Mulch and more

10/24/2016

We decided to lay mulch around the beds for several reasons

1) Prevention of grass and weeds (we didn’t want to mow, basically). Keep it low-maintenance!

2) We needed a surface that was wheelchair accessible, and although not ideal, it does the job. (I have been able to roll my stroller on to the mulch and it does get stuck occasionally.)

3) We could afford it! This really should have been up at #1. The area we needed to mulch was quite large — spreading around eight garden beds, the pergola which is 20 feet by 20 feet, and eventually flowing back into the orchard housing 10 fruit trees. Our original first choice as a surface was decomposed granite. Due to the wheelchair accessibility this was recommended to us as most ideal option, however, the cost of installation prohibited us from going in that direction. It was a choice between about $2, 000 vs. $10-15,000.

At this point in the year (autumn) our supplies budget had dwindled down. Being the resourceful beggars that we are, we decided to ask around to local businesses for free mulch. We chased down tree-trimming trucks, called everybody we knew, and finally Home Depot (#266 East Colonial) fulfilled by Old Castle material suppliers came through! They agreed to donate three pallets of mulch, which was perfect for this stage. The only caveat was … we had to pick it up.

Now, Amalie and myself have SEVEN children between us…(she jokingly describes us as ditzy soccer moms trying to start a school garden). We are not gardeners or landscapers by trade (yet), so we have SUV’s, not trucks. We have car seats and sports gear taking over our own cars.

The Solution  (there’s always a solution):

1) rent a truck

2) ask volunteers with trucks to pick-up the mulch

Our wonderful friends and neighbors -The Hinshaw Family– drove to Home Depot on E Colonial to pick-up the mulch and drive all the way back to school. Unfortunately, the entire first pallet was loaded in a stack in the back of the truck, so it was a very long, slow, nerve-wracking drive back to school. I thought Darren was going to kill us! Such a trooper! Thank you Hinshaw family 💕🌱 The two big boys helped unload the truck- awesome helpers!

The second and third pallet were delivered another day by Amalie renting a truck and making two trips. Let’s just say she received lots of looks at Home Depot! 😚👀🔥

Mulch bags were everywhere. Now to lay weed barrier and dump these bags of mulch around the beds and under the pergola. Enter Daniel and Shannon Gunn! Her father, Mr. Connelly, and Daniel of Top Gunn Landscaping, came to help over several days. They were the muscle we nedded! Such amazing people 💕🌱 Thank you Connelly-Gunn Family!

And now it’s coming together!

UPDATE: Colleen Williams picked up a large truckload of mulch from Whisper Winds a few days later. Thank you Williams Family!! 💕🌱