Grateful for Help In the Yard

 

As is usual almost every year, the heat and the snails are taking their toll on Grandma's Garden.  We had a nice fairly cool spring during May and June, but about three weeks ago Summer arrived with a vengeance, and we've had highs in the 90's almost every day, and no rain.  That first week of hot dry weather happened while the family was enjoying the cool, misty weather of the northern California Redwoods, so poor Grandma's garden was a bit neglected.  Gratefully the tomatoes and most of the petunias survived, but things are still looking a bit scraggly, so we added a few festive pin wheels for the fourth of July.

 

I tried planting a few beans, carrots, and beets underneath the two cherry tomato plants, but the snails always seem to find the vegetables even more delicious than the flowers, so they haven't done well at all.  I planted a few more beans a week ago, and a couple of them are starting to poke their noses out now.  Hopefully these ones will survive!

DH enlisted the help of the Young Women's group from our church, along with their leaders for an hour or so of yard work and weeding via purchasing coupons at their annual camp fundraiser back in May.  Last week was the appointed day, and they showed up en mass to work their magic on our poor rose garden, the front park strip, and the side yard pathway and basement stairwell, which has been overgrown with grass and ivy for quite a few years.  For some reason (mainly taking on a full time job 10 years ago), I haven't done very well with keeping up on the yard maintenance, and DH with his allergies and knee and shoulder and back issues has not ever been one to do much in the yard.  We are very grateful to these energetic young ladies and their leaders for all of their hard work and assistance with these projects!

 

The front park strip is looking pretty dry and ragged and sad without the spring tulips and daffodils, but much better without all of the weeds that were there a few weeks ago.  We still need to work on the mulch, but love having the lavender and the echinacea in bloom.

Side yard pathway and stairwell looking 500% better minus all of the tall grass and Ivy

Having all of this wonderful help with the front yard has given me the chance to finish up the planting and do a bit of weeding in the back vegetable garden.  I've pretty much given up on ever getting all of the very invasive grass out of our garden area, but if I keep up with it, I can at least get most of the border area and the other 4X4 or 4X6 feetish sized garden plots fairly weed free so that some of the vegetables can survive.    Yes, I'm very grateful for the help of the Young Women this year!