The trouble spot - or rather, one trouble spot — in my yard is the hill. What I envisioned as a winding path to a secret garden hidden by huge elephant ears and other tropical plants instead sits empty, brown dirt (aka clay) and barren of green. This is definitely one section of my garden where I can only go up — so hopefully the “before” and “after” photos will reveal something delightful!
The first challenge is starting. I’ve had two gardening masters out to give me their advice on what to plant; both dabble in other parts of my yard, suggesting plants & changes for the flower bed under the window; moving the children’s garden to the back near the vegetable garden; replanting the lemon grove in front. They both loved to talk about everything EXCEPT the “hill”. Finally they proposed their ideas, but honestly I couldn’t summarize them here because I don’t understand their vision clearly.
Do I do the hill myself? Or hire an ‘expert’ to do it?
For now I will attempt it on my own. I have a list of suggested plants from one gardener — latana, kangroo paws (which are already in my garden), ruby slippers, flax, lavender, sage, hibiscus, palersonia occidnetials, penstemon. First I am reworking the soil, adding gypsum to help with drainage and tilling in about six inches of planting mix.
I still hope to have a secret garden, with a small bench for the kids. Adults have mocked at my path but the kids love running through it, I want to keep the path and make fun little destinations along the way (pick a satsuma; sit at the bench; run geraniums down the back bank for the kids to pick; plant butterfly attracting plants). Here’s the path as it looks now.
So, as my little girl says, “Off we go!”
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