Done! (for this year)

I have been working sporadically to get areas in front that used to be exclusively St. Augustine lawn transformed into garden beds. I have a vision in my head of a very casual semi-rock garden look. There are spots where I think my vision is clear.Other areas will need more work and more time for grasses and other naturalizing plants (like this pigeonberry) to fill in. Not having a super hot droughty summer will help, but that may be too much to hope for.Here is what we originally had:And this is that same area now, uphill from the driveway, which is where I started the project.Click on the photos to get a closer view, as the teensy shots here don't quite do it justice. I think these beds are most entertaining for pedestrians, with different lines of sight opening up as you proceed along the curb. We have a lot of folks walking in my neighborhood so I consider this my gift to them.

I've been working from the curb up the hillside. The plan being to get a swath planted along the lowest parts to help keep erosion to a minimum while things were getting established. It seems to be working so far.I have big plans for eventually covering the entire hillside in all different sorts of plants with gravel and rocks interspersed. Seeing as this was the last day we have high temperatures forecast below the 90s, I am declaring the areas "done for this year". This year meaning the hot season. Once the temperatures begin to dip back into the 80s I'll get back to work.For now I want to rest on my laurels which hopefully I reduced a bit with the exercise today. As opposed to the first summer after we killed all the grass, I think you can tell there is something potentially beautiful other than regulation grass at least planned for here. Now begins my rain dance! Feel free to join in.

One last note. It was the urging of my daughter who got all this started. She kept encouraging me to stick with these very long term projects of moving from a monoculture to permaculture status. Actually, all the work in these beds represents a labor of love. My entire family has been very patient and supportive and any beauty that has been created here is but a small reflection of my love for them. Addendum: I have been sweetly reminded that the lovely ladies I walk with for exercise have also been extremely patient - listening to me gritch and moan about the work to be done, my aches and pains after a work day, and excusing me from joining them on certain cool mornings (like today). Thanks, ladies!