A morning walk revealed such beauty.

We live in a downtown urban area but there is so much nature to enjoy.  It truly speaks of the resilience and the glory of the natural world.

Upon returning home I found more beauty awaiting me; 

both the uncultivated...

...and the cultivated.

This inspired me to return to a project that I recently started.

We have a massive flower bed that runs along our fence line in the backyard.  It essentially runs the entire length of the back yard and is six feet (or more) wide.

The previous owners allowed trees to volunteer in this bed and planted vines which have taken over the bed.  I have decided that this is the year to get some of this under control and claim this bed as my own.

Here is what I have managed to do thus far.

I am mostly using plants that I have found on the property.  Some of them were hiding under the vines, some were given freely by others cleaning out their own beds, and others were found in other flower beds on the property.

The items decorating the bed are bits and baubles collected from around the house.

I did purchase a couple of plants to augment the others.  I purchased plants that are more reflective of my personality.

Overall, I am pleased with my progress.  I am not striving for perfection here.  I do not know how all of these plants will look together as they fill out.  I guess I don't even know if they will survive or thrive.  But the project has been started and, even as imperfect as it may be, it is progress.  I love looking at it.  It makes me smile!

And, speaking of smiling,...

...these brand new shoes that my husband gifted me for the purposes of gardening do just that, they make me smile!