Sheet mulch & Foundation planting

Here in zone 4 we can finally plant in the ground as long as it’s hardy plants. We are still having frost advisories so more tender plants need to wait just a bit longer. This works great for me since I’m putting in foundational landscape plants right now - trees, shrubs and grasses that will form the base structure for the landscape and provide interest and habitat all year long.

Below are photos of the process. I like to show this part because it’s messy! It’s a process. To get that glorious garden you have to move through the steps and some of those steps look messy ;)

I’ve put in a chip drop order (where arborists do free drops of mulch when they are in your neighborhood) and keeping my fingers crossed it comes sooner than later. Obviously I’ll have tons of mulching to do and Chip Drop is a great way to save money. Mulch isn’t cheap! Some people find it too rough but I actually like it that way!

First cut flowers from the garden this year!

Laying down cardboard for sheet mulching.

Adding in a little path (unfinished here) to the side of the house to keep the curving of the sidewalk in motion. It’s just the hint of curving movement (despite being a different material) that keeps the eye moving instead of abruptly stopping.

Sheet mulching. I have fine tuning to do along the edges still.

A mix of needled and broadleaf evergreen shrubs and trees getting planted in.