Backyard Jungle Meets Its Demise

The backyard jungle the day I bought the house.  Pretty, ya?

 When the first warm week in April hit, I went to town on the backyard.  I love my enormous clippers.  Also found out I am dangerous to plant life when given a pick-ax. Basically I've removed every living thing in the back except for rose bushes I found in the bramble.  Below is a fun panorama showing the 3rd world flavor of the backyard.  I don't know what the gray smear is, that's photoshop for you, but I promise it's just more dirt.  Note the lovely disintegrating pavement and concrete pad from the old garage.  Add in the fact that we have clay soils, and it's a stormwater infiltration nightmare back here.  My car almost got eaten by the mud a month back, but my awesome neighbors helped me dislodge it, thank goodness!

The aftermath of jungle removal, day one.  Rinse, repeat for 3 days.  Start to see the fear in the eyes of the city workers who remove the debris everyday. What the hell else can this chick have back there? they wonder. Don't worry boys, there's still more where that came from!

Here's the backyard as of last night, after my soon to be roommate and I put in our vegetable/herb/flower garden.  The dead tree / stick will be removed soon as will the ever-so-charming, rusting, falling down, tetanus nightmare fence.  Which reminds me, I should probably have a booster shot before I take that down...  The plan is to replace it with forsythia and lilac bushes, mainly because I can take cuttings from my mother's yard for free, which is my favorite price point.

Three rose bushes were left where they were in the garden, seeing as they were mostly along the side.  One was smack in the middle so I dug it out and planted 5 stalks along the front side of the house. At first I was sure they would all die, but I have some new growth surprisingly enough.  I mean, like four tiny leaves, but I'll take it.

We're planning a huge swath of mint to hold onto the side of the garden hill, so that it doesn't slowly slide down and disintegrate.  Also, we like mojitos.

Front Yard Before:

(yes, I had my camera on the wrong light setting. Deal)

Front Yard 1/3 done:

  The urn has plants again, yey.  I need some mulch to help smother all the grass - I hate grass! Next year I'll put in a brick patio circle around the urn and some more bushes.  But the walkway and stairs might have to be replaced next year, so I can't plant anything close or I'll just have to rip it out.