Planted the Ferns

Finally got the Christmas Ferns, Giant Ostrich Ferns and Solomon’s Seal into the ground just before the rain. I’m almost done planting things. The Ostrich ferns went into the porch area and woodland area, Solomon’s Seal went into the Woodland and Bay Window areas, and Christmas Ferns went into the Woodland area.

Two new areas

I cleared two new planting areas with my Ryobi battery hoe, love that thing! Both are now filled with hostas and shade-loving flower bulbs. I can’t wait to see everything come up in the spring!

Overtime

I’ve been working so much overtime lately that I haven’t even seen my garden since Monday! By the time I get home, it’s already dark. But thankfully, it’s finally Friday! Tomorrow morning, I can wake up with absolutely nowhere to go, take my time, relax, and enjoy being back in my garden. I’m really looking forward to the weekend!

The weather has finally cooled down, too. It was 70° at 7 AM, and by 11 AM, it had dropped to 61°! It’s actually chilly outside, and I think my fall crops are going to love these cooler temperatures.

I also haven’t fed my worms since Sunday, so I’m anxious to get out there and give them something to eat. I’m even thinking about picking up a few bales of straw to spread around my raised garden beds. Then again, the weather is supposed to be beautiful all week, so there’s no rush.

Mostly, I’m just excited to spend some peaceful time outside, enjoy the cooler weather, and get back to my little garden sanctuary. After this long week, that sounds absolutely perfect!

Apple Trees Are In

My Little Fruit Orchard Is Complete! 🌳🍎🍑

My columnar apple trees are officially planted!

The taller of the two is a Fruit Snacks® Sweet Treat™ Columnar Apple Tree, and the smaller one is a Fruit Snacks® Golden Treat™ Columnar Apple Tree. Both were purchased from Trees.com.

With these latest additions, my little backyard fruit orchard is finally complete!

My orchard now includes:

  •  Two columnar apple trees
  •  Two columnar peach trees
  •  Two Chicago Hardy fig trees
  •  One mulberry tree
  •  One raspberry bush
  • One blackberry bush

That’s nine fruit-producing trees and bushes, all tucked into my little backyard!

It’s exciting to see everything finally planted and in its place. What started as an idea has turned into a little home orchard, and now comes the fun part: watching everything grow, mature, and eventually produce fruit.

It may take a few years before everything reaches its full potential, but that’s part of the joy of gardening. Every tree and bush is an investment in the future.

My little orchard is complete. Now we grow! 🌱

‘The Woodland’ is now visable

I’ve finished clearing out the invasive bushes, but everything else has been left just as nature intended! I’ve disturbed as little as possible. All the fallen leaves, logs, and natural debris are staying right where they are to provide habitat for the frogs and other woodland creatures. 🐸🍂

I’ve even repurposed some of the brush I cut down to create a rustic little border around the planting area. I’m hoping that eventually flowers will grow up through the sticks, creating a beautiful, natural-looking edge. As the wood breaks down over time, I’ll simply keep adding more branches.

I’m so excited to start planting! Unfortunately, I have a couple of overtime shifts this week, so I won’t be getting home until after dark. But I’m hoping to get the area mapped out and begin planting this weekend.

I’m not trying to turn this little woodland into a perfectly manicured garden. I want to keep its wild character, encourage the wildlife already living there, and add flowers and plants that will make it even more beautiful.

A little bit of gardening, a little bit of rewilding, and a whole lot of letting nature do its thing! 

Making ‘The Woodland’

This is the area behind my husband’s studio where we’re planning to put a 4 × 6 tool shed. To the left of the shed, I’m creating a woodland garden along the edge of the yard.

During the summer, this area gets beautiful dappled shade. I’m keeping many of the existing bushes to help preserve that shade, but some have to go because they’re invasive or simply in the way of my plans.

I’ve started clearing the area and created a simple, natural border to separate the future planting area from the rest of the yard. I’m also leaving all the fallen leaves right where they are. They provide wonderful habitat for the frogs and other little creatures that already call this spot home. 🐸

My goal isn’t to tame the woods completely, but to work with what’s already there and create a woodland garden that feels like it belongs.

These are the before pictures. There’s still plenty of work ahead, but I’m excited to see how this little corner transforms!


Apple trees and hurricanes

My columnar apple trees and new gardening gloves have arrived!

The gloves are fantastic! They’re incredibly soft and flexible, but they also provide protection for my forearms, which have been taking quite a beating from all the scratches I’ve been getting while clearing brush. Hopefully, no more battles with those nasty thorns!

My apple trees have also arrived, and luckily, I already have their holes dug and ready. As soon as I get home from work, I’ll get them planted. I’m excited to have another two fruit trees added to my little backyard orchard!

We’re expecting the remnants of a hurricane to move through the area, so I’m also preparing for the possibility of heavy rain and strong winds. I already have supports ready for my peach trees, and I’ll be adding some temporary support for the new apple trees as well.

There’s always another project waiting for me in the garden, but I’m really enjoying watching everything come together. Little by little, my backyard is turning into exactly what I’ve been imagining.

Busy week for the garden

It’s been a busy week in the garden!

In the Root Bed, things are starting to come to life! My skirret, radishes, and quite a few beets are beginning to sprout. I’m also seeing some activity in the Main Garden Bed, with lamb’s lettuce and spinach making an appearance, along with a single orach sprout and several little chervil seedlings.

I’ve also planted tatsoi, Claytonia (miner’s lettuce), and mizuna. Those will be my final plantings in the raised beds for this year. Now I get to sit back, watch everything grow, and hopefully enjoy some fresh greens and root vegetables throughout the colder months.

I’ve also started preparing the hillside for my Shady Woodland Garden. I purchased a seed mix containing a wonderful variety of woodland wildflowers, grasses, sedges, and rushes. Rather than clearing the entire hillside, I’m working in small, scattered sections, leaving much of the existing vegetation and natural habitat undisturbed. I want to preserve the little ecosystems already living there while creating a woodland garden that looks as though it developed naturally.

I’m planning to place a few logs throughout the hillside to add some character and provide additional habitat for wildlife. I’m also considering adding mushroom-inoculated logs so I can grow my own edible mushrooms right there in the woodland garden.

My goal isn’t to turn the hillside into a perfectly manicured garden. I want it to be a natural, slightly wild space where native plants, fungi, insects, and other little creatures can thrive together. I’m excited to see how it develops over the coming seasons!