back yard progress

phlox


vinca


strawberries!




mint!


more phlox


not lemon balm- a weed I ended up pulling. there is, however lemon balm elsewhere in the yard.


english ivy



working in the garden is so much fun. every time I go back there I find something new growing, wild patio-crack herbs, a seemingly dead plant suddenly alive and blooming, wiggly worms and plentiful snails, and knocked-over garden structures that need propping back up. there were plants suffering in too-small plastic pots that I've since replanted in the beds, tenacious weeds that I continue to pull up and manage, and beautiful ground-cover succulents that I'm shifting to the existing beds. I've also been moving soil from one empty bed to the ones that need it. b has been building sculptures and free-form flower beds. we can't wait to get some good, organic soil and create a veggie patch. here are some pics of what's come up recently. I spoke with my upstairs neighbor, who is responsible for planting all of the back yard loveliness, as he used to live in our apartment.