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Earth Day clean up

I normally miss all these important dates – like “Earth Day” and “Water Week” and read about them in the news paper I lay in the chickens bedding weeks later. So I decided that Earth Day (wednesday, 20 March) was my day in the garden. I spent time cleaning up and looking at ways to help the Earth in my own backyard. We have been thinking of adding a greywater system for the fruit trees and the non-edible garden and to harvest rain water for the veggie patches. More and more we are seeing water as a precious commodity that one day will be too expensive to use in the garden. So that is the plan for this year and to go solar as well will make a big difference to our electricity bill. I already have solar garden lights lighting the paths and creating glowing fairies in my trees.

So much to research and plan, but all good and necessary if we want to contribute to healing mother Earth.

Ok, back to the garden clean up.

The Back Garden

[one_half]Before[/one_half]

[one_half_last]After[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Before[/one_half]

[one_half_last]After[/one_half_last]

[one_half]The area is looking all neat now[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Cleared the walk area[/one_half_last]

Here I added indigenous shrubs – Confetti Bush (Coleonema Album) the lime green bush in the centre of the photo and Salt Bush (Rhagodia Hastata) the silver round leafed bush behind the Irises. Both can be trimmed to create round balls – kinda cute.

[one_half]Need a bench in this area now[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Such a nice part of the garden[/one_half_last]

[one_third][/one_third]

[one_third][/one_third]

[one_third_last][/one_third_last]

[one_half]Cleared and neat with new stones in the back[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The Grenadilla vine is now happy here[/one_half_last]

[one_half]This bed needed lots of clearing[/one_half]

[one_half_last]The Tea Tree filling this area[/one_half_last]

The Front Garden

[one_half]New Dietes-mulched and fed to conserve water[/one_half]

[one_half_last]New Carex grasses to replace dried ones[/one_half_last]

[one_half]Waterwise and indigenous Dierama[/one_half]

[one_half_last]New feature for this cleared area-still deciding[/one_half_last]

[one_third][/one_third]

[one_third][/one_third]

[one_third_last][/one_third_last]

Well, everything looks great now – fed the garden with Neutrog BOUNCE BACK and mulched all the beds with bark to conserve water and to neaten up the area. I am ready to have the family over for the BIG Easter Egg Hunt this coming weekend!

Have a great week and happy gardening xxxx

 

 

By Barbara

Country living is the best! Being a true spirit of the earth, my garden is all about vegetables and fruit trees and herbs and chickens roaming free. I was keen to really start gardening when we moved to Philadelphia in 2005, but not your typical suburban-type garden – sterile and bug-free! I wanted an edible garden.

10 replies on “Earth Day clean up”

what a Botanical lady from a garden of Mother Earth mix with your cleaning,cutting,digging and clearing.The before and after gardening styles are the best information you showed on the heart earth day is a power of success.

Nice job on the cleanup, it looks so organized. I like the before and after shots, makes to post really interesting. I vote for wide shots too. I cannot remember ever seeing the garden in wide shots.

Barbara, Your backyard cleanup looks great! I will be glad when it’s Earth Day here in US (April 15, I think) because on the few occasions when the snow has melted in our neighborhood, the litter along the roadsides is revealed, and is worse than I’ve ever seen it. Armies of boy scouts go out on Earth Day and spruce it all up. This is a great motivation to spruce up my garden, too. P. x

So very nice to see your lovely garden in all its glory. Our Earth Day is April 22nd…I am hoping to continue to add more native plants and enrich certain areas of the garden…Enjoy your new season of fall!!

Your garden looks great! I guess I missed Earth day, too. Sounds like you have a great plan, something that’s been in the back of my mind for a while. I absolutely ADORE the pattern of your blocks and gravel.

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