Woodland paths

The path to our front door is finally taking on the feel of a woodland path, happily.  In the second year after planting, the Christmas ferns, bloodroot, wild gingers, crested iris, and other (tough) woodland wildflowers are looking good.

The rhododendrons are in flower now, so it feels a bit like being in the mountains.

A new flagstone pathway

An unusually balmy fall day (it hit 75° F in mid-afternoon) was great for gardening. The low humidity made for a deep blue sky, not the usual sort in the Southeastern U.S.

My gardening companion (aka my husband) suddenly thought that we needed to place the stones 'left-over' from our front pathway project (uh, a couple of years ago) in the mulch beyond the backyard gate. He spread the gravel (the pile next to the garage has been there awhile, too), spread the stones, and said it was ready for the expert stone-placer (that's me). The front pathway has been a pleasing addition, but it WAS a huge effort, although quite rewarding.

It was a bit challenging (these were the leftovers, after all). And, a couple of months of relative inactivity has left me in need of more strengthening work, and I'm certain to be sore tomorrow! But it was a good start to the path and patio that we've got planned, after a new delivery of stone.

The gravel and stone are quite bright-looking, so I haven't taken a photo yet. But soon, rain, leaves, and bits of organic matter will soften the overall effect.