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Slate Blues




















All of us who've been involved in the planting of The Footbridge Garden have concentrated on the front sections, because there was a nasty piece of slate wedged in packed dirt by the supports for the footbridge. It was large, but I always hoped this piece could be moved, so we renew the soil, and put in a focus plant and a trellis with climbing vines.

But, how to move the slate? Miss V and I had dug around it, and made a place for the slate to be moved, but we could not even budge it. We needed help.

So, one day, our friend Mr. H offered, and brought along Mr. J. for some added muscle. After a few tries, we called for more strength.  When Mr. D. J arrived, it suddenly seemed possible. There was some huffing and puffing, and then, it was in place moved directly under steps for a 'patio'. What a great feeling! Thanks, team!

Then, I got to work connecting the path to the newly positioned slate with some makeshift steps.  At Home Depot I found some 6" new slate tiles (way too blue, in my opinion), but I put those in temporarily to see if they would work. And in the corner, I planted a little helleborus - an evergreen perennial that actually starts blooming in winter!  This should brighten the winter months, and add some interest here all year long.

However, the steps have now undergone a change since these photos: I guess someone else either thought those tiles too blue for the slate, or desired them for their own space - so four of them disappeared a few days later. Hmmm. Not so nice, even if they were only 87 cents each.

Oh well, I was not wholly satisfied with the color and newness of them. It's a work in progress here.

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