We gardeners tend to be rather critical of our own efforts, seldom satisfied with whatever progress we’ve made and sometimes disappointed with how our plants have performed (or rather, not performed). Taking the time to sort through old photos and put together posts that show how things have changed over time can be a great way to remind ourselves that we really are doing a good job.
Seeing progressions of other gardens over the seasons and over the years is useful for all of us, often giving us ideas and inspiration for our own planting projects. Another lesson we can all take away from this month’s workshop is that we can never have too many “before” photos. So it’s a smart idea to wander around the yard a few times a year and take lots of pictures from many different angles, just in case, and to always grab a camera before you grab a shovel or sod cutter.
I’d like to thank all of you who took the time to participate this month, by posting or reading or both. I’d also like to give a special thanks to Craig of Ellis Hollow for showing a technique in his post that’s completely new to me: how to make videos out of a series of photos taken from one spot, based on instructions from eirikso.com. Very cool! Now, on to this month’s posts: Continue Reading →
Gardening on a level lot is challenging enough, but when you have a sloping site, you have a whole other set of design and maintenance factors to consider. The soil is often dry and rocky, making planting a hassle, and rainfall tends to run off before it can soak in, carrying away precious topsoil and mulch — and sometimes even the plants, too — and leaving you a muddy mess to clean up at the bottom. On a steep slope, simply trying to get around for planting and maintenance can be downright dangerous. Continue Reading →
