Shopping the Yard

Today we're going to do some gardening.

 Not just ordinary Let's-hit-the-home-store-and-give-the-wallet-a-workout gardening either.

 We're going to scour the property and use what we've got.

In other words, no dollars were spent this day.

Is that in your budget?

 First, we'll be doing a couple of tricks with this passion vine.

 You may remember this little show off of What's Blooming fame.

 What started as a small vine has grown rampantly out of control and could use a 

bit of corralling, taming, and replicating.

 First, I gathered all the vines, trimming the tendrils of root that curl around

whatever handy thing they can grab.

 I draped them aside and untangled them.

Any nice exposed, green roots on the vine are ripe for propagation.

Simply use a regular hair pin and press the root into the soil of a pot.

Weight it down if necessary.

Why might it be necessary?

This little trick is performed WITHOUT snipping the section from the vine.

That's right; you're making a new plant without detaching it

from the existing one.

Once it anchors itself and takes root, you can clip it free

and transplant it anywhere sunny.

Like that ugly chain link fence I had put around the house.

Now, I seriously don't throw things away.

Like ever.

This pile of crap is the frame of a previous gazebo from before the fire.

Amazing how stable this hook section is for supporting vines in our new passion flower nursery.

 

We needed a trellis for the bulk of the vines,

and this went together from old gazebo parts like an Erector set.

Wrap and twist...

...secure it with a little twine...

...and when these buds burst into flamboyant glory,

they'll have a framework to show them off properly.

Not to mention these little butterfly eggs will be a lot safer up here,

and easier to watch.

 Whenever I prune my herbs, they go right into a recycled

reed diffuser bottle filled with water and then replanted when

 the roots have grown in.

Free seasonings!

And all the mint I have everywhere smells fantastic on the breeze.

Basil makes the patio smell like pizza.

 The back needed some serious clean up.

My sons cleared and readied the soil out back.

 

 I have some little seedlings that need a new home after having been 

started from fruit in a Sunday brunch side dish.

Free honeydew, anyone?

We left that giant fennel, a bay laurel tree, walking orchids,

 and a few other plants that are doing equally well,

but we dug up my five foot high lemon grass.

It was hogging space, and we couldn't find a Thai 

restaurant to sell it to.

 We, of course, did not toss it.

Instead, we scouted for a place to put in a new bed

and let it have a starring role.

 Maybe a few of those tropical bromeliads would like to relocate?

Hmmmmmmmm....

At any rate...

 Get a serious work crew...

 ...that means serious business...

 ...and drag the lemon grass to the front.

 Yep, this clump of ornamental stuff is an herb.

Can you imagine what the street value is???

 Brain surgery time:

 dig a hole.

 Remind your curious pup where her boundaries are.

 Fill the hole with water.

Pop the grass into the hole.

 Pack dirt back around it.

 

 Celebrate.

Go inside and kill zombies on the 360.

 I don't usually wander around with a camera, but you've

caught me in a smug and shameless mood.

 It pays to redo trash and rethink the stuff you have lying around.

Toss it or use it?

The weirdest things have a second, or third, life in them.

Clean them up, spray them with paint, and put that imagination to use!

It's a great way to freshen up for free.

 

 Oh, dear God, what's THAT???