OUR NEW COURTYARD GARDEN

After learning how to do this blogging thing from the web guru of the family (son, Charles) we decided to give it a go.. It may be a good way to keep in touch and I love that we can put up photos! So here goes. We have been spending a great deal of time in the garden. Here it is just after we installed it. The raised beds have been working out really well because we get good drainage under the stone and garden soil and have not had to plant anything in the solid clay that is underneath.
John and I designed the patio and layed the pavers and the wall stones ourselves, with the help of Austin. We then dumped 300+ bags of topsoil and compost and peat moss into the beds. It is all set up with automatic sprinklers so that when it gets very hot here, or when we are out of town, it will be watered adequately. Normally I water by hand. It keeps me in touch with each plant .. more personal.
The other view of the garden is toward the house, which has a large covered porch surrounded by french doors on three sides.
Although we moved into this house in late October, we only put in the courtyard and garden this April. Finally it seems like we really live here! A home without a garden doesn't quite feel like home yet.

We are loving this space!
Patricia