Lakeside at the Lees

This year is my first real experience with gardening. I designed the landscape while Rob harvested and hauled in endless 150-lb. rocks and was all-too-happy to do it. Together we did the soil amendment and plantings. All projects were completed based on an almost nonexistent budget for landscaping. Almost everything you will see here has been in place for only one season, with some beds as young as six weeks old.

While this will not seem such a feat for seasoned gardeners, bear in mind that my first bed went in with the help of another gardener who held my trembling hand while I planted (mostly hand-me-downs from him). After that tiny little spot was filled, he left me cold-turkey. I not only managed to put in a "few" more things...once I started I couldn't stop. I'm not nearly finished yet!

Topping the pergola is silver lace vine. Evergreen wisteria was added as a container plant and will hopefully intermingle next year. Our fishing Scottie (Mojo) studies his prey while sidekick Spam offers strategic support.
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The native iron ore rocks forming the walkway were all laid by hand (and knee) by hubby Rob, who also harvested them from friends' property (one by one up a steep embankment). The project was only completed a couple of months ago. Golden moneywort is beginning to fill in the cracks, as well as dwarf mondo. When we purchased the house two years ago, there were no structures (fence, arbors, pergola, boathouse) ... not even a blade of grass, which we sprigged ourselves (of course!).
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This arbor is fronted by yet another (also in white iron) not shown here. The hydrangeas in this bed this season were a KILLER blue! The interior of this cross-fenced section will eventually house another cottage-style garden. This section was intended as a place for our doggies while we entertained, but they've actually never been sequestered there (and probably won't be!). Hey...they're the ORIGINAL party animals!
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