"I did the brick work you see in that last picture. I look at it now, and can't believe
I did that. Don't think I could handle that now."
I am now EVEN MORE IMPRESSED! You are a pro!
Nothing like improving the soil when there is a fresh bed, but I too have top dressed as needed. Somehow from what I have seen, I have a feeling that your soil is rather nice to begin with. Me? pure sand over granite ledge. The place was vacant for 50 yrs and too much wild grew. The previous owners brought in a backhoe and dug out everything, including years of leaf mulch. Back to subsoil sand. I have to bring in truckloads of compost! Won't plant a garden without it. 10 inches when I can. The worms and mother nature do the rest.
