Pea Gravel

I decided to put the IG to bed with a mulch of gravel, spread over the entire garden. I was out yesterday picking up leaves, and the gravel combined with sunshine gave it a nice California/Mediterranean feel. The lav, rosemary and santolina should like it better too. The sun reflects off the rocks and keeps them warmer.

I can't believe I didn't think of it last year!

The photo is a bit cloudied, but here it is:

FINALLY Done for 2014

Today at last I finally finished the front yard for 2014. As unprofessional as it is, it will stay protected through the winter. I amended much of the soil that we brought in (10 cubic yards - ugh!) with gypsum, vermiculite and most important, good quality compost. I'm seeing a lot of earthworms in the thinner areas so it gives me hope.

Also of note....we had our first frost last night but the garden didn't get any. In fact, it looks very healthy at mid-November.

Some photos from today....

Here's a look around the garden and some other spots where I want to record growth. Plants to be watching: The yucca, the cypresses, the Italian Stone pine, the Arbequina olive, the gardenia, the little Ollies.

The Big Slog

It's the first week of November and there's a big pile of topsoil in our driveway. It was an enormous pile of topsoil, so we're making some progress. We got all the Cypresses moved/planted - I amended the soil the best I could. Let's hope they make it through the winter.

Oh and by the way, I've named them for convenience's sake: Mario, Luigi and Baby Peach.