I am dreaming of getting our back yard spruced up. I mean I go out there at least twice a day and stare at our yard just dreaming of how it will look.
One of the things I liked about our house in the burbs was our big back yard. We live on a cul de sac so the biggest part of our lot is in the back
In the city house we moved from a year ago we had a teeny tiny back yard. It was a major bone of contention between my husband and me. I want flower beds, plants, and and shade trees, and privacy. He liked our big front yard on a corner lot. He did and still does, like grass. I, on the other hand, like space in the back yard where I can be a hermit. I crave a retreat. A low maintenance retreat to be sure, but a retreat none the less.
Right now I call our back yard the pasture. It is a vast expanse of grass. Hubby even pulled up the Oleander in the corner because it was in the way of the sprinkler head watering the grass. No lie. One of my five scrawny bushes in the backyard was in the way of a sprinkler head so it had to go.
My goal for our first fall to work on the yard is simple. I want trees. I want ONE flower bed with native plants that are easy to keep alive, I want to amend the soil in our raised bed garden, and I want our fire pit set up.
What the almanac says about low maintenance gardening.
My grandmother was a big believer in the almanac and it says planting trees in the fall is the right time.
The following trees are in my plans:
Crepe Myrtle. They grow super fast, stay fairly vertical, and have pretty flowers. They are HARDY here is south east Texas.
Citrus trees
In our area and even further north there are varieties of orange, grapefruit and lime trees that are able to stand up to our winters.
The cool thing about citrus trees is that the fruit ripens in the fall and winter.
Silver leaf Sage is about the toughest plant around. It blooms after a rain with beautiful purple flowers.
Lantana, day lilies, and Blue Daze are all plants that will grow even if I forget to water them, which of course I will.
I also want to work on our raised bed garden this fall.
Cilantro and dill will get planted for us to enjoy.
I am not setting my sights high this fall. I know we cannot do everything that needs to be done at once but I am excited to get started.
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