March 10, 2008

Spring Has Sprung

As evidenced by the sunny 78 degree weather we experienced today. So, I decided it's about time I got rid of a rotting eyesore and beautified the front yard today.

The New Arrivals: (L to R) Spanish Bayonet, Autumn Sage (Salvia greggiai), Thompson Yucca, Arizona Firecracker (behind the yucca).

The Culprit: a rotting cow-tongue prickly pear that had been run over by a truck several times and been frozen quite solid from some pretty heavy frosts. It was now oozing a nasty orange liquid. It was time for it to go. So I dug it out and chucked it.

This is where that prickly pear used to live. It's right on the corner of our yard, so it's the first thing anyone who visits us sees when they arrive. It took me a couple hours of hauling rocks, moving dirt in a wheel barrow with a flat tire, removing prickly pear spines from my fingers, and digging holes...but I got it done.

VoilĂ ! Didn't turn out too bad, if I do say so myself. I even worked up a good sweat, something that I am sorely in need of doing more often. I was able to salvage a few paddles from the rotting prickly pear. Hopefully they'll take root and we'll have a nice cactus growing there now.

Here's a more artistic view of our little cactus garden. Quite satisfactory.

5 comments:

chumly said...

I need a new plant and you gave me some good ideas, thank you.

Anonymous said...

LOOKS AWESOME PAUL!!!Can't wait to see it in person SATURDAY! The girls have been doing adaily countdown for weeks!!! We will see you, Sonja & the BUBS in 5 days!!!
Luv ya, your favorite sister!!
:o) Janine

kippur said...

Looks awesome! Now for the true test of a horticulturalist...Will they survive.

P. Ollig said...

Thanks!

Well, I did what Francis, the Cactus Guy, said to do. Dug a hole, put some rocks at the bottom of it so that the plant sits a little above the level of the ground, then remove the plant from the pot by pulling the pot off. He also gave me a watering schedule for them.

I'm feeling pretty confident about their survival, even if this is my first real landscaping project.

Kodak the Eskie said...

Beautiful! Came by via the Birdchic. Fun blog.