Before and After #6: Side Garden

This summer is all about landscaping - or at least the first in a series of summers dedicated to totally redoing our front, side, and back yards.  I spent this week on the side yard, a long, narrow, brick-paved path along the south side of the house.

BEFORE

AFTER

I pulled out all the mismatched, overgrown plants that were left in the flower bed and replaced them with these grape vines from the fabulous Sego Nursery, my new favorite neighborhood store.

Of the more than a dozen different types of grapes Sego had available, we choose Thompson Green Seedless, Suffolk Red Seedless, and what are known as Seedless Blueberry Grapes (because they look and taste a bit like blueberries).

They don't look like much yet, but grapes grow fast in Southern California - the nursery recommended we plant our grapes ten feet apart to give each plant room to sprawl.

Beneath the vines I started new hyssop and clover seeds, since both are supposed to be good companion plants for grapes, and eventually I'll also add some additional blackberry bushes (I have one already) since they are also good grape companions.

My blackberry, currently in a container on the patio

Even more than fruit, I am looking forward to some beautiful fall color - very few many plants in Los Angeles change with the seasons, but these grapes should be deep red and gold by the end of the year.