Bermuda

I love Bermuda grass.  Sure it dies during the winter but with a little TLC back it comes when it warms up.

When we bought our house the owners had not watered the plants consistently for a year or so.  This caused a lot of stress on the plants.  Then I came and it was not much better.  Over time I lost many of the trees.  There were 17 trees on this lot. Some of them died because they were eucalyptus and became sick and full of termites.  The citrus died because I just did not give them enough attention.  The pine trees out front were butchered by the neighbors and so we pulled them.  There were three trees/bushes full of blue berries out front that attracted flies like crazy.  I pulled them out just to maintain my sanity.  (House full of children and flies, no, no ,no.)

We added soil to the front yard and then laid sod down after installing a sprinkler system.  We also planted the apple trees, the grape vines and a few rose bushes.  All of this gets watered on a timer so no matter how distracted I am they survive.  Before the timer is was feast or famine.  I would forget to water or it was running down the street two blocks away.

In the back the children have dug and rearranged the dirt to their whims.  Sometimes with my permission and sometimes without.  We rototilled it one year, Emilee did it.  Then we watered and mostly weeds came up.  Then last winter I put a timer on the back spicit to water a small garden.  Julia and my project.  It leaks a little and lo and behold, here comes the Bermuda. 

Last weekend we moved the garden and re situated it.  We are using the weed eater to mow the grass down it is so tall.  Maybe over the winter we can install a small sprinkler to water some grass to play on.  The children love the dirt but I love the feel of a little grass. I just have to keep in mind to balance my love of grass with my love of a small water bill.