Changes to front garden

Front view of the garden before I started in on the clean up.

The balancing pots are very sad looking and need to go. There is a thistle reaching for the sun which also needs to 'take a hike' and the poor Penstemon on the right of the pots, needs some support. Sheesh! how did I get so far behind? oh yes! I have been to California, I have been working, and also most of my energy has gone into the vegetable garden. However, shame on me for letting this garden get into such a state.

After a few hours work
The balancing pots have been pulled, and a pot holding a hosta is temporarily filling in this spot, and the penstemon has a support of bamboo. I keep all the old dead pieces off the bamboo plants especially to use as plant supports. I have also spread about a four inch layer of compost over the whole garden ohhh! my aching back. There I go whining again, but what gardener doesn't whine now and again?

One of the reasons the balancing pots failed, is that the water from the sprinkler head had been covered by the leaves of a nearby plant which had grown taller over the summer. I took care of this problem by pushing a plant stake firmly into the ground, and wedging the sprinkler head into the top curve of the plant stake. 'Works like a charm' I also did the same with a couple of the other sprinkler heads, so they would be above the plants, and now the whole garden gets a good soaking.

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Before and after, from the rear of the garden.

Before I pulled the balancing pots.
Nothing grows in the space between the concrete blocks supporting the edge of the garden and the wall of the house, as it is under the eaves. I really don't want to have a garden right up to the house, as I like to have this small path to use as an access to the back of the garden.

Ta Da! all done except for raking up all the mess from the path. The large yellow pot is now a summer home for my potted hibiscus which will go indoors for the winter. There are still a couple of plants I am thinking of moving, and consideration given to new places to grow some of the annuals next year, as I realize this garden is a little shaded by the low fence, and it gets just morning sun. I will have plenty of planning and research to keep me busy during the cold winter months ahead.
Next on the list is the vegetable garden. I have the urge to get in there and start pulling out the sweet peas which are so scruffy looking, yank some the veggies which did not produce and toss them to the rabbits who will be happy and just do a general clean up, but that is for another day.
It is a bitter/sweet time in a gardener's life, when it comes time to pull spent plants, but we know, and look forward another growing season in the future.