Small Project, Big Change

Happy February! 

I've been spending some time this winter thinking about what to tackle in my yard this coming growing season.  One item on my list is further refining my front foundation beds.  I have really struggled to figure out what I want from the plantings in front of our house and that lack of an overall vision for the space has definitely slowed my progress. 

Yet, over the years, I've done some stuff that didn't require much thought: chopping down the overgrown, straggly yews, pulling out the diseased European viburnums that always looked like they were on the verge of death but never actually died, killing off all the aggressive spreaders that choked out everything in their path, and replacing them with less weedy-looking plants.  I've also been working to improve the soil so the plants are healthier and happier. 

In other words, I'm making progress.  Slowly.  The beds aren't "right" yet and I still don't have a  master plan, but each year my tweaks make my front foundation a little better. 

One small change that has really made a big improvement in using the space has been putting in pavers and gravel along the house foundation where before it was just dirt, mud and plants/weeds growing right up to the house.  Now I can easily walk the length of the beds to get to the side of the house or access the faucet, even if it's muddy.  Weeding and watering my too-deep beds is super stress-free.  It even makes putting up holiday lights and washing windows easier too!  And, I can't prove it, but I think it also cut down on the number of centipedes in our basement.  Yay!  It all makes me so happy!

Since I've put in that paver path at the back of my foundation beds, I've realized that turning that space into something pleasing is not impossible and I'm looking forward to the next steps in that process.