Gardening Projects Giveaway
Oh, I have been a bad, bad blogger lately, not posting much. Too much to do and too little time. Tomatoes to be planted, flower beds to be mulched. Then there are the half dozen projects I have been meaning to do for the past… oh… 5 or 6 years now.
Like the Grass Couch. I have had a spot picked out for years now, a key focal point in my back yard, in fact. Every year, I vow that I will get too it. But by the time the beds are all cleaned up and the veggie garden is all planted, well, I just want to take a break. Then it is too hot. Then it is too cold. Then, just like the year before a year has gone by with no very hip grass couch appearing in my yard.
Of course there is a never ending line of flower beds that I would love to put in. I do make progress every year in my eventual goal (and my husband’s hope) that I turn every bit of lawn into a flower bed but it will be a long, long process.
And if it is not time standing in my way, it is money. One of these days I will win a small lottery (all I need is a small lottery, say a million or so, it is not too much to ask) and I will build a greenhouse in the back yard.
Almost every gardener I know has this problem. Time and money are like evil worms that work against the fruits of our labors. Unfortunately, I have no magic cure for the issue of time. But, for one lucky person out there, I can help out with the money part. Home Depot has generously offered to give one of my readers a $100 gift card to help them start (or finish) their gardening project. You just need to tell me what that gardening project is. I will choose 5 and post those projects on my blog and you all will be able to vote for the one that wins.
Click here to enter and tell me what Gardening Project you would like to complete!
This giveaway is sponsored in part by Home Depot Garden Club. Visit www.homedepotgardenclub.com and join The Home Depot Garden Club to get exclusive coupons and tips, and DIY advice on gardening, lawn care, landscaping and outdoor living projects.
Okay, so I checked out the grass couch! That’s too cool looking! I know two little grandbabies that would have a great time playing on one, but I’m not so sure I could convince their Pappy to help me maintain it! I hope you can get to yours soon if you really want it!
I’d put into effect the garden plan I drew up for my Building Urban Gardens class. It involves me tearing out the (totally useless) evergreen hedges that are there now and installing planting boxes and an “al fresco” seating area near the building. There would be an L-shaped raised bed planting box along the front and west sides of the front yard for veggie plants. Just inside the planting box with enough room to maneuver and tend the veggies would be a berry island with raspberries and/or blackberries and/or blueberries with strawberries as ground cover for the base of the berry island. I’ve got all the berries (im)patiently waiting for their final home in containers.
We have an area in the back yard that is down a slope and really of no use and every year it just fills with weeds and is a horrible mess. Then we have to hire someone to clean it out (my back and hubs back can hardly take it anymore). This year I’m thinking of getting the young kids to clean it out and laying a gravel pathyway along it and then a border of hostas since it’s in the shade. It’s a nice idea, we’ll see if it gets done. We have a mini garden this year because of my back surgery – so only two tomato plants and 6 peppers and some Swiss Chard. Pitiful but better than nothing. Cheers!
That’s so hard! I’m always overflowing with projects and ideas. Why do you think its so messy around here all the time??
I think it’s a toss-up between the selfish idea: totally rip out all the weeds in the back 1/4 of the yard under the trees and plant in shade-hardy forest perennials. I would love to have trillium and various kind of fern back there. And bloodroot. And woodbine. And all kinds of things.
And the unselfish idea: invest it in wood so we can build a raised garden at our church. The Lutheran church started a community garden recently. Some of there beds are even raised 4 feet high so the elderly or people in wheelchairs can participate as well. God forgive me, I covet. We have a beautiful area right behind the church (of course the deer would probably thank me).
I would have to go with the second project. I think the long term goal of food for the community trumps the mess of my back yard. The kids are okay with it back there and the dog would trample them anyway. He’s flattened my pea trellis and bachelor buttons more times than I can count.
two words – front garden! I started by weeding and the last couple of months have used the exact excuses you said: too hot/too cold and the ever eventful: too busy! I laid some landscape fabric, put in a small 4′ walkway to the mailbox (slabs and gravel) but I need another walkway the other end for wheelie bins, then some plants, mulch etc. And that’s before I tackle the main part of the front garden!!! That’s the problem with our garden, it’s a blank slate, and hard work, and sometimes overwhelming!
Garden projects are my favorite! Get me outside,trowel in in hand and there isn’t anything I can’t do. My first project this season was putting in a water feature in my front yard. It was a great project for the kids to help with. They now enjoy watering the plants and feeding the goldfish. They’ve even named a few of them!
My next project will be a rose garden in the backyard. The Northwest is a great place for roses and I’m looking forward to the whole family enjoying the garden year after year!
My daughter put in a beautiful garden quite a distance from our house. I would love to put in a pump down there to get water for her to water her plants. Right now we have to put water in jugs and cart them down to the garden in order to water everything. Her garden is in a beautiful spot in the woods and having water readily available would help make it perfect. It is a lovely place for meditation and prayer.
I really want to build a planter box to put an apple tree so I can espalier it on my garage wall. I’ve always been enamored by espaliered fruit trees, there’s something so magical about them.
Glad I checked back! Thought I remembered making a comment here, but alas…
Would really like to add another raised bed for veggies near our current mostly flower garden. We have most of the materials to finish, but still need some dirt, and a few odds and ends. It will be a triangular bed sandwiched between an existing patio, the back of the garage, and an existing bed, with pea gravel path surrounding it to connect with the paths of the garden.
We need to finish this project as this is one of the only spots we can raise vegetables. The best sun at our house is in the driveway!
You are not bad blogger. Gone through your blog, you are quite informative.
I’m a pot gardiner (one who raises veggies in pots, lol) in the city of Gwangmyeong. Enjoy your blog very much! Hope the training is about over for your dear husband, so’s you can be back together soon.
Hugs to you and your family from across the ocean, ~ Sil
Do you realize that once I write this down, it is officially on my ‘to do’ list and no longer in the realm of ‘someday’?
Our lovely town council had decreed that no one can park on their own grass. Nice of them huh? We have a double driveway but my husband is handicapped and his ramp leaves no room for my car. My project is to dig out a sidewalk and lay pavers alongside our driveway so that he can move his van over and I can park next to it. In the process, I want to put a raised garden bed over the spot I used to park in. It needs to be raised because I have been warned that it can be toxic to plant food where cars have been parked but that is the only piece of plantable sun my property gets. It’s not a glamorous project but will sure make a difference to our quality of life. :0)
I have to agree, money and time are like little bugs eating at us. But alas, all the wishing in the world won’t help so your great idea, the contest, Is a wonderfgul challenge. After reading all their ideas my head swims with projects, but none that could measure the needs of a few already mentioned. How will you ever choose? Can’t wait to see what project wins the gift card. I will have to check back often to see how it unfolds.
Thanks to all who responded to help me get my job’s tears to work.. I am at this time enjoying them at full bloom and have begun picking them… amazing; I have every color from pure white to grey to brown to black.. Patience paid off.
Wow, $100. That’s pretty cool. We’re moving into a new house by the water this year so that $100 would go into a worm bin. Houses by the water have lots of probels with rats (EW!) and this one is proving to be no exception. So instead of a tasty compost pile we’re gonna need a nice secure handy worm bin to compost kitchen scraps and we’ll pit compost the rest.
AhHa! I understand what you are saying about not finding time nor money to do what you want to do about flower beds, etc. We had a large back yard a few years back that I visualized as being ALL flowers, shrubs, trees, walkways, etc.! but alas, I never had the time, money, nor ENERGY, and especially the approval of my husband to do it! I love large backyards with the “cottage” type gardens – they all look so wonderful and colorful and peaceful! I am too old now to get outside and so that sort of stuff but I still “see” these things in my mind. Another helpful website is: http://www.4roadrunnerpromotions.com
Wow! $100~ I would trim my neighbor’s tree branches that block the light from the left side of my yard. Then, I’d turn that side of the yard into a herb garden. 🙂 one can never have enough herbs.
We’re planning to have a zen inspired garden. What can you suggest on what type of plants should we have?