Garden Paths

The cement blocks at the edge of the pond are a step up from the little path that enters this area. These blocks need a bit of topping up of their base setting of clay. This side of the pond was built up from the clay soil I dug out of the pond when building it. My property slopes downward toward the house from the back and so this side of the pond is higher than the area under the deck that is about 6 - 8 feet away. This is another good view of the back garden.
This is the path in the water garden/Japanese garden area. Photo from May. To the right of path are the small shrubs that divide the round stone cement path from this area and to the left is the plum tree and the pond. Continuing across the pond you see the waterfall backed my a few small shrubs along the property line. Right now the lovely water iris is in bloom on that side of the pond. More photos at the end of June, hopefully. I have probably loaded some of these photos before, but I am trying to do a comprehensive look at the garden paths. I might like to do comparison photos as the paths mature. This seems to happen quickly when you are busy in the garden and otherwise. The moss garden, for instance, is gradually growing more moss and starting to look very nice. I have to be vigilant about keeping down weeds and violets. Hopefully, I will get all the areas weeded and renovated by Autumn. It will be nice to just have watering and maintenance to do.
This shows the stone path along the edge of the back grass and the apple tree. Its a good overview of this area of the back garden. This stone path goes from the old cement sidewalk along the garage over to the vegetable garden and into the water garden/Japanese garden areas. This path is also getting irish moss and corsican mint growing in between the stones. As the path goes into the water garden area, it has taller blue eyed grass growing in it. These little plants self seed everywhere too, and I try to keep them to the water garden area by pulling them out when they are small. Its a losing battle though.
This is the view of the cement stone path from the opposite end. The garden hose runs to the pond to be handy for topping up the pond or watering the vegetable patch and all the back areas.
This is a view of the new cement stone path through the lower back garden. The area between the stones is filling in with Corsican mint which is a ground hugging, evergreen, with a lovely minty fragrance and little purple blooms. I hope to find the time to add photos of this path as it matures. This photo is from the end of May. The hollyhocks that you see at the top of the photo have bloomed and are peloric. As these plants self seed and are bi-annual this path will look totally different, next year. As it is this year, its interesting as the curve around the tall plants hides some of the view into the back grass and vegetable patch area. The pond and Japanese area is screened by the small shrubs that divide these two garden rooms.
This, as I am sure you are aware, is the vegetable garden paths, completed in May. This is before I transplanted the tomatoes and vegetable seeds. The vegetable garden is not productive, except for the strawberries and rhubarb, so far, this year. I will need to add more nutrients, maybe. The vetetable patch is cleaned up fairly well now, but needs attention to details, such as keeping the wisteria trimmed to its single trunk form, watering, clipping back the herbs , and weeding. Off and on, I consider expanding the little rockery, or turning this area into a cutting garden, as my vegetables are practically non-existant, anyway.

I am going to be doing a few postings of the garden paths that I have been working on this year, as well as the old paths that I hope to get finished renovating also. Once I have finished renovating the front garden, I will have the side driveway strip to finish cleaning up, and then the big job of getting the woodland done. I have a huge eucalyptus tree that is going to have to be taken down, as it is in danger of falling on the garage. This tree has been an excellent screen from the property behind ours, whose windows look directly into ours from about 100 feet away across my back garden. The tree will need to be taken down by some professional landscapers. I might want them to trim hedges at that time also. My English oak will need to be looked at also, as some of its branches have now extended over Mrs. P.'s clothes line in her back yard.

I have my big green bin full. They come to get it tomorrow. I also get my invoice and new pick up schedule for the next year. This is a much appreciated service for me. Its approximately 22 dollars a month. They collect everything and leave me a bag of compost. I have been using up this compost as well as some topsoil, sand and pea gravel that I get delivered by Cannor Nursery... free delivery with my membership. If I were to buy bulk gravel, etc I would pay the delivery costs which would amount to approximately what I am paying for the materials I use now. Its a toss up as to which way to go. I am doing my renovations over time, and I do not really have an area to store a yard of gravel while I work on moving it. So, this higher cost of materials is worth it to me for the convenience of having the stuff in smaller bags that I can move when I need them.

Yesterday we were on another old car run... just model Ts this time. There was a good turn out and I got a few good photos. We had a small shower before starting the rally, but I had my rain gear on by that time, so, it was not too bad. We ended the rally with lunch at Ken's Cafe across the road from Oldfield's garage. Rob Oldfield is our sponsor for this annual Father's day event.