Garden Project #4 – Part 2 of the Garden Makeover
The journey of the garden makeover continues. The drought had played a pivotal role in our decision to redesign our garden to include hard landscaping. In Part 1 of the story I shared details about the design and preparation work done thus far.
The excitement was in the air on that November morning because it was the day that the exposed aggregate would be exposed.
The retarding solution sprayed onto the cement had prevented the top layer from drying overnight. It was surprising to see just how much traffic moves through our garden at night. There were plenty of kitty paw prints from the neighbours’ cats crisscrossing the pathway.
The Imprint Paving Solution’s team arrived and it was time for the magic to start. Using a hose to spray the pathway and brooms to scrub off the top layer of cement, the exposed aggregate was revealed.
We couldn’t use tap water for this exercise due to the severe water restrictions in place. It had rained a few days earlier so we thanked our lucky stars that our water tanks were full. We had 3000 litres to spare. Fortunately this turned out to be enough to clean the fifty-odd square meters of pathway. There was even enough to give the plants along the walkway, which were covered in cement splashes, a wash too.
I was delighted with the results and happy with the progress of the garden makeover.
Time to get planting
The water wise plants recommended by our landscapers, Trees Online, included:
- Agapanthus (African Lily)
- Coleus neochilus (Smelly Spur Flower)
- Gaura (Butterfly Bush)
- Elegia tectorum (Cape Thatching Reed, Restio)
- Libidibia ferrea (Leopard Tree)
The three Leopard trees were first placed in position and then the smaller plants arranged around them. Satisfied that everything was in the right place, the planting could begin. The Coleus neochilus, or smelly spur flower, makes a great groundcover and was planted around the circle at the end of the path. The remaining plants were dotted around the Leopard trees.
Leopard trees have a very sparse canopy so there will be plenty of light for the sun-loving plants.
Work also began on the new veggie garden. We had a cement bird bath in the front garden. However, hidden by bushes, it was not of much use there. So after a lot of effort the rather heavy cement bird bath was placed in its new spot in the centre of the veg garden. Hubby of course helped with all the heavy lifting as well as laying of some spare pavers we had.
Lavender is one of my favourite flowers. I am particularly fond of the French lavender, Lavandula dentata. I decided to plant a border of lavender along the front of my veggie garden. As opposed to the river boulders around the Wendy house, it would add a soft touch to the hard landscaping.
The finished project
My new veggie garden was like a blank canvas. A clean slate for me to grow the veggies we enjoy eating as well as experimenting with some new varieties. My first plantings included squash, beetroot, spinach and a number of herbs. I look forward to sharing more about the veggie garden’s story with you in future articles.
Looking at the scene before us it is so pleasing to see the magical transformation that had taken place. In just a short space of time the garden had gone from a weed-filled, neglected space to a beautiful, welcoming area.
The garden makeover is one of the best wedding anniversary gifts hubby and I have enjoyed over the years. With our next anniversary not too far away, I wonder what we should do regarding a gift?
Feel free to share your garden makeover experiences in the comments section below.
Until next time, happy gardening.