While I was at work last week, my wonderful husband made a start on it and hauled a load of landscaping blocks and laid out the first layer in more-or-less the shape we had drawn out with the soaker hose. He had some extra so he started on the second layer too.
As with our other island bed, we didn't dig out the sod, but instead laid down sheets of brown paper and cardboard, soaking them and then layered soil on top. It's still got a way to go -- we need more of the landscape blocks to finish the second layer and then more soil to plant in.
So, what are we going to put in it? First of all, my husband already planted a small mandarin orange tree and a navel orange tree to replace the two orange trees that had died. (We both LOVE the aroma of orange blossom!) Other than that, I also want to add some low evergreens to give it some substance even in winter.
And of course, as with the other island bed, there will be lots of flowers to offer nectar to butterflies and hummingbirds, as well as for the birds - coneflower, zinnia, Mexican sunflower, columbine and whatever else I can fit in there :-)
There's something a little extra in the bed too. For ages I have wanted a water feature in the garden but wasn't sure exactly what, or where. When I saw this cute little waterfall in the store last year I decided we had to have one in our garden, but until we built this island bed, we really didn't have a place for it.
It looks a bit strange at the moment as it's just sitting there, with nothing around it, but I'm hopeful that as we plant some shrubs and flowers around it, the birds will come in and enjoy it as much as we enjoy listening to it from our patio.
I took the short video clip below as I was sipping my morning coffee on Sunday. It struck me, as I sat listening to the birds singing and the waterfall gurgling that the garden was finally becoming the Green and Serene retreat for which I had named this blog when I started it in 2009.
Words and photographs by Jayne Wilson, Green and Serene, Jayne's Country Garden.
