Spring Clean Up!

Since Spring is right around the corner, we've been trying to clean up our yard lately. Ed has been working in the back which had been COMPLETELY covered with leaves and I've started working in the front. When we bought the house we were completely in love with all of the mature landscaping and big beautiful trees...I'm still in love with it, but I don't think we thought this through! We have a minimum of 6 water oaks that drop leaves in our yard AND we raked once all winter so we've got some massive leaf piles!

Today I tackled the flower beds in the front of the house...weeding, clearing the dead stuff out from winter, and raking. We also have an issue with a bunch of left over pine straw. It seems that someone just kept adding it so its pretty deep. There are tons of bulbs in our yard...but without knowing WHAT is going to come up, I can't tell the difference between weeds and plants. We have already seen our yard sprout up spider lilies, daffodils, and some alien looking flowers awhile back. I decided this afternoon that the plants that are growing "thoughtfully" can stay and everything else goes. You may be asking, how does a plant grow "thoughtfully". Well, the things that are growing straight up with leaves pointing every which way, those are out. But I ran across some little plants that are growing in a swirly motion with a hole in the center and leaves coming out from it and I kept those because they look like they really have a plan. haha



The flower bed under the boys bedroom window before.

And after. I realize it still looks rough but the dead winter sunflower stalks are gone and I removed seven wheelbarrows full of weeds and leaves!

This area by our mailbox is looking much nicer. I'd like to get my signature wave petunias to fill in around the mailbox a little.

Daffodils that inspired me to get to work in the yard. If they are ready for spring then I need to be getting ready too! They are so pretty! We also have some more popping up along the side of the house. The woman who lived here before us had tons of heirloom bulbs from her grandmother planted in the yard. She dug up many of them to take with her so it will be interesting to see what is left.