~ ~ ~  Belles Gardens' History   ~ ~ ~

	Let's go back to the beginning...In 1996 I had major construction done. We had to have the foundation on a 1957 addition rebuilt. The patio was put in next, then 1997 and 1998 found me regrading the bankings, placing the rocks, improving the soil, and planting the perennials.
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On to 1999...Below you can see photos of my gardens taken from May through August.We will start out back with the rock gardens. They wrap around the livingroom and are full of low growing perennials.
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	Patience is the most important thing every gardener must learn. (That and how to get your nails clean) Hi everyone! See how they filled in?
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I use annuals along the top of my rock gardens for color. See how they bushed out..
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This is my "Bunny Garden". By the end of the season, the statues are hidden behind the plants...
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Along one side of the front yard is my "tall" garden. Mid summer is its' glory time with the loosestrife and phlox in full bloom.
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Spring of 2004 found me building a new birdbath garden for my feathered friends. They seem to enjoy it, though no one wanted to pose for the camera...
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Fall has arrived and Belle is despondant. Please grab a rake and help her with the dreaded leaves!
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	Belle and I want to thank you for stopping by. We hope you enjoyed our little history.
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My swamp began flooding in 2003, and along with all the water came the ducks. I no longer worry about throwing away unused bread ;) I now worry about trying to get some quiet time for me and Belle on the patio on summer afternoons! That duck in the right hand picture, it was a warn day. She was asking me to turn on the water and hose her feathers down! LOL Ya, I am a quack...
March of 2006 was the end and the beginning. With the help of our State Representative, the local county mosquito control folks were able to access the area and dig the most wonderful trench so all that water could drain away... the way it used to before some property was.. never mind that for now. The pictures show the flooded area just before and then after the work was completed. I have now spent two years on bringing the lawn and gardens back to life since the flood. The gardens are brilliant with loosestrife, faux sunflowers and daylillies of many colors. And the lawn? They say what happened to the area, all that water, is a poor mans fertilizer. That is true. The grass out there is thick and so green. Last year we suffered a drought (It is always something). We were under a total water restriction. My front lawn was a crunchy brown while the back was, yes, still lush :). I hope to have pictures to put in here sometime... So recovery from that muddy mess is nearly complete. It is the dead trees that still remain. They have been shedding their bark and branches over the years so that what is left is is just a ghost tree, a reminder of the strength and beauty of the maples and the ugliness of the flood. I must say here that as glad as I am to have my land back, I miss those crazy ducks!

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