Let It Grow

My grass is coming up! I'm so excited! Maybe now this area will not look so bad if I can get some greenery on it. I put out a bunch of wildflower seed also so I hope that has taken as well. I really don't want to mow as this just wastes energy (mine mostly!) and time. Also, due to lack of grass or anything, I was having a lot of trouble with the rain washing sand and dirt down onto the driveway in this area. I put these logs along the drive and secured them as a temporary retaining wall. This is the same tree that fell on my house last summer! Anyway, when it becomes rotty or I get more time, whichever comes first, I will remove the logs and probably build a stone retaining wall in their place but for now it is a quick and easy way to stop that run off. The dirt will compact behind the logs and hold it's shape long enough for when I roll the logs away and allow me to get something else up. I back filled behind the logs with some good dirt and compost and have been trying to plant a nice grouping of native and low maintenance shrubs and flowers. Most of them I have collected from the area or been given so they are acclimated for this climate. I have some day lilies and daffodils from a friend. I think I mentioned once before here that if you live in the South and have any amount of soil you are required to plant day lilies. I have some narcissus from Mama's house. There are large clumps of them growing in her pasture that no one can figure out where they came from. I bought a few coreopsis and a crab apple tree. I am also mixing some local, medicinal plants in with the flowers such as mountain mint and mullein. They grow abundantly here and are attractive plants. As with everything else, I try to use plants that are used to this soil (don't require pampering) that you can generally get for free (salvaging) and can serve another purpose such as food or medicine (self sufficiency). Oh, I forgot, I am lining that side of the drive with lavender. That's what those 3 bushy things are to the left end of the logs. OK, I know that is not native but it takes to this sandy soil VERY well.
I have also had some dirt work done recently on the driveway and parking areas. Allen had to get a backhoe with operator out to his job recently so we had him come to the house for a couple of hours to help make his hours for the day. It has made the drive much better. I'll try to post this soon.
I'm still trying to decide on siding and trim and have a request in at work to take the second week of May off. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

*Eric Clapton