Taking shape

I didn't do a huge amount to my back garden last year because I wanted to see what bloomed when. This year, I'm ready to start tackling it.

This has meant digging out copious numbers and varieties of weeds, which is a never ending task. But today I started on the "Big Clearance" project. Even though there were predictions of all-day storms, it's been a glorious day in my little corner of Central Illinois. 

Step 1. Buy appropriate plants that will attract bees and butterflies and some good ground cover plants. 

Check. Got those last weekend. 

Step 2. Clear out the horrible complex of bulbs. They're so compacted that they don't even really flower much. I've got several areas of compacted bulbs that need to be cleared out. 

The first area of attack is about 4x3ft. Out of that small section, I filled 2 heaping wheel barrow loads. Not a little wheel barrow, either. 

That's one load.

One area cleared. 

Check. 

Next, add good garden soil and mix into area. 

Check. 

And finally add the plants. 

Two different types of lavender, which really seems to like other similar areas in my yard, some Columbines, milkweed , some sage and several other things. 

Getting an area that looked like this:

And make it look like this:

Is very satisfying although very hard work. No telling how long those bulbs had been growing and they didn't want to go!

But I will get them prepared to give away so others can enjoy them. I may even transplant some of them in other sections of the yard. But in a way that will make both me and them happier.