Since our yard has the potential to be a GINORMOUS time-sucking black hole of yard work, and I don't like to sweat on purpose, I've mainly focused my gardening efforts on the front yard. This has the three-pronged effect of a. looking nice from the street, b. locating most of my gardening work in close proximity to the kids' pool, and c. creating a woodsy backyard that I don't have to stress over. Yesterday, I discovered another major plus. The slope along the side of our house that I've allowed to go all to hell (goldenrod, wild bramble roses, bee balm, and impossible-to-extinguish yucca) has become a treasure trove of blackberry vines! To most gardeners, blackberry is an invasive weed. And while I don't want it showing up in my flowerbeds, it happens to be my favorite berry on the face of the earth. Bear and I stood and chowed all of the ripe berries right off the vine, and plenty more will be ripening in the next few days.
Score! Chalk one up for neglect.
