Groundcover and other assorted additions

Ever since we moved in to this house, we've wanted to add borders around the perimeter of the yard, and some groundcover under the two large trees at the back of the yard (one is a huge maple, the other is a mulberry tree). We finally made some progress yesterday- covered the ground under the mulberry tree with several layers of newspaper, then some topsoil and a thick layer of mulch. Then I plugged in a bunch of vinca plants. We'll see how the do- I hope they spread fairly quickly, but am not sure what to expect. It was so easy to do- I don't know why it took us so long to get around to it. Next weekend maybe we can tackle the maple tree.

Also yesterday, I managed to get some herbs divided and moved. My oregano, tarragon and mint all needed to be divided (I did the chives back in April). I planted some of the divisions in a small bed near the Rio Samba rose bush- the oregano seems to spread fast, and it would make a pretty and fragrant groundcover.