What have I done to my backyard? When we bought the place, the backyard was empty, except for very tall grass. With a lawnmower and at least five passes I got it down to manageable. Then I sat and looked out my window at grass. So, with absolutely no plan and quite a number of plants in pots that we brought from Louisana, I got out the tiller and went slightly nuts. First I carved out a vegetable garden about 50 feet by 20 feet. I tilled and raked so much I vibrated for two days and nights.
Next, I tilled an odd-shaped area for all the flowers and bulbs we had in pots, way down south. In all that tilling, I found a ton of rock, some large, and a lot quite small. Then a few holes for our potted roses. Remember I had no real plan. I had climbing roses, Confederate jasmine, Carolina jessamine, clematis, daffodils, hyacynths, iris, lillies and a lot of other stuff.
I set all the rocks as a border and began planting, just in time for the April rains! Have you ever tried planting in mud? I have; not fun! I got the flower garden in, then set about getting in some veggies. Since I didn't really have time to make informed choices, the veggie garden was kinda hap-hazard. I did a lot better the next year.
So, I’ve spent several winters and falls getting ready for each new Spring, and this one would be so much easier if I hadn't pinched a nerve in my back! It makes getting things done a little difficult. During last fall and through the winter I did some terraforming, knocking down a hill or two, extended a few ditches to control the Spring rain that poured up against the house then washing out my driveway. I trimmed all my hedges last fall, regraveled the driveway, planted trees, built arbors for roses, clematis and grapes and leveled an area for a new shed I'd like to build this next winter.
Do you know what I've managed to do with all that work? I'll tell you! I built a racetrack. I admit it's a darn good-looking racetrack, but it's still a racetrack! Rabbits, squirrels, opossoms and every kind of bird use my gardens for a playground. And, I like it! So, I'm going to enlarge it as the years go by, move a few things, put in some new stuff, add things like birdhouses and hiding places for critters,  put in praying mantis egg cases and ladybugs. Then I'm going to sit and watch all the fun.
Well, Spring has sprung, and stuff is growing fast. The doctor says I'll survive, so I guess all is right on my little piece of God’s land. I hope all is well where you live, and you live for another 200 Springs. See ya next week!