Yeah, we’re those neighbors. You know, the ones who are so busy working on the inside of the house (slash baby-wrangling) that our yard is looking a little worse for wear. Check out the weed convention taking place under our mailbox:
And hark, who is that sweet little guy peering out of the overgrown insanity?
Why it’s a sweet iron squirrel left by the previous owners. And yes, I do love him and occasionally pet him. His name is Norman.
So the first step of the whole mailbox makeover was clearly to weed. For the first time in half a year. Yup, other than this mom-assisted weeding event, we haven’t done it at all since moving in.
I just got a bucket and filled it five times with all of the stuff sprouting up around the mailbox post:
Then we used some landscaping fabric to block those evil weed babies from coming back (since we’ve established that regular weeding isn’t our strong suit) and grabbed two $7 pots of fast growing all-summer-blooming petunias from Lowe’s. They tend to creep outward and get pretty big throughout the summer, so we think they’ll fill in that whole area nicely without having to buy ten pots of different things to plant.
We just cut little x’s into the landscaping fabric and dug in our petunias so they could spread their roots under the fabric – without a lot of other weeds coming up through the opening (hopefully).
Then we added an ultra thin layer of top soil to hold things down and a nice thick moisturizing layer of mulch. Can’t wait for these babies to grow a bit and creep outwards to fill more of our little mulched area with blooms.
Oh and see that area on the side of the post in the pic above that looks like it’s painted gray? That’s where our house numbers are so I just “painted” over them in photoshop for privacy reasons. And see that big blank stop-sign looking thing? That’s our alarm sign that I painted over in Photoshop to obscure it as well (as for the shape giving anything away, multiple companies have the same shape so it’s all good). Our house is armed like Fort Knox since we’re paranoid parents who realize that putting your whole house on the internet requires a few more precautions than the average home. So when our alarm company recommended that we not share their name on the internet (for maximum house security since they didn’t want anyone to think they knew the inside scoop on our system or try to research it or something – even though the way they installed our system is different than the norm with a bunch of crazy sci-fi extras) we were happy to oblige.
We actually thought it was pretty darn awesome of them to recommend the not-sharing thing since most companies would probably cross their fingers for a mention. They’re serious about security. Like Jack Bauer serious (or Chloe O’Brien serious). But we weren’t exactly thrilled about the three tin signs junking up our mailbox. A single alarm sign would usually be hung facing the street on the base of the post, but there was an old sign for an electric fence (which is no longer in use on our property) there instead. So they hung two signs on either side of the… arm?… of the mailbox. So after longer-than-necessary debating, J and I decided to remove both alarm signs along with the electric fence one and just hang one alarm sign in its place near the base. Here I am after removing both alarm signs and starting on the electric fence sign.
Oh yeah and my shorts were looking a little short so I added a “modesty heart.” But the real story of the picture above is the pink arrow (which explains my skeeered face). By removing the alarm signs, we uncovered this:
A wasp (or hornet’s) nest. Le gasp. I just left him alone and he left me alone. Thankfully. But we’re planning to ditch the nest (naturally and hopefully carefully) this evening. Fingers crossed.
Update: Mr Wasp was out this evening (at least I believed he was because at dusk his nest appeared to be unattended) so I donned a lot of clothing and closed toe shoes and used a long yardstick to knock the hive to the ground from afar. Nothing flew out of it (it was in fact empty – although I’ll never know if he was just out for a stroll or had abandoned the nest when I removed the alarm signs) so I stomped on it a few times with my shoe. Done-zo. Woot! And yes, I’m feeling pretty tough right now. I’ll keep you guys updated if he comes back (although I think the loss of cover thanks to the missing signs might mean good things for keeping him gone for good).
Here’s what we had going on once I hung just one alarm sign on the base of the post facing the road. If I were an overachiever I would spray paint the mailbox with oil-rubbed bronze paint to get it looking nice and shiny. Someday. And maybe even paint the post something glossy and fresh. Oh and see that birdhouse on the back of the post? A quaint little bird family lives there. They all fly out when we get the mail. So cute.
Speaking of cute, you know El Squirrel stuck around right? Here’s Norman living it up among the fresh mulch and happy blooms:
So yeah- we didn’t Curb Appeal The Block, but it’s a quick little upgrade from the embarrassment that was this:
Any other quick yard updates going on in your world? Have you ever used weed-block fabric (it was our first time beyond using it for the patio)? Or found little faux woodland creatures on your property only to fall in love with them? Or come face to face with a bee/hornet’s nest? Spill it.
Kolbi says
I think you’ll like the weed mat in that area. We have select gardens where it is laid (where we don’t do much planting, and just want it to look nice). As weeds sneak up, we just zap them with a weed killer (Round-up) which keeps them at bay. Then you are not trying to pull weeds with roots underneath the mat. It’s certainly not for all flower beds, but I think your spot will work great and require little maintenance!
Rachei says
Just yesterday me and Brynlei (baby) went to get the mail only to discover a wasp nest in our mailbox! The wasp/bee and I did the stare down and I decided to quickly move away! Anyone have natural ways to get rid of these guys?
Nice job! Love the curb appeal. John (my HGTV crush) would be proud!
YoungHouseLove says
Lots of folks have left comments about natural ways to get rid of them/deter them (mint, tea tree oil, etc) so just scroll back through the comments for that info. And good luck!
xo,
s
Paula says
Oh man, in our last house while weeding our front yard my husband found a VERY real looking lizard, like kimno dragon size. It was so real looking in fact that he first poked it with a stick to see if it was alive. As it turns out it was fake – but all our friends thought it was real when they first saw it. I refused to touch it for fear it would come alive in my hands! It made a great place to hide a key – no way someone would touch that thing!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- what a perfect spot to hide a key.
xo,
s
Heidi S. says
Speaking of garden friends, I just got the cutest peacock at Target last week .He is still listed at full price on the website but he was on sale for $35 at the store. I still need a name for him though.
http://www.statelykitsch.com/a-new-garden-greeter/
I also second using newspaper (6-8 layers) or cardboard. They will tend to degrade in about a year. This method also works great if you want to kill whatever is growing in a spot without weeding. Just put down the newspaper, water well and then add a couple of inches of mulch. In about 3 months you will have a bed all ready to plant. I recommend doing this in the fall and then you will have your beds ready for spring. It is by far the easiest way I have found to get rid of grass or really weedy spots and sure beats using chemicals.
YoungHouseLove says
I’M IN LOVE! And I would call him Elmer.
xo,
s
Kelsey says
I agree with some others that you should remove the wasp nest in your mailbox. We had one once and our letter carrier left us a note asking us to remove it! I would hate to see someone get stung.
YoungHouseLove says
We’re on it. We’re going to try to find a local beekeeper to come get it!
xo,
s
Melanie says
Just recruited my best friend and my brother to assist in some much needed weeding. It was worse than we thought. We couldn’t tell what was a plant and what was just a weed. Luckily for us, I’m not planning on keeping much of the existing landscaping so even in we make a mistake it’s not the end of the world. Still have to tackle my own mailbox makeover though.
Stacy Weiland says
I love the “weeds”! I live in the Mojave Desert in southern California so any kind of greenery is absolutely beautiful to me. Of course your “after” is divine as well!
Leah says
Happy Wednesday!
I have a completely overgrown bed in the back corner of our lot. We planted three shrubs that have been almost completely overgrown even though I have cleared it 3x this summer! Everyday I look at it out of our kitchen window and “tsk tsk” myself.
We have had a “weed sheet” under our mulch in the rest of our beds for the last 3 years and they have worked like a charm. Very minimal weeding! This is good considering today’s outdoor work has been derailed by two baby blowouts/icky dances (after realizing I was a also victimized)/baths. Ah, to be a new momma.
Kathie says
My husband works in pest control and has told me time and again, the absolute best way to get rid of a hornet nest is to soak it with windex from a distance. They HATE that stuff and will abandon the nest, allowing you to remove it without being stung.
He actually treated a large paper wasp nest at a customer’s with windex and the guy got pissed off that he got a bill for the service because my husband used something over the counter rather than some kind of secret juju killing bee juice. So now he puts his windex in a company squirt bottle (because that’s what they told him to do).
Allyn says
We just moved and have so been doing the same “focus on the inside” thing. My parents are on their way in town, and I plan on dragging them and their green thumbs around the yard to make sure I don’t accidentally pull up something good. I’m garden illiterate. Off to paint the office now!
Katie says
1. I love how simple the flowers were to add around the mailbox. Such a fun and pretty touch!
2. My sorority’s mascot is the squirrel so even though I have been out of college a few years I have kept a couple. It is always fun explaining to others why their are random squirrel decor throughout the house. I also name them too. Glad I am not alone! lol
3. I love the modesty heart. Made me laugh!
4. Love your blog! :)
jenna says
we used the weed fabric at our old house and i hated it because the weed’s roots would somehow get through it. so when i pulled the weed, the fabric would come up with the weed and all the mulch would go everywhere…. but then i didn’t use it on the new house and i have weeds EVEYWHERE!. i just bought some “preen” and i’m hoping it helps…. good luck with your tho!
Lindsey says
We just finished our mailbox upgrades as well! It was quite a process, but I’m in love :-) http://gibbsspot.blogspot.com/2011/06/send-us-cards-in-our-pretty-new-mailbox.html
YoungHouseLove says
Looks great!
xo,
s
Katie @ J&KHomestead says
Looks great! We have sooo much yard work to do and I want to try that weed-blocker fabric. Hopefully, it works!
BTW – I saw this adorable honey bee teapot (and cups/saucers and plates) on overstock’s website and just loved them and thought of you and your “bee theme” wedding and pictured you drinking “tea” with Clara using these… so cute!
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Bumble-Bee-Ceramic-Teapot/4817392/product.html?cid=123620
YoungHouseLove says
So cute!
xo,
s
Ali says
The previous owners of our house left behind a tiny baby bunny (of the garden ornamental variety of course). We didn’t even notice he was there until fall came and all the flowers started to fade. He’ll be moving with us though. I’ve grown quite fond of him.
Rachel says
We’re not regular weeders either. Unfortunately they have taken over our backyard beds and walkways. The previous owner designed the walkways with stepping stones and small rocks. It looks like they put down the black lining, but they still manage to get through.
I think next year we’ll do a whole backyard re-landscape. It was not to my taste to begin with and now its just gotten ridiculous.
catherine says
i’m using weedblock fabric in my garden plot, because i am super lazy, and i hate weeding. that being said, i’m pretty pleased with its performance. weed still sneak up through the openings i cut for my vegetable plants, but that’s way easier than what my neighbors deal with (we have a community garden). i think i weed once or twice a month. yeah. it’s awesome.
Callie says
We are “those neighbors” too! We moved in last fall and have been working like crazy on the inside of the house…now this summer we’re starting on the outside but it’s hard work. I’ve been wondering about trying some weed fabric. The saddest thing we’ve encountered though is that once or twice a year our yard floods when there’s a particularly hard rain – and it floats all my mulch away into the grass/street/bushes. :( It’s craziness! I’m wondering how to fix it…maybe put bricks around all my flowerbeds, and make sure the bricks stick up a good margin higher than the mulch? Any ideas? 0_o
YoungHouseLove says
Oh no! That stinks. I agree that some sort of edging (rock or brick or stacked stone) might help! Anyone else have ideas for Callie?
xo,
s
Nicole says
We switched to river rock for that reason. Plus, our dogs like to eat mulch.
threadbndr says
I’d use a non-wood mulch. Maybe river rock or tumbled pebbles? It will change the thermal micro climate of the bed, but it won’t float away.
Adrienne says
I’m having trouble figuring out which are overgrown weeds and which are things planted here by the previous owners of our house! She had mentioned having planted things all along the side of the house but some look like large bunches of weeds. As long as they’re green and pretty, should I care?? ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- nope. If they’re pretty, they should stay!
xo,
s
Stephanie says
Haha, I love the “modesty heart”!!!
I tend to prefer weed fabric for plant-less areas. When we moved into our house, the inspector recommended we dig a trench around the base of the house and fill it with stones to improve drainage, so we used weed fabric for under the stones there. Also for under our cherry tree, which we just covered with mulch and no plants. But I think trying to work around weed fabric in a regular garden with plants (especially if they’re annuals that need to be re-planted every year) is just not worth the hassle. I’d rather just take a few minutes each day to pull up the weeds.
Micha says
I’m currently testing newspaper as an alternative to landscaping fabric ( i read it somewhere and hey, it’s another use for gobs of newspaper in our recycle bin). so far it seems to be working! As for the other weeds aka our ahem ..lawn, my weedeater and I are a force of nature that can’t be stopped :o)
Ashley says
Ha! Our house has a red door so I always tell people to look for ‘the house with the red door’. In fact I affectionately call it that just for kicks!
We have used weed blocker, mostly with success. I used it last year around my small garden and no weeds popped through. However we also used it on a small parking pad we threw into place when we first bought our huose, and sometimes weeds do get through. I think it’s because we didn’t have quite enough weed blocker or gravel. I really want to scrap the whole thing start over!
trish says
hm, if your unsightliness was confined to that little mailbox corner, that’s not too bad–I’m sure your neighbors are thrilled to have such a cute and capable young couple around anyway. My front yard looks atrocious, a project that will eventually take several months to amend–I try to show the neighbors I’m trying by keeping the lawn mowed (fairly) regularly and spending the occasional morning pulling out weeds by the bucketful. Sigh.
But anyway, your corner looks great–and the squirrel is an awesome surprise!
Maybe you can find a beekeeper who will kindly remove your bees for you, before that nest gets any bigger.
I’ve use the weedblock in the backyard, underneath a layer of small rocks (with x’s cut in where I put my plants). I’ve not had a whole lot of luck using plain mulch to keep new weeds from rooting so I hope that yours helps keep the roots underneath in check, at least.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that’s a good idea! To send them off with a beekeeper would be fun!
xo,
s
Jami says
Ah man, I wish you could divulge some information on your security system. We just bought our first house 2 months ago and have been researching a security system. It all gets a little overwhelming, trying to understand everyone’s fine print and who does what and how long you have to sign a contract for. Yikes… Alas, I do understand your need for privacy being exposed to the entire world.
Your mailbox looks beautiful with the new flowers. We need to paint our mailbox and the wood so it looks better also but we live in Texas and it’s been over 100 so the thought of getting out there painting either in the 100 degree weather doesn’t sound so appealing! lol
YoungHouseLove says
Our best suggestion would be to get a bunch of estimates and meet people face to face to see who you feel comfortable with and who has the most updated systems (some are so dated and overpriced and some have lots of new back-up features). Good luck!
xo,
s
KathyG says
@Jami — Be sure to google COMPLAINTS about any security company you consider – I had a very bad experience, and it’s not that uncommon.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh another great tip!
xo,
s
Michele says
weedblocker fabric is a LIE! I used it in a horrible flower bed that I could not get rid of (previous owners used concrete/mortar for landscaping rocks). planted couple agave and spread rocks, pretty, for like 5 min. No grass there, but then it was like the weeds and grass were drawn to the cool darkness of the weedblocker fabric!
Andrea says
I put the weed block fabric down on our front path, then re-covered it with pea gravel (which is what the previous owners left for us). Major fail. The roots of the weed were on the bottom of the fabric, and the green part of the weed was on top. So when I pulled the weeds up, it ripped the fabric and little black bits were poking up all through the gravel. I ripped out the whole thing (and all the weeds that were happily growing on/in the weed block) and said never again!
I too have an old lady neighbor who judges us because of our unkempt weed-fest, but most of our neighborhood is woodsy and weedy so I don’t let it bother me. I’ll get to it eventually!
Melissa @ HOUSEography says
A little weeding goes a long way! Love that little bird house!
Danielle says
Looks great!
We’re those neighbours this year. Until last Monday we’ve had a growing pile of rubble in our driveway from a basement renovation and deck demolition. Some of it had been there since March.
Since we have a million other house projects going on, I haven’t had much energy for gardening, so our house looks like Grey Gardens right now.
Fortunatly, we live at the end of a cul-de-sac so only a few people have to see the disgrace.
Tiffany says
Just a thought…and I don’t mean this critically at all…but I think I know who your alarm company is due to the shape and color of the sign…They all have their own, so just erasing the name doesn’t make it totally obscure. Or maybe that’s just weirdos like me with CIA agent observation tendencies. :-) Love the makeover!!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the concern! We googled around and there are actually about five different alarm co.s with the same shaped sign and we have altered the color so we think we’re in the clear.
xo,
s
ashley jensen says
I was going to suggest newspaper as weedblock but someone already did! I recently bought a little wooden bench at a garage sale and while I was pulling it out of my trunk I grabbed onto something soft underneath the seat. It was a wasp nest!!!! Luckily it was empty but I quicky ripped it off to deter any wasps from trying to make it their home again. If they even do that?
Also last year on the day of our daughters birthday party we noticed a wasp nest with a few wasps made their home on our porch ceiling. We hadn’t had enough time to knock it down before guests arrived so we had to warn everyone to get in and out quick. I actually made a clever remark to say to people as they were coming and going but I can’t remember it now. Noone was stung though!
Melody says
I’ve never used landscaping fabric before…I’ll probably regret it when weeds overtake my new garden. Does putting soil on top of the fabric help provide nutrients for the plants, or is it only to hold stuff down like you said?
YoungHouseLove says
Yeah we just did a very thin coat of soil to keep the fabric from flopping up through the mulch and blowing around and stuff. But I don’t think it’s necessary at all if you do a nice thick mulch layer (we just did the thin dirt base since we had it on hand).
xo,
s
Michelle says
I once opened the door to my GAS CAP and found a hornet’s nest IN THERE! I have no idea how they or it got in there but it was terrifying. Also, if hornets can live amongst toxic gas fumes…well, I just don’t know how that bodes for us.
Barb says
Everyone has a horror story about weed fabric, but just BREATHE…and see how it goes at your situation. everyone is different. We all have weeds but let me tell you what I do on a daily basis…and yes, I am home on a daily basis..Thank you God!!!!
I call it weed patrol and I say it loosely….I cruise the yard at anytime of day and just pick up the visual weeds I see at that specific walking time. I usually have a handful or small bucketful by the full sweep of the yard. Did I get them all? Hell no…..that is just weed patrol security for the next day. It goes on and on…..and quite frankly, I like doing it this way. It is never done, but I get to see my garden on a daily basis and I can know that I am giving it the old try!!!
try it….you might like it.
B.
P.S. WOULD LOVE TO SEND YOU AN ATTACHMENT OF “MY BOOK LIST OF GREAT READS” TO YOU SHERRY. Sorry, about the caps…..just let me know if you would like it. It comes with titles, authors and a small critique. You will love it. Just let me know and I can send it to FB messaging? Can I?
YoungHouseLove says
Sure! Facebook that over to me Barb! I’d love to see it.
xo,
s
Lindsay says
Barb – My mom does this! The whole “take a walk through the garden every day and grab the major weeds you happen to see” thing. This is why her gardens are gorgeous. :)
My house however? Yeah, I can’t seem to commit to even light-to-moderate weeding more than every couple months (and I only have VERY SMALL gardens). Sigh. I definitely agree though, that if you can get around to this, the results are great! Sadly, I lack that sort of motivation…
Dana says
Someone’s probably already mentioned it (admitting I didn’t read all the comments lol) but that’s a wasp and its nest, not a honey bee. Just knock the nest down (or bring out the Raid if you prefer). But if you ever see a honey bee swarm (google for pictures) definitely call a local bee keeper. Honey bees (unlike wasps) are important pollinators and of course produce honey. My husband is a beekeeper and we have one hive right in our backyard. Whew, lots of parentheses in that post. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man so a beekeeper won’t want my wasps? So sad. Guess I have to get ‘er done.
xo,
s
kelly says
LOL, Don’t plant too many flowers!!! :-P
Apparently because bees love the flowers, etc… mailmen get stung A LOT because of flowers/flowering plants around people’s mailboxes.
Jocelyn Stott says
Looks great!
Heather @ REOlisticRenovation says
We are so in need of a mailbox makeover like that and we are SO THOSE NEIGHBORS too. :) We just used landscaping fabric for the first time in our yard in the area we put our raised beds. Some weeds are coming through the seams only overall it seems to be working!
Amber says
It looks beautiful! I recently caught a glimpse of my neighbor staining his mailbox post, it certainly looks beautiful and makes ours look sad in comparison!
As for weed control- I really struggle with weed fabric- it makes the weeds even harder to pull as they wrap their roots throughout the fabric. I’ll have to try what other readers recommended with the paper and cardboard. I’ve found that sprinkling Preen works REALLY well (no weeds for three months), but I imagine it’s also not really safe for kids and pets.
Great job you guys!
Rachel Tatem says
I wish I liked the weed blocker. I HATE pulling weeds but I haven’t found it to work well… I mean it blocks some I guess?
l.overstreet says
looks awesome! i love little yard projects like that!
also, my grandparents had that same squirrel, although i don’t know if it was named or not. when i was just a wee bit older than clara i loved to snuggle up and hug that squirrel so we have this photo of me pretending to be a squirrel (checks puffed out, hands drawn to my chin) with my arm around the little guy. it was a great graduation/wedding embarrassment photo.
the squirrel is now in my mom’s backyard so i am hoping our future bean and/or beanette can replicate the squirrel love.
Paula W says
Yea, I’m That Neighbor too! Some sections of my garden have not seen a weed-pulling session this year! I am so much better at planning a garden than maintaining it!! So nice to watch you do a better job of it!
Good to let the wasps go to somewhere else, they pack a sting and they can find another hidey-hole soon.
Jessica says
I use newspaper to block weeds. The big con is that you have to do it every year….but what’s nice about it is that it blocks the weeds AND it composts down to feed the soil. By the end of the season, it’s composted down back into the soil, and then you go again next year. I do the same thing that you did with the fabric and mulch, just with newspapers.
Our weeds have grown like crazy this year, and I just haven’t been able to keep up. So yeah, I’ve got a lot of weed business going on, too.
Erin says
You guys grow pretty weeds in Virginia!! I live in California, and we don’t grow big, green, leafy, luscious-looking weeds like that. I have a thing for bugs, (a good thing) so I won’t let my husband remove wasp nests from our yard. So far no one’s been bothered, but I’m sure people thing we don’t take care of our yard.
Erin says
We live in Florida where little lizards run all over – even in our mailbox. I can’t tell you how many times I have screamed and dropped the mail when i find a lizard in between my magazines and credit card bill. The neighbors must think i’m nuts!
Jackie Smith says
Used to recommend giving your kid a bag of grass seed to pitch around the lawn for fun! But this year, she decided, in her five year old wisdom, to plant it where there was no grass to make it pretty! Spent HOURS Sunday weeding grass and weeds from our yard! I can finally stand up straight, ut the back of my legs are still sore!
Now I need to build out some beds and edge around them, hopefully this weekend! This isn’t even counting the mulch pile in the front of our house that has nothing in it! Really condidering having the professionals take care of the front after we do the draintile. HMMM…might have to play the lottery!
sarah @ handbagsnpigtails says
Ok, feeling the need to clear something up here. Paper wasps are completely different from honey bees. Wasps are nasty; honey bees are the yummy honey producers. (My husband is a beekeeper). We get calls all the time asking him to come remove their “bees.” Finally we had to start asking “what kind of bees do you have?” Usually its wasps or hornets people have trouble with. As a beekeeper he has no need/use for those(& honestly doesnt have time to come spray peoples wasps nests). But a beekeeper would be glad to come get honeybees to add to his or her hives as they are productive. We finally had to kindly start telling people to just go buy a can of wasp killer and take care of them on their own.Otherwise he’d never be doing anything but chasing down nests all the time.And hes a super busy guy!:)
Hope that helps clear the air for some readers here:)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Sarah! We’ve learned that our little guy isn’t a sweet honey bee so we’ll be taking care of the nest this evening (hopefully without chemical sprays since Burger and Clara play out there). Hope it goes well!
xo,
s
Ashley @ DesignBuildLove.co says
cleaning up is definitely one of those awesome little quick updates! It seems like we’re always doing a little something here or there! :) What’s funny is that the littlest projects are sometimes the most rewarding or make a huge visual impact!!!
Ashley @ DesignBuildLove.co says
PS- the mailbox area looks fantastic! We too hate weeding and totally bought 30-year landscape fabric! We also figured that we could buy some plants on the smaller, cheaper side and totally let them fill in too! LOVE it! Cost saving and fun to watch your little “babies” grow!
Dina says
Looks great…amazing work as always! I like using petunias for a little color and love how they spread out. Last year my husband and I built a large pergola over our backyard patio, so we could enjoy our yard more without sitting in the hot sun. Your pictures motivate me to buy some mulch which needs to be freshened up in our yard. I love how it looks when it is fresh, but I hate that it needs to be redone every year or two.
Aimee says
We just bought our house about a month ago and the previous owners were “those neighbors” so we have been in overdrive trying to fix the mess of a yard and still take advantage of the planting season. We heard they actually tried to mow around the weeds – which if you saw our yard means they must not have mowed at all.
We did manage to get a raised garden bed in this past weekend. Only took 2 buckets of rocks (seriously – 2 big tupperware totes of rocks out of a 4’x8′, 2″ deep area, crazy), 3 trips to Lowe’s and a broken pickaxe to get it done. Looks great now!