Lanscaping with Handy Andy

I cannot tell you how excited I am to overhaul the front yard flower beds! I almost feel like skipping through a meadow. Or something. Heehee, anyway...this has been on my mind forever and I finally felt like it was time to just do it! Also, I thought it would be a great start to a new marriage. I have been using that "great start to a new marriage" line a lot lately...Josh may not buy it much longer.

So, I starting looking for someone who was affordable and strong...cause I surely was not going to install all that! I found Andy Ingram (andy.ingram@charter.net, 940-206-2238) on the Dallas Craig's List and we really hit it off right away. He seems like a great fellow. He drew up the design plan for us and I think it will look absolutley awesome. The only revision we are going to make is to leave a couple of ornamental trees that are already there. I just couldn't bare to let them go...trees are such a precious asset to the world.

Everything else is GOING! Two Texas Sage bushes and two rose bushes are going to be transplanted to another spot. I am not sure where yet. I would like to keep the roses in large pots, so any tips for that out there-let me know. We had a big beautiful mushroom shaped boxwood and we totally lost it with the drought this past summer. I was really upset at the loss. We said good riddance to a horribly deformed, ugly tree-bush wierdo thing by the guest room window, and two sorry looking oleander plants. I have never even seen the oleanders bloom, probably because they prefer sun and they are in a lot of shade. I may just move them to another spot and see if they survive the transplant. We also may transplant two red tipped photinias that are currently in the front and in the way of my new plan!

The plan is for Dwarf Burford Holly in the back row. I don't care for holly much but at the same time it's nostalgic and reminds me of growing up on Clayton (and getting dried leaved stuck in my bare feet). Azaleas are also going in. I have heard they can be particular to care for, but I am up for it. No problemo! Those suckers better give me some great blooms, though! Clara Indian Hawthorn is another really pretty flowering bush we are using. I can't wait to see it together with the azaleas. Next are two of my favorites. We have Supergreen Giant Liriope--which I have wanted as long as I knew I was getting a yard to plant in--and will go around the ends by the holly. I can't put my finger on why I love liriope so much, it is just such a fun plant and has those nice purple blooms. Compact Nandia is my other favorite which is going in between the hollies and the azaleas. I can actually smell the scent of torn leaves and squished berries from this bush. The red and green leaves will be a great splash of color. Lastly, we have two Japanese yew which are a tall skinny tree/bush (pictured bottom, left). I am pretty thrilled at this new find. I have never heard of it before and it looks great in pictures. Here is a picture of the leaves and berries. It reminds me a lot of a rosemary/christmas tree/cedar tree mix. I can't wait to get my hands on cuttings to use in fresh arrangements for the house. But no eating it...they are very toxic. In fact, oil from the leaves is called taxol and is used for breast and ovarian cancer treatment.

Handy Andy is going to till and fertilize the soil. The azaleas will require a particular combo of peat moss and soil. They like acidic conditions. If Josh and I feel so inclined, we may try to get out there and dig up the old plants and border of rail road ties to save some of the cost on labor. I am not too excited about digging up those old rail road ties, though...I can only imagine what that involves. I am such a girl, I know!

Installment commences on March 31st! Hope the weather is good!



***Best Wishes to All!***