Yard Improvments

Before:

 This is our "Kidney Bean" planter in the front corner of our yard.  It's seen better days. It's kind of out of the way so I don't pay much attention to it or how over grown it has become.

 I trimmed the tops of the green bushes in the Spring and I also cut the bushes back off the rock.  They had completely grown over the rock.
After:

 Two hours outside today with my ipod and a pair of shears (and 2 "pickup boys" and a husband to use the sledgehammer to push clippings into the garbage can) and here are the fruits of my labors......3 separate bushes...and is that a tree I see back there?

Two nicely trimmed bushes, and a big ol' rock. :)

A few side-by-side shots to I can tell that I really DID make a difference!

 

The ground in the planter is covered with faded bark chips. Rather then buy some now and let them fade over the winter, I'll wait till Spring and buy some more bark to cover it and it will look great!