Ammending the Soil

Our garden soil is sandy, hydro-phobic (won’t absorb water) in some areas. Compacted gravel atop glacial till in others. Even though we dug out as much as we could, there are bits of blackberry, ivy, salal roots - the only plants able to survive and thrive. And…

There are NO worms!

And so, before we can go any further, we have to amend the soil. Unfortunately, our own compost isn’t ready so we brought in 3 dump trucks 69 yards total) of compost/cow poop!

Let the shoveling begin

As the compost is spread, the garden starts to take shape. A small hollow surrounded by boulders becomes a ‘pond’ area. A little mound becomes a planting berm. A gorgeous Japanese maple sets the tone for an oriental influence. And the old sidewalks, unearthed from the overgrown shrubs become the outline for future garden rooms.

Here is our ‘Serenity Garden’ taking shape!

The Orchard comes to life

While I haul and spread compost, and massage the designs of the gardens, Jerry is busy at work in the orchard. Apple, pear, cherry, plum trees, some of which are nearly 100 years old were woefully neglected, poorly pruned (if at all) and didn’t bear fruit last year. So he is pruning hard to reshape, retrain and hopefully bring back the plentiful produce from my childhood.