the before

This is the "official" before photograph — you know, that from which everything will spring. You see, I really did raze the front garden. It took about a week (and the purchase of a really nice shovel). I tried to find a picture of the front garden from last year to compare, but I couldn't find one — I must not have taken one. Probably out of shame. This one is from July 2010, which is a bit unfortunate, because it's very verdant and green, and so the contrast is even starker. At any rate, as you can see, there were many bushes and they had height. Last year was kind of like that, only more so.


And now all of that is gone, except for some of the chives (I don't think I could kill the chives in this place; they will still be here when the Sun burns up), and about half the lavender (ditto). All of the other small specks of green are just remnants — some patches of violets, which will be dug under, and some clumps of iris. That narrow patch of grass between the path and the retaining wall is going to have wildflowers, maybe some calendula, and poppies, so it's going to be let alone (though we did trim back the grass).

Oh, and tulips. I left the tulips. I just couldn't kill them — although I think the neighbourhood cats have been doing it for me. Not only have the taller ones been nibbled, but I'm pretty sure some of them have also been sat on.