December 8, 2012

It has to start, the cleaning of the patio. The 'before' pictures are deceptive. It looks all green and pleasant, but if you were able to walk around you would see that it's overgrown, crowded out, and almost useless. I've sat and observed and noticed that very few birds enter the area. That is a bad sign. Occasionally, I'll see a rabbit. He's going to hate me during the transition. But he'll get over it once the new plants come in.

The 'before' pictures. This design was installed about fifteen years ago. Except for basic maintenance, nothing has been done to it since. As a basic, low maintenance design, it works. As a permaculture design, it's absolutely useless. It gives nothing back. As far as I can tell, even rodents don't live here.

The flat rocks in the middle-ish of the image is a waterfall. I don't think it's been turned on in over ten years. The top two feet can't even be seen because of the overgrowth.

In the corner of the fence was a bamboo patch. I distinctly remember my grandfather burying the bottom half of a metal drum and planting the bamboo in it to contain it's spread. Well, the bamboo escaped, and nothing really seems to grow in that corner now. 

That's rain water, not pond water. My grandfather got tired of cleaning it so gave the goldfish away and drained it. It has to be pumped out occasionally. The bridge is amazingly sturdy. It could easily hold five people or more. The railings, though, not so much.

 The waterfall is falling. So much debris has fallen into the corner that those plants have become a part of the ecosystem.

Behind the waterfall. Like I said, completely overgrown. The rose is the only flowering plant back there. It's not even visible unless it is flowering. I'm surprised at how much space is completely lacking in growth. I'm not sure why.

 'Wild' bamboo. As I said earlier, they escaped from the container in which they were originally planted. Notice that even after all of these years of neglect very little to nothing grows in the empty spaces. Surprising since it has layers and layers of leaves built upon it from which to develop healthy soil.

 Bags of pine bark mulch. They've been there since the area was designed this way, about fifteen years. Plants are growing out of some of the bags.

More dead space. I know that this area wasn't lined with a weed barrier, so I'm baffled as to why nothing grows here.

Rear view of the waterfall. Yes, there's a waterfall in there somewhere.

This area DOES have a weed barrier. Obviously, even after fifteen years, it's still effective. 

That's it for the tour. I'm dreading the work...who am I kidding, I'm almost giddy to get started. I might as well be giggling like a little school girl.

Suburban Hermit of Fayetteville signing off.