The Raised Bed Garden

After raking...

and before raking...

I'm so glad I was able to spend the time! (I'll finish tomorrow)

This morning I completed a bed for my new Rosy Lights Azalea and planted it. Someday it will help to camouflage my compost pile! Then I planted a couple of new hostas in the backyard. This Spring is so lush already... it's so thrilling, fulfilling, and inspiring to be outdoors working in the dirt.

Yesterday I found out that the trillium I gave my aunt, from my backyard, was Not a red trillium, as I so inexpertly thought… but a Toad Trillium (author's note: Now I know it's a Trilliam Recurvatum Beck! Still not an expert!). Here are some pics of this morning’s work, as well as of various parts of our yard.

I finished raking (last Fall’s and this Spring’s) oak leaves from around the beds and hauled three large tarps full of leaves to the back ravine. There are just a few more leaves - perhaps a couple of tarp loads - but I'm finished for today. Everything looks pretty good in here for the moment.

I wonder if my neighbor will be looking at my yard someday? I still like to peek at theirs, though! I have several neighbors that love to garden... and they all have inspiring spots!