Let the Transformation Begin

Now when I tell you I've neglected the gardens for the past.. well.. since we moved in, I don't think you quite understood.  So let me just give you a taste of what they really looked like...

Yea, I know.. It was pretty bad.. but with so many gardens, a full time job, and the fact that I've had little interest until recently, I guess it comes to no surprise that I was completely overwhelmed by them all so I just let it go.

But this year!  THIS YEAR is the best year for everyone! My fiance' got ambitious with weed whacker!  The weeds always take over every year, but this year, he got fed up and went to town on them suckers!  I helped by cleaning up what was left behind and showing him the base of any good plants.  Of what I knew of anyway.. I mean, you can't miss a rose, so that's easy, and Peonies as you probably have figured out are my favorite so those were easy, but we did chop some Monarda and Lysimachia, but not all of it, so we're good. :)  And frankly, even those were getting out of hand, so they were fine to have a little taming.  But see, it's not all gone!

But even if we did take down some of it, the end result was well worth it!

Ta Da!

John Cabot Rose can breath now!

And another bed he tackled.  There are roses in here, I just know it!

Yup! There they are!

And Iris too! Well look at that!

This bed, especially, drove me nuts being out of hand because it was right by the road.  If I'm going to neglect my gardens, I'd rather not punish the passerby that has to look at the mess.  But for the first time in years, we can see what's in here and start making it look nice!

We mulched the shed's Spirea too.  

I forgot to take a before picture of these beds on either side of the arbor, but just look at the previous pictures and use your imagination.. it was just as bad, if not worse.  But now, we can see our roses and our peonies!  We have some pretty great stuff in there, and now they can breathe! Poor things.

Maybe New Dawn can finally give us a bloom this year?  She's looking awfully happy now!

And not only did we take down all the weeds, but we also shortened the bed so that, hopefully, they'll be more manageable.

And what's a better ending to a great, productive day but a freshly cut field.  I'm so happy he helped me (ok, well I helped him if we're being completely honest).  Every year, I would just sit back and watch as the gardens took over and I would feel so defeated.  But this year is different in so many ways.  And the plants feel it too.

Till next time! Thanks for stopping by!