I don’t know what it is about bark…. but man oh man it sure makes me happy.
We had a very loooooong and wet winter. It was depressing. Even for someone who has lived in Western Washington practically their entire life. Getting outside to do ANYTHING was a bit of a struggle with grey skies and rain looming overhead practically everyday. But with the nice weather we’ve been having lately… I think we’ve turned a corner.
On sunday I had the boys pick up 2 yards of bark. Or mulch as some people call it.
The piles of orange goodness all over the backyard brought a smile to my face.
And to Pinky and the girls as well. I mean look at them. Sure a sandy beach in Florida would be nice, but hey a patch of bark in my backyard is pretty cool too when you’ve got steel legs and a plastic molded body. Don’t you think they compliment the oregano well?
The bark just makes everything in the garden POP. Once the lavender, hydrangeas and shasta daisy plants start blooming it will look spectacular.
Oh, and that empty space behind the garden boxes… anyone care to guess what I’ll be putting there? It has something to do with my goal #2 for 2017. 😉 It should be arriving later this week and I can’t wait to tell you all about it!!!
Have a great tuesday everyone, enjoy the sunshine.
~Mavis
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Rita says
Love the bark; it makes everything look new! I’m gonna guess you bought a greenhouse??
Anita says
Maybe a new chicken coop?
Anita
Mel says
I’m going to guess greenhouse in the bare spot. But it might just be that I miss reading your greenhouse posts.
Jenny says
Looks great! our mulch delivery will be coming in a couple weeks… we spread 12 cubic yards of mulch last year! Whew! That’s a lot of trips with the wheelbarrow! This year, probably 10 yards will do us. Thank goodness for my husband who does most of the heavy moving.
Tammy says
I call it “bark mulch”…haha. Probably redundant! Everything looks nice! My guess for the bare space is a greenhouse.
Kristina says
What is it about a nice layer of mulch? It just freshens things up. I’m trying crushed walnut shells this year on a new project. One of our shellers has lots of excess he wants to unload for free. I’ve never used them before, so we’ll see how that goes.
Mavis Butterfield says
Keep me posted! I’d like to know how crushed walnuts do in the garden.
Linda says
My neighbor has black walnut trees in the backyard. Though highly prized for wood, she can’t get anything to grow around them. She was told that they put out a chemical called juglone that kills other plants and shrubs. So, since I’m close, I looked it up. Juglone is in EVERY PART of the walnut tree, leaves, hulls, etc. For a list of things that are juglone resisitant see this article.
http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/fact-sheets/trees-shrubs/landscaping-and-gardening-around-walnuts-and-other-juglone-producing-plants
Good luck, but I think I’d find something else to mulch with. And don’t compost the shells.
Tammy says
Just be careful about using the walnut shells in any area you’re wanting to grow vegetables in. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/nutshells-composting-21641.html
Teri says
Do you rake up all of the old bark and compost it or do you add the new to the old? My guess is that you are either putting up a greenhouse or maybe some sort of compost bin?
Mavis Butterfield says
I just add to the new stuff. 🙂
Carrie says
bee hives!?
Debi says
I picked up my mulch last week and we finally got a couple of warm sunny days perfect for working outside. Let the gardening begin!
debbie in alaska says
I was told by a gardener friend of mine who does a lot of professional gardening that you should never put mulch/bark directly up against the tree’s trunk. Something about suffocating the roots. I think it’s more of an issue if you “volcano” the mulch but just figured I’d share. I’m sure you already know though. 🙂
Carolina says
Here in New Hampshire, we are having AMAZING whether. After a true Nor’easter snow storm (lots of wind and wet, blowing snow) on April Fool’s Day. today, just 10 days later it is 83 degrees. I think that is where the saying came from, “if you don’t like New England weather, just wait 15 minutes, it will change.”
Mavis Butterfield says
I LOVE it!!! 🙂
Mary from Chattanooga says
I think you are starting a mini orchard with dwarf fruit trees!
Your special tool is in it’s way!
Should arrive on Thursday!
I’m so excited and hope you will be, too!
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks Mary! I’ll be on the lookout for it.
Sue says
Chickens!
Emily E. says
Mulch is one of my favorite things about gardening! I too love how it makes all the plants POP and really look amazing! Plus, it’s so great for the soil. We’ve had a lot of rain here this spring (Northern Ohio) so my yard is still to wet to start spreading mulch, but I can’t wait to get started! I really want to stay ahead of the weeds!!! I’ve been starting to watch Return to Eden on youtube. Have you seen it? I find it very interesting. I am also a fan of Ruth Stout’s No Till gardening and am in the process of making all my gardens no till. I see a lot of benefits for the soil with this method. I like the guesses others have written on your surprise, but I’m say perhaps a pergola or gazebo sitting area? Cant wait to see what it is!
Constance of Olalla says
I’d say honey bees 🙂 I’m moving my freshly painted white hives to my garden area this year!!
Enjoy your gardening Mavis 🙂
Constance