Why such a big trench for such little lilacs you ask?  Well, because not only do we REALLY want these little bushes to grow and make a hedge between our yard and the neighbors ever growing collection of rottweilers, but also because this trench will be home to some Siberian Pea-Shrubs (if I can ever get them started by seed well enough).

We also moved our planting bed for asparagus since it was not getting any water next to the house unless I hand watered it.   

Our dwarf burning bushes were added next to a pair of struggling lilacs that we planted a couple years ago, and with better holes for them, I hope they will do better than the lilacs have.  (The hole on the end is for one of the dwarf mungo pines once the natural concrete was fully dug out.)

It took us until half-way through Monday to be finished with all the digging and start planting, but things progressed quickly from there, and here are the lilacs (behind the most embarrassing fence I have ever had the privilege to work on).

I've built a lot of fence in my time.  In fact, for a while it seemed anytime I was within 200 yards of my parents, it was on the other end of 200 yards of fence we were building.  Fences that could hold in horses leaning their entire weight against them.  Fences that could hold out dogs or keep in rutting pigs.  Fences where each wire could be played like a musical instrument they were strung so tight and strong.  Like the fences we built in Georgia (pictured to the right).  

And this... this just isn't.  Not even close.

Part of the problem was trying to deal with poor quality materials like semi-falling-apart wire fence that was taken off our falling down fence near the road-side.  And yes... that is cloth material on the top that I hope will last a full season but fear it will not.  So much for "Do It Yourself" on a Budget... this is more "Jerry-rig It Yourself"... but when your landscaping budget is completely blown on the bushes and soil amendments, you still have to protect those little bushes from the deer somehow and using the materials, and material on hand will hopefully get us a full season of time to save up a bigger budget for a much stronger and more beautiful fence.  And that is also unfortunately the other half of a reason that our fence is probably too embarrassing for a deer to try to enter.  Why make solid posts and perfectly strung wire for something that will probably be torn down and re-done to look nice in less than a year?  Hummm... maybe because my ranching ancestors would disown me in a heartbeat if they ever saw this ramshackle fence of disgrace?  

In any case, like with so much around here, it might be ugly, but it works.  And the entire front is a poorly stretched gate that can be opened when it is time to add mulch or plant pea-shrubs.  The top (if it holds up very long at all) not only provides protection from deer jumping in, but also gives about 40% shade for the tender new bushes while still letting the rain fall through, and some small protection from the hail that will still be pelting the ground at least a couple times a week for another month or more.

And as for how it looks... this is the Country.  With a capital C.  And it could hardly look stranger than the neighbor's suit of armor tied to a tree, now could it? 

  And speaking of things that are being used for unintended purposes, I found that using a paint can opener to loosen the bushes root-balls worked really well.

And now all our bushes (except one extra dwarf mungo pine that I have yet to decide where it goes) are planted and maybe I can take a break.