Clover and more clover

Over the years, I've begun to think in terms of low maintenance landscapes.  I guess I'm setting myself up for later in life when I may not be able to manage as much maintenance. So anyway, even before I had bees to consider, I planted clover in this lawn. And so if you let it flower and begin to go to seed, then mow it, it will fill in quickly with yet more clover.  So, that's what has happened here. 

It's taken some getting used to though, if you're accustomed to a nicely manicured lawn, as I have had in the past.  But since I stopped using pesticides, which was many years ago now, I've had my share of weeds in my lawns...which is okay with me, as long as it looks neat.

Clover doesn't look quite as neat.  I'm looking out my back porch now and everywhere I look, I see blankets of clover in full bloom.  Quite beautiful...but not as neat.  Mine are the white clover.  And a big part of me thinks I need to mow it..to make it neat! 

But as I watched the bees go into their hive these last few days, I saw them bringing in white pollen which I'm guessing is from the clover.  So even if I decide to mow the lawn later today, I will feel guilty about taking away their dinner.  So, if I mow at all, it will be the front yard that needs more clover.  And I'll leave alone the rest of the yard that's full of clover so the bees will have plenty to keep them busy and productive.

My land slopes in many spots and the front lawn is one of those spots.  I've replanted there a few times but it tends to run off if it rains after I seed it.  I tell you, it always seems to pour as soon as I plant seed.  So I will mow down the clover in the front that has grown enough and is beginning to seed.  Perfect time to encourage reseeding.  I don't think it's going to rain too soon so we'll give it a try.

Just a little side note on the clover again. You can see the blanket of clover in the shot below. I'll lose this area of clover unless I dig up the sod and put it elsewhere but I probably won't do that this time.  I'm going to cover this approximate 150 sq. ft. section outside my porch with landscape fabric and then cover it with wood chips.  And that will become my patio area ...cheaply!  I only will need the fabric since I still have a huge pile of wood chips from this spring's tree cutting.

This is where I'll put  my little patio area.  I'm standing on a step so it looks like this is on a hill...well, it sort of is on a hill.  I dug the pond into the hill a little bit...there was no other way if I wanted it close. But it's pretty flat where you see the chairs.   I'll add some flat rocks to the top of the pond where you can see those couple of pots so that the kids can get right up close to the water to look at the frogs.  Now, I have too many small plants that will be damaged if they do that so I'll move the plants elsewhere to give them an area.  Just what I need is another project :).