Gardening This n That

We don't do a lot with the gardens around here.

They're your usual suburban dirt trenches full of bushy foundation plantings. We used to have a couple of rose bushes as part of it, which I liked quite a lot, but they both died a few years back. We dug out their husks and there were great promises of them being replaced, but...so far no. 

Some of this is my fault as I haven't given explicit instructions of what to put there and/or purchased said replacements myself. 

I'd been toying with azaleas. But then I read more about them and their upkeep and on and one...I talked myself out of them.

Regardless, with the string of nicer days lately and the hints of spring, I did finally get eldest out to cut back the bushes up nearest the dining room windows. (I think they're butterfly bushes, but honestly I can't remember. I found our receipt from the lawn co that stuck them in, googled the name, and then checked to see that they were choppable right now. They were. So we did.)  They've been massively overgrown for a couple of years and now they...are not.

Maybe it was a little too enthusiastic? I'm a solid meh on whether or not I care.

I also ordered mulch to be delivered. 75 bags.

Eldest's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Mom. That's way too much."

"We'll see," says I.

Well, he started Friday. Then he took Saturday and Sunday off because of church things. Finished it today. And we really probably need 3 more bags. Maybe 4.

I did, in fact, mention that I had said so.

Never question Mom. (Well, no, that's not the lesson. But in this case, I did get a tape measure and do a little estimating math to figure out how many bags to order. It wasn't as if I just grabbed a number out of my behind.)

Still, he got it finished before the rain rolled in (which it just has) so I'm calling it a win.

I'm also calling it good enough and beyond general mowing and whatever weed/feed/seed spreading has to happen, saying that's all we're bothering with for the season.