The irises were his and were in the way. He lets me do just about anything I want in the yards. He'll get out his rototiller and use it where I want a new bed and get as much mulch as I need. His front yard has gone from nothing but 12 inch high weeds (because he didn't mow) to a mess of a garden with no lawn. This year I am concentrating on the front by the mailbox along the road.
