Backyard Update

I tend to get excited rather easily about new ideas.  The Little Oratory has been percolating in my mind as I go about my rounds in these first days of Summer.  Our yard has needed attention for a number of years and has been neglected since we usually leave for the summer months.  So, since we aren't leaving this year, I have been able to get to some of the projects I've been wanting to do for too long.

To begin, I planted a bunch of hosts along the edge of our forest to neaten it up.

Then I planted a whole bunch of hydrangeas. I need to get more pictures of these, but here's one bloom that Arwen captured. I need something that doesn't require much sun, but that is large, so it doesn't get dwarfed by the scale of the forest.

There is a sort of clearing in the middle of our woods, and I've long wanted to turn it into a little shrine area.  Well, since I've got "Oratory" on my mind, I thought…ingenious! an outdoor oratory!:)
 Right now it's still bare, with our little St. Francis perched on a rock.  I tried to frame out the "entry"with hydrangeas, which I'd like to place paving stones between, making a path inwards.  I have my eye on a beautiful and large Mary statue at the local garden center.  A birdbath would round things out…and a bench! We'll see how much I can get done. But it's there I'm my mind.

As a fun little surprise, we discovered a bunny hole in our yard this year.  Well, I'm playing the part of Mr. MacGregor this year, as the rabbits have eaten my roses (shoo!!).  But there will always be a part of me that is on the side of the rabbits! Bilbo was excited at the prospect of feeling the bunny fur that is left in tufts around the hole.  I am guessing we'll have little kits hopping about soon.  

I need to get some more pictures, but that's what I've got for now.  A little peek at my summer hobby. I really do love gardening!!  Flowers just make me happy.  However, I need to get back to the inside of my house, which always suffers when I get lost in an outdoors project for the afternoon.  Luckily, pasta salads are a good summer dinner…so I can sort of slough off in the kitchen and get away with it!;)  At least, for a day or two.