When I bought my house, the lot next door was vacant. Fourteen years later, it was still vacant with a For Sale sign. That was MY sign to buy it. In 2021, I stroked a check and started planning a beautiful garden where people who walk around the lake could stop and explore unique plants and even take home some herbs (I don’t use pesticides).

In early 2022, I started getting into the woods and clearing out the underbrush, trimming the trees, and getting rid of the scrubby ones. I left the naturalized bamboo at the waterfront so the ducks had some hiding places for their babies (we have a bad hawk).

Then the landscaping began, and I created a walking path:

Here’s what it looked like the day I bought it

While the weeds and I have been arguing who owns the property, Captain Vinegar has been strongly encouraging them to vacate the premises. It’s a work in progress (as all gardens are), but it’s my Happy Place.