| Summer 2003 - 11105
Bexley Lane, Circle C Ranch  Starting
from bare dirt three years ago, Susan Schaffel created her backyard
with one purpose: to attract winged visitors. Hummingbirds, wrens,
finches, mockingbirds, cardinals and blue jays are regular guests
as well as many types of butterflies.
Susan
chose perennials carefully so that her garden would constantly
be in bloom. 
From
the street, her house and yard look similar to other homes
in the neighborhood, but with this difference: Susan's flowers
and shrubs are mostly native and she has replaced the St.
Augustine lawn with Zoysia grass, which looks similar but
is much more
drought tolerant.
|
A colorful dragonfly lives
near her pond. |
|
A Carolina wren built her
nest in this nesting box near a cross vine. |
|
Inside the nesting box. |
The Making of a Garden
Susan documented every stage in the creation
of her backyard with photos.
In 2000, when she moved in, the backyard was bare dirt. 
Colorful landscaping tape indicates
where the beds will go. 
Stone edges the beds. Susan prepared
the soil in each area with a different organic soil mix for flowers,
paths, and vegetables. 
Plants have been added to the
carefully prepared beds.  
| Water is drained from where
it collects near the gate. It is carried in pipes along the
yard's perimeter, buried beneath gravel, and is dispersed
in perforated pipes in the areas where trees will be planted. |
|
Hoses for an irrigation system are spread
throughout the beds before anything is planted. |
A view of the finished product
from the back deck.
|
