I have two small projects on the agenda for this weekend. But before I get started, it's time to take my usual stroll around the yard to see what's happening.

The Japanese Maple tree is in the midst of its slow changeover from red to green.

The blooms still look great on the Chinese Snowball.

The transplanted Monkey grass is growing. Hopefully, it will spread and thicken as the years pass.

The Monkey grass, group of mystery bulbs, and the transplanted Mexican Pony Tails Feather grass have filled this previously bare side of the yard. For the longest time, the area seen in the photo above was nothing but bare dirt and moss. This design may not win any awards. But it's better than what was there. Ornamental grass and bulbs are about the only things I can plant in this area thanks to the water and sewer lines below.

A few more iris blooms have appeared.

I've got a bloom in front of the Star Magnolia.

I've got a bloom in the center section of irises.

I've got quite a few blooms by the camellia cluster.

Yellow Flag Irises around the pine tree.

Yellow Flag Irises around the pine tree.

And I've got a few iris blooms behind the camellia cluster.

This weekend, I've decided to do something about this mess next to the driveway and front walk.

I've also got an idea for the two empty spots next to the front steps.

Back in 2016, I found a decent-sized clump of what I now know is Monkey grass in the backyard by the patio. Its size and circular shape stood out and made me think it would look great as stand-alone feature by my front walk. Since then, it's grown substantially to the point where it looks like a small shrub.

I've been trying to come up an idea for the corner opposite the Monkey grass clump seen in the photo above. Recently, I thought about transplanting the Monkey grass and putting a pair of something that would look nice at those corners. But since the Monkey grass is growing so well where it is, I've decided to leave it alone, and plant something similar in size and shape across from it.

But before I do anything, I've got to prepare the corner. Earlier this year, I move all of the remaining daffodils further inward. Today, I moved the small amount of grass that remained to the other side of the yard.

I headed to Lowe's and came home with three Red Fountain grass plants. I've been a big fan of ornamental grasses since I've lived in Georgia, and particularly like this plant's red color. They grow to around four feet tall, and will work fine for my purposes.

Before the Red Fountain grass went in the ground, I dug the cleared area downward several inches below the level of the driveway and walk.

The resulting "pit" provides a great way to keep any mulch from being washed away.

After a layer of landscape fabric, I filled the area in with black mulch.

We'll see how this works. But I think it looks fine for now.

I then turned my attention to the spaces beside my front steps. Two Red Fountain grass plants will work well here.

Level, dig, plant, repeat.

A layer of black mulch finished the job.

With Red Fountain grass only growing to around 4 feet tall, these plants will fit perfectly in the spaces.

Red Fountain grass is definitely more appropriate for the space than the Leyland Cypress shrubs I planted back in 2012.

Speaking of Leyland Cypress shrubs, I decided to replace the dead one by the driveway and bought something to fill the space.

The tag on the Mood Ring Podocarpus I saw at Lowe's described it as an, "Easy care beauty" that will reach 10 - 15 feet tall. Perfect !

Out came the dead cypress and in went the Mood Ring.

We'll see how this works. Cross your fingers.