The following is a guest post from loyal reader Sandra Taylor, who was inspired by our year-long vow to get those projects done that we’ve been putting off.  

I am notorious for shopping the roadside junk piles around trash day.  One great find was a pond liner.  I wasn’t even sure if it had a leak but I stuffed it part way into my trunk and drove the few blocks home.  For the next few years it sat under my house.  Finally I decided that I needed to use it or lose it.  Fortunately, the liner did not have a leak so I did a little research on the internet before starting my project.

I ripped out the old plants, most of which were day lilies that would not bloom due to the shade.  And then I started to dig, and dig and dig some more.

I had to do some reshaping of the flower bed so the monkey grass was taken out too.

Most of the plants were free from the horticulture dept. at Auburn University. (I am lucky to have a neighbor who teaches there).  At this point more rocks need to be added, etc. (The rocks came from the surrounding woods).

When I read your article about finishing a project that has been needing completion, I decided to get out and finish this up.  Well it is finally finished but I see some things like need tweaking, like some of my plant selection (yarrow looks a little weedy) so I will change that up in the fall.  (We have VBS and a wedding to plan for this summer.) Besides, summer temperatures and humidity are torture here in Auburn, Alabama.

But here is where I am at right now.  Just a few changes in the fall and I think I will be happy with the result. The cost for the entire project so far is probably less than $100.  The “thing” in the corner is an old patio fireplace of some sort that was rescued out of a junk pile.  It is covered with rust but I think it works for adding interest to the corner.

Our house is in a heavily wooded area. My yard tends to be more of a cottage type feel than a formal landscape, so the wildflowers “feel” right for my yard.  I do have two frogs that live in the pond along with 10 goldfish. I heard the frog croak the other day.  I think he might be a bullfrog but I’m not sure.

Sandra Taylor lives in Auburn, Alabama, where she and her husband of 26 years co-teach a Crown Financial class.  Together they teach the Biblical principles of finance and help couples develop a spending plan.  In her spare time this mother of two adult children travels, gardens, leads a weekly Bible study, hosts “adopted” Auburn University students, and helps plan her eldest daughter’s wedding.

Stay tuned later this month as Christina pushes herself to complete something on her “Get it Done” list.

 Photo credit: Sandra Taylor