopt a blind rescued Boston Terrier and we needed a place for him to go potty. Since the yard was as hard as cement we opted to put down bark that first year. We also had to build a ramp into the back yard as there were no steps from the porch to the back yard. As the year wore on I could tell our boy really needed some grass. So at the beginning of this year we rented a roto tiller and tilled the yard adding in soil conditioners. We then bought sod and covered our small 100 SF with the new grass. Where the shed had been we laid down pavers and made a patio. I also carved out a few flower beds in the yard and also along the pathway that led to the front of our home. We bought an arbor with a gate, bamboo fencing, plants and we had an instant yard. We also took out the ramp and built steps.

Now, my hubby is about as handy as our blind dog. So all this work was hit or miss. Thank goodness my adult daughter helped out. She came up with some great ideas and helped with construction. In fact she and I did most of the work with hubby doing the roto tilling and moving cement blocks back and forth. He made a great pack horse.

I was super thrilled with our yard until I started seeing the burned areas caused by dog urine. So I went on a mega internet search and bought all kinds of things but it was a little late for part of the yard. I finally settled on buying some Zoysia grass and put the plugs in today. I hope they take hold and spread like it states online and on the paperwork they sent. Right now they look like some small patches of dead grass.

I just found out about garden junk and I'm so excited to start on my own garden totem. What a way to use up things and not spend a fortune on garden items.

As soon as I figure out how to post some before and after photos of our yard I'll upload them here.

I have to say that I'm very proud of myself as I knew nothing about landscape design or gardening in general. I've found that I love getting out nearly every day and working in the yard. It's a great new hobby and I'm having so much fun with it. But the best thing is, it was all done on a budget.