This past weekend, Elizabeth and I got a good taste of what it's like to be landscapers. We decided (after almost calling it off due to lack of funds and time) to finally fix up our back yard. For the longest time it's just been a nice, grassy, somewhat empty area. Like this, looking off our back deck:


And like this, in the opposite direction, facing the house:


We've had plans to fix up the back yard for a couple of years, and I'd gotten tired of putting it off (plus I wanted some privacy again, after losing our big-ass willow tree to the hurrican in fall of '03). So we call my parents, gardeners extraordinaire, and early Saturday, we got cracking.

First we used the lawn mower to cut out where we'd put the flower bed, then my dad fired up the sodcutter we'd rented from Home Depot, and he proceed to skin off the top two inches of grass and topsoil from the beds. Lizzie, Mom, and I did all we could to keep up, picking up the pieces of sod he left in his wake.

Then the beds were tilled, and while Lizzie and Mom planted (Drew supervised), I began unloading all the mulch we'd picked up.

Several LONG hours later, and a full day of mulching by yours truly yesterday, our yard was now officially park-like. We've dubbed it Jasper Park:







Now all we have to do is finish planting the last few odds and ends left over from the weekend, plant a couple crepe myrtles and bushes, and keeps everything watered. Huge thanks to Mom and Dad for working like crazy to help us on Saturday. We had a ball, even if I can barely walk today...

More photos of the work-in-progress are at the Jasper Park album. Enjoy! Now where's that ibuprofin. Later...