projects planned, 2013

It's the time of year when everybody has finished looking back at 2012 and started looking at 2013's garden, or what it might be. Ordering seeds (almost time to start them!), making plans.

I have several projects that on my "must-do" list for 2013, and what better way to motivate myself to actually do them, than to reveal them publicly to you. So here goes...

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In no particular order, since I'll do each when it "feels right", here they are...

1) Extending the walkway. Yes this was a big project last year, but this favorite feature really needs to be continued a bit:

That grass patch in what some call the "hell strip" will someday be full of low-growing bamboo, and a clear path to the street will be needed. Plus this section of ground is really getting trampled now. Besides, it seems a little strange that the walk doesn't go all the way to the street, doesn't it?

Okay, the truth is I'll make any excuse to work with stone -- I love it!

2) Rebuild the stream. On the one hand, I'm not really looking forward to this one.

On the other hand, I really am looking forward to this one! Deepening the stream channel a bit so it won't leak anymore and creating a more stable base so the rocks won't shift will make this a thing of beauty again. Plus I really miss the sound of running water out here!

3) Front yard beds. This is actually three smaller projects that are similar, so I've lumped them together. First, widen the bed near the driveway:

This bed was new last year, and I loved it, so it needs to be bigger. More plants!

Second, (not depicted here) widen the walkway bed(s) a bit, probably at the ends only. Third, maybe create a small bed in the corner where the walkway meets the driveway:

I think this is pretty necessary, as I need more planting space up here. Can't let the walkway plants get all the attention, can I?

4) Stain the pergola and trellises.

This will be fun, won't it? (If you have any doubt about the "fun-ness" of this, drop me an email. I have extra brushes and I'll let you find out for yourself once the weather warms up.)

5) Build a small deck near the pond. I am so excited about this one! I spend so much time looking at the pond, a nice seating area back here would be perfect:

It will require a bit more planning and design, but I've got the basic idea in my mind. It may end up having two levels because of the slope here, but more on that in the future.

6) Straighten this bamboo box:

I don't know what I was thinking when I built it. I knew it wasn't quite level, but I guess I never realized how out of level it was. It bothers me so much now.

7) Clean up the woodpile area.

In other words, get these half-rotten logs out of my yard! I may end up burying them, or taking them to nearby St. Louis Composting (where you pay to dump yard debris, then pay again to haul off compost and mulch. What a business model!) or possibly some combination of both.

8) Get cactus/Agaves/Yuccas into the ground. Kind of overdue I thought, but all the plants seem to be fine.

The mounds have already been created (compliments of the walkway project), so I just need to amend with pea gravel or something. I feel so unsure about this task, but it must be done.

9) Build another bamboo box. I may have space for one more of these, but we'll see. This is a low-priority project, but I do have more potted bamboos that need more space.

Is that my entire list for the year? No, I don't think so. I tried to keep it manageable though, and reasonable.

What did I keep off the list? Lots of smaller projects, but there is one large project that I hope to do in 2014 at the latest, possibly 2013: build a shed/greenhouse.

You didn't read that here though, as I'm making no promises about that one.

What projects do you have planned for 2013?

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