Crimsonsketch

I love plants, but I’m a terrible gardener. I’m determined to learn so I can enjoy a nice yard & fresh herbs.

I may have lots of seemingly stupid questions, so bare with me. Most people are surprised when I manage to kill some really “hardy” plant.

Obviously I’m doing something wrong – and I figure it’s something obvious or I wouldn’t be met with so many baffled looks when I ask for advice. Thankfully pride isn’t my biggest concern when it comes to gardening so I will keep asking the silly questions in the hopes of overcoming my black thumb!

:-)

Quick overview of my gardens: I moved into my house about 5 years ago, and the landscaping was non-existent. The front yard is very small as I am in the city (approx 4’ X 10’ next to the driveway). There were poured-cement sidewalk blocks (10” thick) instead of a front lawn.

The backyard had a cement porch, and poured cement sidewalk blocks (6”-8” deep over the entire backyard, except for a small patch in the shade that was all dirt. A big ugly shed stood in the only sunny spot in the yard, while an overgrown and neglected cherry tree (2.5 stories tall) blocked out all available sunlight.

Over the last few years, we rented a jackhammer and disposal bin & tore out the cement (front & back), and laid grass. Some of it took better than other patches, so we’ve had to replace bits here and there. We’ve been carefully pruning the tree to restore it’s health and bring some light into the yard. And this year we replaced the shed with something more practical (which we located in the shady spot) and tore down the old shed in order to put in a garden bed.

It’s starting to look more like a home, rather than a neglected parking lot! :-)