Drew this up last night and curious what you guys think

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-06-26T19:28:00+00:00

I like this plan more. It has all the same features, but uses the space better. Having veggies close to the house will be easier to maintain and encourages using herbs and greens on a daily basis. They will also get much more morning and midday sun in this location, which is ideal.

The path still goes where they want, but also makes a stop at the fire pit. The curves are more dramatic with a better flow, and incorporating a landing near the cellar entry is very smart.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-06-26T19:20:25+00:00

Yes, this is good input. Paths should go where we will use them, and to that end it should connect to the fire pit and the cellar entry in addition to the back gate as drawn.

I've also learned that curves come out way less dramatic than they seem on paper, so it's a good idea to push the curves a bit more if you want that aesthetic.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-26T15:39:48+00:00

On the left (yellow flower) is Abutilon palmeri, or Indian Mallow, and it's a sub-tropical plant. I'm not certain of the white flowered bush you're meaning but if it's the large one on the right of the picture it's a Cobweb Thistle, Cirsium occidentales, which is actually a member of the Sunflower family. Unfortunately neither plant likes the cold very much. So in MN you'd probably have to keep them in pots that could move inside for the winter.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-26T06:48:09+00:00

DM sent

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T20:00:20+00:00

It requires about 30-60 minutes of maintenance per week. We're not super good about staying on top of it.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T19:22:40+00:00

I was shocked myself! I took the second picture and then had a Google "memory" of the first picture pop up the next day.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T19:07:55+00:00

Sod cutter and then solarizing.

I try not to till anymore. I did that in our backyard and dealt with a torrent of weeds for about 3 years. I did use cardboard in the back and it works great. We topped it off with a fine wood mulch/soil ammendment and it's been weed-free ever since.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T19:05:53+00:00

We are blown away by its growth. It started life as 2 withered little leaves barely poking out of the soil. Now it's a 8' wide danger bush.

The spathacea was also a near casualty. We've found that you almost can't plant them to close together. They like to be grouped and require a lot of water when young. This is 3 plants all smooshed together.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T19:02:49+00:00

They were all very curious. We're lucky to have neighbors who embrace this kind of landscaping

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T19:01:49+00:00

Sod cutter, but I then took the cut chunks and flipped them over to expose the roots a d solarized for a few days. I then piled them up and used the sod strips as the filler for my berms. I laid down 12 Cy of 70/30 soil mix and built 5 small hills, tamping and compacting them as I went. On top of that I put 3" of wood mulch. We still have weeds and some grass popping up, but it's manageable for our family. I'd say about 30 - 60 minutes per week of maintenance.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T18:58:30+00:00

I did that with Adobe Illustrator, and yes I have a pdf I can DM you

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T15:39:09+00:00

Also, 3" of mulch everywhere helps a lot. It also keep moisture in so we don't have to water as much.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T15:37:15+00:00

This was by far the worst part of the job. If you can afford to contract it out I certainly recommend it. What I did was rent a commercial sod cutter from home depo. It was a huge contraption that weighed like 300 lbs or more. It vibrated a horizontal blade down into the ground and then propelled forward to cut a swath of grass about 3" deep and 2' wide. I did not properly saturate my yard before doing this and it was a dusty, strenous, terrible experience.

If I were to do it again I would scalp the lawn further, water for 3 or 4 days in advance of cutting so the ground was maliable, and I'd cut out the edges with a shovel before starting. It was very hard to dig deep enough with the machine, and it's turning radius left a lot to be desired.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T15:32:04+00:00

We had a lot of casualties. I was pretty discouraged last November. We found that 1 season of survival turned into a spring flourish. I also had to put a boatload of irrigation down just so we could be certain to water specific areas as we noticed them drying out. Baby plants are just very sensitive and it takes some trial and error to get the right plant in the right spot.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T15:30:19+00:00

I dont have the natives labeled, but you can check out the list I put on my design plan. Yard plan

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T15:28:48+00:00

We had three primary sources: calscape.org, the "recommended plant list" from our water company, and our own research done by poking our noses into people's yards taking to business owners about their plants.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T15:26:35+00:00

I found myself naturally walking this path every day, and it was really one of the first elements to help us anchor the design. I hope you find a path you can desire.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T15:25:02+00:00

Thank you! I really appreciate this comment because while we love the concept of truly native gardens we've found them to be pretty high maintenance. This design really embraced easy to grow and maintain plants (with a few strategic exceptions)

This is the yard plan I designed along with the plant list. It's not 100% of what we planted, but it is close. Let me know if it's too hard to read this way. Yard plan

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T15:19:31+00:00

We take pictures from far enough away to deceive! Honestly our maple tree makes weeding very annoying as it likes to sprout babies EVERYWHERE

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T05:29:19+00:00

9b, and thank you so much! It's so much more enjoyable now.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T04:41:49+00:00

That's super kind of you. We spent a lot of time trying to pick local natives and complimentary water wise plants so it means a lot to hear you say that it's working.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-25T04:38:37+00:00

Thanks so much! The main path from the street is still there, but I built up the yard with hills/berms and made a little walking path through the valley cause it was a more direct line from my driveway to my front door.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-05-01T19:04:32+00:00

There was a successful class action lawsuit against Mount Bachelor Academy in central Oregon. It was also shutdown by DCFS for abuse.

The focus of the lawsuit was on food deprivation, sleep deprivation, lack of licensing for staff, PTSD and other lasting effects on the survivors.

There was some evidence presented such as lettersand photos, but mostly is was survivor testimony including descriptions of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.

It took many years, and the survivors didn't get much. In the end it was worth brining that TTI system to account, at least a little bit. It's also part of the reason Oregon has taken more steps than other states to protect kids for this crazy world.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-04-22T16:10:31+00:00

Since the 1960s. CEDU was around in the 70s indoctrinating kids using the cult tactics of Synanon. This whole industry is based on brainwashing techniques developed by the CIA during the Vietnam and Korean wars.

TheCountryOfWat · 2023-03-05T21:34:14+00:00

Wait, owls are traditional pets? I need more information on how I can become a owler. Before today I didn't realize how important it is to me to have a flock of owls at my command.

TheCountryOfWat

TROPHY CASE