Backyard Make Over - Heading for that Edible Landscape

Do you ever feel like you are pouring money down the drain as you water bushes in your yard that give you nothing but a bit of greenery?  I do. 

And so I finally called it quits with the last monster water bill. 

 

Why am I doing this? 

 

So I saw in my last SJ Master Gardeners newsletter that a class was coming up on planting edibles in your landscaping, hmmmm, sounds interesting. 

If it must be green then why not make it pay for it's water with some food.  I like it. 

 

So with a little convincing of my chief destroyer, Jeffery, we started the transformation. 

 

First out - our roses :(  First the peace rose that had been there for 20 + years (gave it to a freecycler in town) and then the Mr. Lincoln (which I potted and put back in later in a different spot, I mean you can only push me so far besides roses have vitamin C) then went the weird purple rose which really didn't do anything for my yard and always looked a bit leggy (gave that to a garden club member).  

 

 

And for the final assault, the monster, The Bird of Paradise, which had grown sooooo large that you could no longer put your arms around the base. We planned on pulling it out in a large hunk and then dividing in amongst friends. Four hours later we were using power tools.

 

 

We put a large piece of plywood over the pond and a tarp to keep out the dirt.

See the arbor over his head - that holds our grapes and gives us a screen from neighbors.
 

 

My Honey with one of his favorite tools. A real GQ pose :)

and wearing his Relay Shirt (oooh, that's going to take some serious cleaning to be white again).

 

So out with the bad stuff and in with the good.

 

In the roses place we put a pomegranate, my husband's a Vitamix, smoothie lover so he really wanted one.  Check.  Got it.

 

Next blueberries - in pots.  I had seen this on Pinterest and really loved the idea of growing blueberries in pots.  That way I would be able to get something with a flash of color (the pots) and food too.  You have to have 2 - something about cross pollination.

  

 

Then a sink. You read right - a flippin' kitchen sink. With dual bowls :)  One of the problems when you are a crazy, recycler gardener is that people call you up with the weirdest items that they are getting rid of. 

 

In case you aren't aware of it Mint is invasive and what better way to corral it than in a sink.  I planted regular mint in one side and chocolate mint and parsley on the other side.  Out looking for plates now.  Wait for it :)  Since it is a sink we definitely need plates.

The fence was up to make sure that Pippa didn't trample things until they were established.  Nothing like a dog to wreak destruction after all your hard work.

Happy Gardening