More update on landscaping

I have been quite busy with trying to get the landscaping sorted out around the house, which is probably why I haven't been able to get to those boxes!  It's is almost shameful the condition that we are living in right now - boxes and "stuff" eveywhere!!!  Thankfully the boys (including Bob) don't mind it so much, especially now that the TV is hooked up and they have their tablets to play on.  And speaking of TV, we didn't even mount it yet but having it sit on a couple of big cushions will do as of now as we can't find the stand. Ha ha!

Here is the area by the side of the house that I have to tackle. After having the gardener take out lots of ivy and shrubbery, I was really worried about a mudslide if/when it rains:

The soil was quite high against the wall so I decided to use some cedar-plank borders.  Obviously more expensive but looks much better than the other grey bricks that I had picked out as well:

Took me awhile to line up all that cedar since I couldn't find my clippers either to get rid of some other plant roots.  I am just glad I didn't fall over while I was on that ledge. Parts of it was a bit steep! Ha ha!

Ta da!!!  And I finally planted the agave plant (bottom right) in a pot as well.  I can't believe it survived almost a month in the garage with hardly any water and it wasn't even in a pot! The agave was from our neighbor's yard back in Phoenix.  I was worried about putting in the ground as I know these plants grow really big!  Maybe once I figure out a good spot of it in the yard somewhere, but in the meantime, it is staying in a pot and away from my fingers! OUCH!!!

It did rain a couple of weeks ago but thankfully not too heavily.  I did eventually get some mulch as it was going to rain again this past week.  Looks so much nicer with the mulch! And more butterfly-friendly plants :-)

And I got adventurous with the backyard again today after the boys and I finished up leveling the old tree stump area.  The rain from Wed and Thur made the soil more manageable to dig so  I decide to take out a couple of the poinsettias from a couple of different locations and plant them in the back (previous) garden.  I hope they survive here as I don't think the sprinklers get up to this spot:

Oh, I broke so many branches from the Poinsettia plant that I decided to bring it inside.  Perfect for December. Ha ha!

 

And as if that wasn't enough to call it a day, I decided to tackle the front yard.  I always wanted to take these plants out - not sure what they are called.  They do have these pretty yellow longish flowers but these plants thrive on water.  So we are definitely going to nix them - especially after going through a seminar on planting low-maintenance plants!  And did you know that the city gives you a rebate on turf removal??!

I am just reading up online and these plants with these yellow flowers are called Angel's Trumpets.  Our real estate agent did mention something about the flowers being toxic.  Well, she is right!  According to the article that I am reading, all parts of the plant are potentially poisonous, with the seeds and leaves being especially dangerous. YIKES!!!

O... M... Goodness!!!  Look at what else I have just read on Wikipedia.  Double YIKES!!!

"Several South American cultures have used Brugmansia as a treatment for unruly children, that they might be admonished directly by their ancestors in the spirit world, and thereby become more compliant. Mixed with maize beer and tobacco leaves, it has been used to drug wives and slaves before they were buried alive with their dead lord."

Can you believe that??! Glad I am getting rid of these plants!!!  There is one more in the back to dig up.  Bees love these flowers by the way.  Sorry bees!  I promise to plant something else :-)

The front is looking better already!

Don't mind the stucco.  Hopefully we will paint the house soon!