As you can see the Garage Side Path to the back garden is hardly discernable. The pine needles that I use to delineate this path from the beds has worn down this summer. Time to get it refurbished while the pine tree is sluffing off old needles.
Oh oh, the drought this summer has taken my pine needle supply away. This might not be the only tree I lose this year. A Locust tree isn't looking so good either...back to the path. I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to scrape up enough needles but I happened on a gold mine.
An aquaintance from the park where we walk Annie lives up the street. I noticed he was mowing around a couple of big pines in his garden. I also noticed the golden blanket of pine needles below his trees. I stopped and asked if I could collect his needles. He was thrilled. Collect I did.
My DB helped with the collection and he wondered what I would do with all the left over bags. Ha. By the time I finished I only had a half bag left.
I even had enough to lengthen this path.
So whenever you walk off the driveway to go around back you can see where you are supposed to go. Or you can vere off into the side lot.
As you go around this big shrub
You walk down the path to another little side path into the side lot.
Or you can go straight to the side gate.
In the middle of this path there is a space right under the garage window where it is difficult to get anything to grow. I decided I could place a difficult to place bench here. It is really more for looking at than sitting on. The poor forsythia appear to be a victim of the drought. I will see how they do next spring and if they don't revive...well, you know.
Looking back through the gate you can see it looks quite neat.
It is neat and tidy now, people will know where to walk.
A friend was through here last evening thought the path looked wider. It really isn't wider you can just see it now. Have you been doing any little projects in your garden this fall?
It looks great Lisa. Wonderful garden recycling.
ReplyDeleteI do the same. I have several pines and use the fallen needles for the woodland path. A job I have yet to do.
I hope you get rain soon. We have had very little rain this year.
My garden is as dry as a bone. I have lost some plants but it is what it is.
Love the little bench :)
Have a great weekend.
Thanks Cheryl, we did get a little rain the other day. It made me feel as good as the plants responded. I hope you have a great weekend too.
DeleteA job well done! I love garden paths and find it interesting to see the creativity that goes into them. We have a couple of big pine trees.....you got me thinking......
ReplyDeleteThanks Sally. I hope your project turns out good too.
DeleteWow!! look at all those pine needles! If I had pine needles I would be thrilled if you took them, too!
ReplyDeleteYour path is wonderful.
I wish I had access to pine needles like that as I think they make beautiful mulch and paths. Yours is lovely, and you know I'm a sucker for a path. Very nice!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story! I'm so happy you had access to all those glorious needles! The paths look fantastic! Your bench is so neat to to view there! You sure are a very industrious gardener, and it is so admirable! The change in the yard for me this last month or so, is sort of a negative/reverse change! I removed my tire garden! No more tires, and the grass is growing in! It is bittersweet, but I am happy when I see just straight up grass, as it is so much easier to mow! My son has been coming to mow every Sat. morning, and it has been a lifesaver for me!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine how your garden looks after the hurricane came through Julie. I am glad that you and yours is ok. Maybe you can think of your garden as a blank slate and start anew. Sometimes I wish I had a blank slate to easier change some things in my garden.
DeleteYou found some treasure! I love the idea of using pine needles for paths! I've been thinking about replacing some lawn with paths next year. I might try this because I have access to some piney areas up by our cottage. Your paths look great! You might be surprised at how many plants and shrubs come back just fine next spring. I was shocked at how few plants I lost after our drought of 2012. We didn't have rain from early June to mid-August that year, and the highs were mostly in the mid- and high 90s. The drought/heat destroyed a patch of lawn on the hill, but most of the perennials and shrubs survived to grow another season. I hope that happens for you, too!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a treasure trove of pine needles. I hope my plants can hold on until next year.
DeleteOh, I hope you don't lose your pine tree. I love walking on soft pine needles. Lucky you had a neighbor who didn't know the value of what he had.
ReplyDeleteYes, he was thrilled I would take them away.
DeleteLOvely place! It's always raining in my country so composting is what I am doing right now because the weeds just kept growing.
ReplyDeleteI too am a garden path and recycling fan, Lisa - great job! It really does show how we can fool the eye with a strip of the same material into thinking the area is bigger. I do love walking on pine needles too. I hope you don't lose any more plants/trees. Having little to no rainfall must be a game changer in terms of gardening :-(
ReplyDeleteI love pine needle paths. The wonderful feeling and soft swishy sound is magical. I rake them up from an aging neighbor's trees and friends give them to me as well. usually a fair amount of leaves mixed in but the price is right. Like you, I am loving this rain.
ReplyDeleteYour pathway looks great! Lucky you to find all those pine needles, but I realize it took some work to collect them all. I was hoping to use some of our pine needles this fall, too, but there just aren't as many as usual.
ReplyDeleteLove all these rejuvenated paths ~ so lovely ~ like the 'Secret Garden' ~
ReplyDeleteA ShutterBug Explores ~ aka ~ (A Creative Harbor)
ps. I live atop a hill and do lots of sky watching as you suggested