AAuuugggghhhhh! That's my primal scream!
I decided I would very carefully clean out my front beds by hand because I knew where bulbs were planted. As I was gently raking the leaves I was discovering new plants coming up every few feet.
A fellow pulls up and brings me his yard care card. He says he will bag all of my weeds and mow my yard front and back and we negotiated a price of $125. My yard is small and I often have 100s of plants crammed in.
I proceeded to show him several plants and explain I wanted to rake myself as I didn't want to lose my beautiful little Chinese Peony Tree, my budding Amaryllis, and my Stargazer lilies.
Well I was going to town raking the leaves out of that front bed. He said why don't you let me blow those leaves out? It was hot and they were deep, so I said ok. Well I heard him out there "blowing".
When I went out they were roughly raking out what was LEFT of the leaves, AND
My beautiful little Chinese Peony Tree stub, my budless Amaryllis, and remains of my Stargazer lilies. He had weed whacked my whole front flower bed! 
I have been experiencing a very bad bought of Turrets Syndrome ever since!
The heavy layer of Live Oak leaves were excellent mulch. The only thing left growing were the Black Berries. It's now easy to find and pull those.
I was going to grow my little new plants out in the back yard. Now I'll put a layer of newspaper, some mulch, trays and plant trays in the front bed. That will do until I jump them up to the next larger pots.
I have very shallow trays to put contractor flats in. I put my sprinkler on "New It runs for two or three minutes every 3 hours.
What they don't absorb, evaporates. I will turn that spray off at night.
I have been "Ashley-ed again!
Sidney
