Almost done – raised beds, cleared property

I’m almost done. This project has been insane…maybe literally. I just figured I was following a vision, but it wan’t until the reactions from friends and family when they came to help me this weekend that I first realized that lots of ‘crazies’ are ‘following a vision.’ However, rest assured that what sets us apart is knowing when to stop…and I am almost there.

 

I moved into this property March of 2018. In one year I cleared it by hand, other than the occasional chainsaw use and two trees being falled by professionals. Digging out roots and burning yard waste was necessary several times just to keep the re-growth from re-establishing. I also built 20 raised boxes, 24” deep, two 5’ by 10’ and the 18 others are 5’ by 15’. And because the house is angled on the property to better appreciate the view, I built some triangular beds to allow the raised beds to follow the property line perpendicularly. 

 

I debated what to do with the bottom half of the property, but have decided to put in lawn for the kids. (Lawn for me means more than grass – things that help and require less water.) I only just put down the seed. 

I also built an entire 2’ perimeter garden separated by 2×8’s where perennial flowers will grow. I also established two apples, two pears, a grape, banana, lemon, two olives, another fig and a garden of rosemary and lavender. 

Lastly, and not finished, I have sunk a watering trough into the area where the pond will go. This will be my raised pond. My wife is concerned about how crappy it looks, but it was free, does the purpose and I think it looks ok!

The reason I am “Almost done” is that I will be putting more soil between the boxes to help shore them and to smooth it out for mowing. Grass/clover will also be seeded between the beds. Soil will eventually be placed in the side gardens and the triangular gardens, and more may be needed at the back to smooth out the “lawn”. That soil moving may hold off until next year. Other than that, I’ll be continuing the automatic watering system into the new beds and growing plants!

This is just a short post, but I plan on posting more about the actual growing soon.