First it looked like this. Mint, mint, everywhere, as far as one could see.

Then the mint was gone (Hah! Take that, invasive weed) and covered by a handy home made biodegradable barrier.

Next step: gather supplies. On the right, gravel. Basic, commercial gravel, previously located under a lilac tree. On the left, random rocks, most of which were scraps of concrete salvaged when we replaced our driveway.

Then I brought it the family member with the best sense of aesthetics: La Petite. She helped me put it all together. It looks much better now. The concrete planter needs a plant, and the pine trees really need a new unbroken home, but that will come later. For now, we have a rock garden where the mint used to be, and that’s exactly what we wanted.