Blurring the lines...

I've got some great neighbors, but I love my privacy.  The front porch is pretty well screened by a wall of Viburnum, the back deck is privatized on one side by my garden shed and the other by English Dogwood and Turks Cap.  Some areas just lack background bones...I've got plants that need scenery behind them, other than the neighbors' what-have-you.  Here's just one of my problem areas.  This bed starts as I come out of my vegetable garden, on the back of the property.



To the left of this fence sits a humongous boat... I can't develop this area yet, just trying to improve the other end of this flower bed.

Bleeding Heart Vine, which ends this run.

Mix of caladiums, coleus, hostas and other shade loving plants.  This bed gets no sun.  I hate this bed...hate the rocks, hate that the plants look squished into a too-tight area.  Can't expand to the right as that area is the driveway which leads to the Honey's shop.

This is where the Bleeding Heart Vine and the rock bed meet, two separate beds that I would like to flow together.

So, we removed the rocks...

took out the sod and re- shaped the bed.

Tomorrow...plants for the background (whatever can live sans sunshine) and a yard of compost.  I'll probably do a border, spread the existing plants around and see what I come up with.  Although I know I won't get complete privacy, maybe I can blur the lines a little.  At the least, it will give the area a softer look. 

A complete change of subject now...the hare and the tortoise

This little guy surprised me the other morning as I was heading out with coffee. 

Of course, he darted away as soon as I opened the door.

Not really a tortoise, just a streaky head turtle from the lake...

Laying eggs,  a week or so ago.

Unfortunately, something found the nest a couple nights later, and her efforts were in vain.  We have raccoons, as well as armadillos, but I think the raccoons would have eaten the entire egg.  Perhaps the armadillo accidentally destroyed the nest, some nights it seems they dig up half my gardens...but, that's a story for a different day.

If I see another 'momma' making a nest, I'm going to cage over it.  May or may not work, but at least I'll try.