ragdall's backyard

[ragdall]

Some time ago, Mary asked me to take 360º shots of my "garden". I've taken pictures for this project on several occasion but never found time to edit and organize them. I took some photos this afternoon. As a result of rain almost every day, dealing with my husband's medical problems and my general laziness, none of the many garden improvement/maintenance projects on my list were done this summer. Please try to imagine it looking much better than it does?

From my bedroom window, August 23, 2011

Very green by diffuse, on Flickr


Here is a Guest Pass link flickr.com/gp/diffuse/6T5E2r/ to view some photos of my yard. You can click on the little pictures there to see detail and descriptions or view the images as a slideshow.

[sandrainsydney]

wow!

[maeve]

What a lovely, peaceful yard and gardens, rags! Thank you.

[ragdall]

sandra and maeve,
Thank you.

Posting the pictures of my neglected yard encouraged me to spend a few hours out there today, with light rain falling off and on, mowing lawns, cutting back plants that had bloomed (mostly daisies), deadheading flowers, pulling weeds, sweeping out the bird pools and refilling them with fresh water.

Sadly, the yard doesn't look much better tonight than it did yesterday, but I have to start somewhere.

rags

[sandrainsydney]

first steps ...

[maeve]

You see the faults, rags. We see the sweep of green, the color and texture of leaves and flowers. Take heart! There is loveliness there!

[jennieg]

Oh, that is so pretty! Loved the picture of the squirrel - I know they are rodents, but we find their antics funny to watch as we don't have any in Oz.

[ragdall]

Sept 9, 2011 5:17:03 GMT jennieg said:

Oh, that is so pretty! Loved the picture of the squirrel - I know they are rodents, but we find their antics funny to watch as we don't have any in Oz.

Jennie,
I love my squirrel too. Now there are no leaves on the Green Ash, the crows have been stealing the peanuts from his hanging feeder, but they are very careful to stay clear of the squirrel.


Peanut thief by diffuse, on Flickr

[sandrainsydney]

wow! I have pics of crows but have never been able to get so close (personally or via zoom)

[jennieg]

That's one very cheeky crow!

[ragdall]

Sandra,
Crows are very intelligent and are said to recognize human faces. They are wary of me, but I think they know that I won't harm them.

Jennie,
The crows must be very fond of peanuts. They will work very hard to get them.

[ragdall]

My peanut thief wondering if it's safe to steal one with me watching.


Here's lookin' at ya by diffuse, on Flickr

[ragdall]

Alas, summer is over, the leaves are falling. I have a lot of leaves to pick up.

Fallen leaves by diffuse, on Flickr
The Mountain Ash (Rowan) leaflets are so small they are difficult to catch with a rake. The lawnmower was a big help. I know there will be another pile on the ground soon but at least the ones on the ground in this photo are all chopped and in the compost box now.

[sandrainsydney]

how the mighty have fallen & how they meet the even mightier lawnmower! I also loved the sunset pic.

In my part of the world we don't get such seasonable changes, tho friends a few hundred miles south do.

By the time you read this your green lawn will be parti-covered again! If you leave the leaves under the snow have they become a mucky mess by the time the snow eventually melts?

[ragdall]

Yes, the leaves will need to be raked up in the spring or they will rot on the lawn and be messy.

I raked up another bunch of leaves just in time for this


First snow by diffuse, on Flickr

As you can see, leaves fell as it was snowing and are stuck in the snow. We've had more snow since then, most of the leaves have disappeared under it.