Front Focal Point

This bed of Pachysandra had various weeds, grasses, grapevine and a unique vine growing in it....can you guess what it is (hint, "leaves of three, let it be")? Yes, it's Poison Ivy. I had to carefully hand dig this dangerous weed out of the area that would soon become a focal point. Believe it or not, I managed to finish the task WITHOUT being infected by the poison.

Before

'Leaves of three, let it be' ,warns us what to look for regarding the dreaded Poison Ivy plant. All parts of Poison Ivy are dangerous. The plant contains an oil called urushiol which causes an allergic reaction in most people, however individuals vary in their sensitivity.

Here's another view of the area where the decorative focal point would be going. A list of suggestions had been discussed and at this point the client hadn't settled on what it would be.

Before

...To front and center focal point!

Once the Poison Ivy and the rest of the weeds were out of the way, the center of the bed needed to be established. The Pachysandra was removed and a 16" round stone was set and leveled in the spot where the urn would go. This was somewhat of a challenge, since while removing the Pachysandra I had discovered that there was a tree stump in that exact location. Luckily, it was fairly decayed, so removal wasn't too bad.

After

The urn was selected because of its beauty, durability and four season versatility. It will be used primarily for creative seasonal displays. What a fabulous focal point!

After