Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Barren landscape.
Our yard is pitiful. And completely neglected. This started when the previous owners began the neglect when we went into escrow. Any pictures of the exterior were taken about a week into this escrow-neglect. Envision everything being about two shades less green. We water the grass everyonce in a while, but only begrudgingly so, because we know that most of it will be replaced with a more drought-resistant ground cover. But until then, what? Just let the grass crisp up to a lovely golden brown? Dead is the new black. But still - our most immediate neighbors either work from home or have one partner retired and therefore spend all day long working on their perfectly immaculate showcase gardens. Not that I'm competitive or anything. Also, the neighbor across the side street is a freaking master gardener with a membership card and discounts and what have you. No pressure.
Other than replacing some of the grass, the two other immediate needs in the garden are plants to go around the perimeter of the building to frame the foundation a little more, and something done with those bubbly trees. And painting the house something a little less cold and gray, but that's in the long-term plan.
I promise, we do have a darling Craftsman porch hiding behind those tree bubbles. The opinionated neighbors suggested grooming them down to their 50s/60s glory of two to three mini manicured blobs per tree. Surely you can envision this from my highly technical description. Think: Edward Scissorhands. I might try to go at the branches with a chainsaw and make some mini-bubbles (NOTE: find someone with a chainsaw to borrow that's not my dad, John, or Joel and already loaning us tools). Or I might just go at the trunks with the chainsaw. This pains me. Even ugly trees deserve to live. I'm very much open to opinions here.
In terms of planting around the foundation, we currently have some excellent daisy-looking plants on the side of the house. They are in full bloom right now and just look completely cheery. The front of the house? Absolutely nothing. Other than the giant bubble trees, that is. And very-close-to-death grass. I'm telling you, our neighbors are probably wishing they had renters living here again, because at least the landlord forked it over for a gardener.
And all of this, the bubble-tree fix and the planting and the grass-near-death-equilibrium stuff? It all has to be done in between refacing the kitchen and trying to find time to get in the freaking Christmas spirit with exterior lights and a pretty tree in the front window. But first we need to get an outlet installed outside and figure out a way to completely close off the floor heating vent in front of the aforementioned front window lest the tree dry up and die. Matching the grass. But I'll be damned if we don't have a tree and exterior lights for our first Christmas in the house. This is kind of like when parents force the kids to have fun on a road trip or a family meal or something. "WE WILL HAVE A GOOD TIME AS A FAMILY OR ELSE."
[by julia 2:55 PM]
