Into the Wild – Musings on our Yard’s Transformation | July 2025

July arrived with a jolt of heat – scorching in the first half, easing for a brief moment, then roaring back by month’s end. I found myself hiding indoors during the hottest hours, slipping outside only when the air cooled. Still, the yard kept moving forward, offering changes in spite of the heat.

POND

My dad brought me a load of birch poles this month, and I wasted no time placing them around the pond as snags and perches. They’ve already become landing spots for birds and resting places for insects, adding both vertical structure and texture to the space while I anxiously wait for the birch saplings I’ve planted to grow. (I probably should have got older trees).

I planted a couple Twinflower plugs near the pond – a delicate and trailing native species that attracts pollinators and adds a gentle, woodland feel that should soften the transition from water to ground as it spreads. Their tiny, bell-shaped blooms are irresistibly cute, like little whispers of spring tucked among the greenery.

The Duckweed has completely taken over the pond. I gave away a jar mid-month before it even took over, then scooped out half of a 5 gallon pail, and yet it continues to multiply at a staggering pace. I’m working to keep it from covering the entire pond, while keeping algae in check – it’s a balancing act that is both frustrating and fascinating.

GARDEN

The raspberries came in strong this month – plump, sweet, and perfect for snacking by the handful. We’ve been picking every few days, enjoying just enough at a time.

The borage completely surprised me by how huge it got. As beautiful as it is, it has overtaken the tomatoes blocking light and airflow. We pulled a bunch of it out to give the tomatoes a fighting chance – hopefully they will start growing better now.

Earlier this spring, we had tossed our seed potatoes into the compost as they didn’t look good (moldy) and thought they wouldn’t grow – but they have started sprouting. There is also a rogue compost tomato popping up –  I’m curious to see how many potatoes we get and what variety the tomato turns out to be.

Other garden highlights:

• Pumpkins are blooming, with small fruit beginning to form
• Peas finally have pods
• Cucumbers are struggling – not sure if it’s the heat, spacing, or soil, but I don’t think we will be getting any this year.

PLANTS

It was a big planting month. I finally tackled the long-awaited planter along the south fence and added: Cedar, White Birch, Dwarf Birch, Wood’s Rose, Wild Strawberry, Blue Clematis, Mountain cranberry, Mountain Sweet cicely. I also added three Saskatoon trees, and started a woodland-style garden in the front yard, planting with: White birch, Fireweed, Yarrow, Sweetgrass. This woodland garden is intended to mimic natural forest edges, providing habitat for pollinators and small wildlife while adding a layered, wild aesthetic. 
I can’t wait to watch these plantings spread out and fill in their spaces, slowly weaving a lush, living tapestry across the yard.

Other plant notes:

• Smooth Asters started blooming 
• Weeds are taking off – part of the ongoing challenge of tending to a lively, semi-wild space that is in its early years and not fully established.
• Sunflowers are blooming, smaller than expected (I thought I planted taller ones) but they are cute. I also have some volunteer sunflowers sprouting near the pond from birdseed leftovers. I’m not sure if we’ll see blooms on these, since it’s getting later and they’re still quite small, but it’s fun to watch them try anyway.

ODDS & ENDS

• Got wood delivered for our patio sofas and started building them. Slowly, our little outdoor nook is starting to take shape. I can’t wait to sit down and actually enjoy it.
• Our mitre saw failed in an absolutely terrifying way. As I was finishing up cutting a board – the safety switch wouldn’t turn off and the blade kept spinning. It was one of those sharp reminders of how quickly things can shift. We figured that it probably got fried by a voltage spike as we were having some intermittent power issues. We had both an electrician and our power supplier check things out (they did some repairs on the mast), and the power has been steady ever since. Now I just need to keep an eye out for a good deal on a new saw.
• Started working on our compost bin – realized that I didn’t buy enough supplies – so it’s a work in progress that has been put to the side as it is not as urgent (and I need a working saw to cut some more boards).
• Re-seeded some of the clover and grass in the backyard (twice) because there are a few spots that just don’t want to take.

July left the yard buzzing and unruly – raspberries ripening, duckweed taking over, and weeds sprinting faster than I could keep up. This month reminded me that the yard is never mine alone to shape – it’s a living collaboration. Nature has its own pace, and the surprises are part of the joy.

Now August is on the horizon, bringing cooler evenings and a whisper of autumn. I’m curious to see what will thrive, what will fade, and what visitors will appear next. In the meantime, I’ll keep tending this little patch of rewilding – learning, planting, observing. Each season pulls me deeper into this cozy-wild life.

🌿 Want to follow the transformation from the beginning of the year? Start here with April’s recap and continue with May, and June’s updates to see what’s changed.

If this post sparked an idea or made you pause to notice the beauty in your own space, I would be so grateful if you shared it with a friend, on your social media, or saved it for later. Every share helps this little patch of land inspire more backyard birders, native plant gardeners, and nature-lovers.

Thanks for reading! Until next time,
Tracey

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