cleaning up the yard

Maybe working outdoors would be nicer if this guy helped us?

Do you garden?

Yes! But this has only started happening the last couple of years, so I'm kind of a beginner. - Steffy

I am trying to get into landscaping & gardening. It's definitely a learning process! We've redone the flowerbeds/shrubs on two sides of the house, and they look pretty good. The others are currently a losing battle! I'll get there - I'll just kill several plants in the process! - Ann 

I've gotten more adventurous with our "garden" every year.  We didn't have one before, then a few years ago, Tom's sister gave me a pot with some mums that I put on the porch, then a year or two after that, some coworkers gave me clippings from their gardens, and the butterfly bush was born!  I think that year (with all the new flowers) was when I started the process of setting up a border for the garden.  Most of the flowers from that year died, but the butterfly bush and several lilies survived.  I think last year, I finished the border on the long side of the porch, so I have a pretty, curved stone border surrounding the porch and house in the front.  And, THIS year, I spent a few days weeding the ground to an inch of its life inside the borders, spread some wood chip mulch and planted my first irises!  I've discovered recently that irises are my favorite flower.  They're just so vibrant and cheerful!  I also cut back the butterfly bush and planted wildflowers all along the house edge, mixed in with the irises.  I can't wait to see everything blooming. - Cristy I like to watch my husband garden, i don't like the hard, sweaty, buggy work of weeding. Last year he made a big deal about how it was sooo hard and hot and he layed down. I picked up the hoe and cleaned up the rest, with my gimpy leg. I like the idea of a garden producing all this great food, but i really have an ICK issue with picking up rotten stuff or dealing with bugs. - Teresa Do you clean up the yard yourself?

Yes, my husband does the mowing, but he's not really big on helping me, he does the "man stuff", like cutting limbs and stuff. - Steffy

I have to admit that I DETEST weeding, though.  So, I only do it once a year.  I know, lazy.  But, it's my garden, darn it!  At least this year I put mulch down to hinder all but the most determined weedy plants.  And, the stuff I planted is in front, so hopefully, once those wildflowers and irises start going crazy, you won't be able to see the weeds as much. :)  - Cristy We are lazy, we pay a service to mow weekly and to weed the flowerbeds. it's really nice having a nice looking yard and not having to worry about when I should do it or make the time for it. - Teresa What's your favorite and most hated outdoor "around the house chore" ?

I love to do stuff like cleaning up the beds, and making it look pretty. The results are instantaneous. But I hate raking... it takes forever. - Steffy

My favorite around the house chore would be anything dealing with fresh, clean soil.  I don't buy garden soil; I figure if a flower can't hack it in our natural soil, it's probably not going to survive anyway.  But, I love the point after I've weeded it and I'm arranging mulch and where I'm going to plant the flowers or seeds or bulbs.  When everything is clean and pristine, I love to just dig around in it and enjoy the potential of it all! - Cristy
I don't mind planting flowers, the result is really nice for a minimum of work. I hate doing dishes. I can fill up the dishwasher 20 times but i hate hand washing stuff. There's a roasting pan in the sink that's been dirty for at least 2 weeks if not more.  - Teresa