What an ugly mess

How much reality is too much reality.....I guess if I am to remain true to this blog being my virtual `diary' of my gardening adventure, the "whole" reality it is.

It pains and embarasses me to display photos of the ugly mess my garden is right now. Being a part time occupant of our Temecula property, a very very part time occupant has meant many a time our garden is an ugly mess as it is right now. The winter rain sprouted lush green weeds and grasses that have over taken the property. Right now the weeds are feeding the aphids and major weeding is needed. The grass seed plumes are almost pretty as they sway in the breeze. Except then I remember that it means a million new grass seedlings will sprout and the cycle will begin again......

Horrors! Is it a wheat field I have grown in my courtyard garden?

Potted fruit trees wintering in the courtyard held hostage by flowering weeds.

I am almost afraid to wade through the weeds for fear of what might be lurking....Something must be done about this weed situation soon. Feeling stranded, unable to get to the door at the end of the courtyard garden.....miserable :(

Alas, it is not much better outside the courtyard garden. While fruits and vegetables are doing well within the planter beds, weeds have invaded every crevices they could find. Hmm, the green tops of the beets do look quite luscious and delicious.

I am sure that the seeds from the weeds have blown into the planters and I will be weeding those beds through the season. I am overwhelmed by the amount of weeding that needs to be done, crippled even.....Depressed. No motivation to garden. It is a sad fact about wide open grounds, wind will blow seeds from afar into your garden.

Today, we interviewed two landscaper with an intention to hire one of them on a permanent basis to tend to our garden. The first project is the major clean up of the weeds. This past year's experience has shown that that if we are to keep on top of the weed situation we need to lay down some weed block and mulch. That will be the second project after the weeds are removed. 

March 26, 2013
What a difference!! God bless the landscaper and his wife who came today. My gardening spirit is awakening again.

Look the door at the other end of the courtyard garden is open! I can see the path again. The weeds were so tall that they could not feasibly remove them with ease. So they basically used a weed wacker to cut down the weeds and removed the greens. Tomorrow they will scrap off the weeds, roots and all. Then we will lay down weed block material and then apply mulch on top of it. 


Finally, I am able to get up close to my flowering apricots plant. Hmm, maybe I can espalier it - it has promising branch structure.