For the last few years, I’ve had some beautiful crepe myrtle bushes in my front flowerbed.  They provided color and took up a lot of room and then I had flowers and groundcover around them.  I made the mistake of planting daylilies years ago and they tried to take over.  This year I even cleared a space for some kale and beets in the flowerbed.  I love to experiment.

But the older I get the less I like to weed, water, and those daylilies were becoming a pest.  Then last year the aphids hit the crepe myrtle bushes.  I started off trying to spray them with organic spray, but the aphids laughed.  Then the flies arrived.  I had created a little eco system and the flies found out about the aphids and dinner was served. The bushes, however were next to the front door and the flies found there way in. 

I pulled out the big guns and sprayed with something a little more toxic, but the aphids had taken over and were not going to quit.  At the end of the summer we cut down the bushes.

This spring the bushes came back and it took them no time to grow waist high and bloom beautifully.  Soon the aphids were back and with them the predator flies. It was time for a change. I hired my grandson to dig out the bushes along with the daylilies and I kept the groundcover. In browsing Pinterest, I found lots of gardens that had river rock and shrubs and I decided to completely change my front flowerbed. It would require less water and work.

I dug for days clearing my life of tiny bulbs left over from the daylilies and some ornamental grass that was left behind.  Then we marked the areas that were to be rock and the areas where I would plant English Boxwood bushes.  This could work! 

And then the rains came.

I am so close to being able to finish this project.  I researched and found out the best time to plant English Boxwood was late fall.  If I had my garden all ready before then, it would be easy to slip the bushes in later.  But you can’t rake smooth, lay weed barrier cloth, and spread river rock when the water is over your shoes.

I am beginning to think the rain we desperately needed will never end.  I just want to finish my garden, but Mother Nature had other ideas. I hope to be able to show you the finished project someday, but right now, this is how the garden looks. 

So much for a garden that is easier to work in.  I may never have this project finished. Wish me luck.