The main motivation for lowering the east planter is to prevent the Great Dane from peeking over the wall and antagonizing the neighbor's dog. Having somewhere to plant cactus is a bonus.
In years' past, this herculean task would have completely overwhelmed me. Just the idea of the work involved would have prevented me from starting the project.
If it couldn't be finished in sequential days, I wouldn't do it.
But I've started taking a one step at a time philosophy. I don't have to build a west planter today. I have to move two garden blocks. And maybe two tomorrow.
Sometimes two became 4, but eventually I moved the 22 very heavy blocks I needed.
Now I am working on moving the dirt. I did 8 cartsful today and 4 yesterday. The west planter is actually a west/south 'L' and the west leg is done. The south leg remains.
When that is filled with dirt, I can move the "small" cactus from the kitchen. I have 5 plants that have outgrown the kitchen window. They really shouldn't be moved until September so I have plenty of time to move the next 20 carts of dirt.
That leaves too many blocks remaining in the 4th layer of the east planter. So I plan to extend the west planter until all the blocks are moved. And then move more dirt. Eventually.
After that, I intend to take the 3rd layer of blocks on the east planter and place them forward of the planter to create a double tier planter. One layer of blocks in the front. Two layers of block in the back.
When I am finished, I will have a low planter along the west wall of the yard and a tiered planter on the east wall of the yard. I have no idea what I will plant in the east planter. Right now it holds some bedraggled orange jubilee that the hummingbirds like.
I don't have to decide now. I can chose what to plant when the planter is done.
This year. Next year. Maybe even the year after.
There is no rush.
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| The original east planter. |
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