Cottager and I snuck away for a bit of a break and some gardening this weekend. I decided to just concentrate on one area – the laurel. It grows beside – or possible out of – a huge cedar stump and with a few boxwoods and A TON of ivy and St. John’s Wort, constitutes a little island in my garden, encircled by a meandering path. Some previous owner built this box (planter? bench?), which I thought to finish off as a bench one day. But first, the area needed a massive trim. I had no idea St. John’s Wort was so invasive! A mat of its tender white shoots is snaking under the landscaping fabric on the paths. It has joined holly, Oregon grape and blackberry on my ‘most wanted’ list.
So here are front and back views just a little after I got started, when I first realized that some ‘before pictures’ were going to be necessary.
And here is how it looks now, after about 6 hours of pruning and yanking. If the power hadn’t been out all day, I would have gotten the electric trimmers out and then you’da seen som’thin! Still, I’m happy with the result so far. I will probably take more ivy out from around the big stump, but I saved that for another day. And as for the box: This spot gets lots of sun and is on my watering system. So now, I’m thinking of filling it up with good soil and planting big red dahlias – or juicy red tomatoes. I just wish I could get both in there.
And the back view…
And one more view because I’m so happy with the results –