I mentioned last week that I wanted to re-do the front yard, which involved a bunch of stuff, including figuring out what’s wrong with the Azaleas. 
Which I did. The location that the leggy, sad azaleas are in is under a dense, early foliage tree, which, while they’re a part-sun plant, they need much more than they’re getting. I plan to move them to the other side of the garden, under they sycamore (a late-foliage tree). I’m hoping this well help them fill in and flower. Maybe not this year, but definitely next.
They also need to be pruned more often than once every 9 years. Oops.
So, that’s at least one thing off my list. I figured out what was wrong (too much shade) and that I have to transplant them. Look for more about the front yard tomorrow!
- Rebuild the wall around the drainage pipe and use mortar this time
- Call the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to verify that I can build a dry creek bed in the ditch
- Build dry creek bed
- Cap off ends of the drainage pipe with some sort of grate (after thoroughly cleaning it out)
- Plant some sun and shade grass seed/patch
- Rip out all of the low bushes, the dying tree, and the sad little stumps
Figure out the Azalea problem (and possibly replant them elsewhere)- Figure out the Hosta problem and fix it (either plant something else or put grass seed up to the tree)
- Prune the little tree
- Move the left side of the garden in about 2 unnecessary feet and plant grass
- Replace the landscaping fabric
- Replace the cedar mulch with black or brown colored mulch
- Edge the garden with blocks instead of cheap black plastic
- Put in a flowering tree or some sort of bush (either a Flowering Almond or a Lilac) on the far left corner of the garden
- Transplant the evergreen that may or may not be dying to the other side of the garden
- Plant impatiens in the flower box
- Buy an insane amount of shade and part sun perennials to replace everything I’m ripping out
- Transplant Azaleas to the other side of the garden
