We've come a long way baby...

So often I share the inside of this house and all the work we have done. This week I finished up another landscape project and realized I have never shared how far we have come OUTSIDE!

I didn’t even comprehend the amount of work we had done outside until I looked it up on Zillow again. The pictures are from when we bought the house three years ago. Sooooo much has changed…both inside and out!

The landscaping was basically a blank slate. I pulled out a few shrubs here and there, moved some azaleas, cut down an overgrown tree in a flower bed and pulled up some edging. But basically it didn’t have a lot of landscaping. I guess the lady who owned it for over twenty years before us really didn’t do a lot.

Fine by me…just that much less to demo!

So let’s start with the front…and keep in mind I didn’t do any “editing” on the pictures i took so you can see how things really look around here. Shade and all!

Before….

The first picture is the Zillow listing. The last two are the street views from Google Earth.

You can probably tell from the Zillow picture and the Google street view pictures…clever photography and heavy editing can really make a difference!

On the house I removed the ugly wood arch things to open up the front porch, changed out the front door, replaced the dated light fixtures, added some minor detailing on the garage door and changed out the arch transom windows.

Trimmed up all the overgrown trees…a must for aesthetics but also for safety…a big dead limb can do a lot of damage.

Removed a few flower beds and then composted and mulched the others.

We brought in new top soil and sodded the entire front yard with fescue. I removed some blocks from the block retaining wall. I really wanted to created a new retaining wall with native stone but that is another project for another time.

I moved four large azaleas that were planted by the front entrance to the side yard where I created a shade garden.

Nothing was going to grow under these trees and it features a huge dogwood …the space really needed to be highlighted! The azaleas and dogwoods are spectacular in the spring!

I planted new plants in the flower beds to the left and right of the entry. Again I am transitioning to perennials so I planted small boxwoods, chokeberries, tick seed, lirope and Stella D lilies…and of course a few potted hostas.

The bed on the left is filled with beautiful daffodils and tulips in the spring…I left those. (This is where I added a simple water feature…stay tuned and I’ll share how easy it is!)

I fill in with a few colorful annuals and I have a few pots I add ferns and impatiens to every year.

Dressed up the beds on the north side of the house with a little rock and planted a few easy plants…hydrangeas, lirope and some astilbe.

Prime example of why you should really research plants…originally I planted some Stella D lilies here and they did not get enough sun. This side yard only gets a little morning sun which is perfect for the hydrangeas and astilbe.

A few weeks ago I finished a little makeover on the side yard where grass would not grow. I added a little flagstone, some decorative rock around the air conditioner, planted some lirope my neighbor was thinning out in her yard, planted a redbud and added a little birdbath.

When I was at the livestock store picking up supplies for my water feature project, they had their azaleas 50% off. I snagged a few and planted one here and two in the side shade bed incase the older ones eventually croak!

The entire back yard slopes towards the house and to each side. This side of the yard gets a pretty heavy water shed because of a downspout. It is one reason this side of the front and back yard would not grow grass. I have to be VERY careful about any changes I make.

HERE I shared the changes I made to the side yard behind the fence.

The back yard has probably had the most dramatic changes.

These are the “before” pics from Zillow…when we bought the house….

If you are wondering what that big concrete bench thingy is, we don’t know. It was there and it is HUGE so it’s not going any where. We have been told it is part of the old farm house that was once here before this area was developed.

One of the first things we did was take out the shrubs along the back of the house and cut out the old pawpaw tree. I loath to cut down any tree but this one was just too big for the space and was on the siding and roof. We replaced it with a little Japanese Maple and someday I MIGHT figure out what I want to do with this bed. In the meantime, potted flowers will have to do!

We added a little rock and planted smaller boxwoods long the back.

I’ve never been a big fan of rock beds…I always preferred mulch. The ease of these beds the last few years has really made me a fan. Truthfully it is easy to plant in and of course pretty much maintenance free.

I added the large flower bed in the corner when we first moved in. Again, it was NOT going to grow grass under the humungus trees. I knew I was going to grow mostly in pots so I put the edging down around the trees along the “shade line,” applied some Roundup on what little grass was there, then just topped everything with about 4” of compost.

(Feel free to be envious of my spectacular wind chimes. I showed them to Brian last spring at a local garden shop…he remembered and gave them to me last Christmas. The man is amazing!)

I have always heard you should be very cautious around oak trees so as to not “smoother” their root system. We have a HUGE white oak and several large red oaks. I made sure to keep the compost and mulch thin around the base of the trees. When I plant in the bed, I dig a big hole then add a mixture of garden soil and compost before planting the plant…that way I didn’t have to amend the soil in the entire bed. With all the rocks and roots in this area it would have been dang near impossible. And again, I didn’t want to do anything to disturb the tree root systems.

HERE I shared the pathway I made with my grandad’s old grind stones.

I shared HERE the extension of this little back bed. Just what little digging I had to do for the edging and planting destroyed my elbow (don’t ask, I don’t know!)

Around this entire back bed is my next “want to” project. I “want to” extend the entire bed about 4-5’, add a flagstone walk and more plants…in other words make the entire thing bigger. Hum…maybe someday when I don’t have a bum elbow.

I shared HERE the construction of the swing…and HERE when I stained it.

HERE I shared my shop and the changes I made to it to make it more appealing. The inside is still a shop full of tools, supplies and garden stuff…but the outside had to be dolled up!

I added this bed last fall for the hostas. I split off the potted hostas this year! Everyone of these hostas are splits!

Two years ago I added a little “pergola shed” onto the back of the shop for Brian’s zero turn mower and our larger garden tools (shovels, racks, wagon, etc.) Everything else goes inside the shop.

We didn’t completely sod the back yard but over the last few years I have sodded and seeded here and there…it is a work in progress. Someday I hope to have a perfect back lawn. With the shade and sun combo it is a struggle.

I was fortunate this yard had an irrigation system. It had been neglected for years so it took several years and some back breaking days to get everything repaired and in working order but it has been worth every effort. I don’t know that I could keep everything alive without it!

I keep thinking that SOMEDAY I will get it all done and then I can just sit around my park-like setting and enjoy. But truth is, I like working in the yard…I like digging in the dirt…I like planting new plants.

There are days I just walk around with my coffee and enjoy. But in my mind I am always looking for new ways to get my hands dirty.

It is my therapy.

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A new yard rug and spring in the Ozarks....

Here I shared my new “yard rug”….after 3 years, I am happy to announce that the fescue sod is thriving!!!

It is still a little early to plant annuals, but the mulch is down and everything is ready! The “freeze date” in our area is April 11, but I usually wait until the end of April or first of May to plant just to be on the safe side. One year we actually had snow in May….a rarity, but it happened!

Truthfully, even if we don’t get a freeze, the cooler temps and tons of rain we have in April make it hard for tender annuals to thrive…I have found that waiting just a few weeks really helps!

I mentioned HERE that I pretty much stick to container plantings these days…I might stick a handful in the ground here and there, but most go in a container or a pot!

In the meantime, I have lots of perennials to carry me through the spring…hostas, vinca, daffodils, tulips, and of course the flower trees and bushes…azaleas, Bradfords and purple plums! They all make for a beautiful sympathy in spring!

During this time of “home quarantine” I am so grateful I put in the time and effort over the years to make my yard a park-like haven…it has been a God sent this year!

Enjoy these pictures from years past…

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Growing Knock Out Roses!

Here is a post on growing one of my favorite, and most beautiful, plants. Super simple even for the novice gardener!! 

Check out Knock Out Roses...trust me, your neighbors will be impressed even though you will spend little time on these amazing plants!

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How NOT to transplant a tree....

About 9 or 10 years ago a little pin oak sprouted next to my house.  I kind of ignored it but noticed after a few years that it was a rather nice looking, straight tree...only problem was it was waaaay to close to my house.  Unfortunately, by then it was already 6' tall. 

I decided I would transplant him.  Really, how hard could it be?  HAHAHAHAHA!  Are you KIDDING!  

First, the sucker had a serious root system.  So even after digging  for a few hours, I could barely get him to budge.  So Brian and I carefully padded the trunk of the tree, wrapped a chain around it, and pulled him out of the ground with the truck. We ripped the root system to shreds and the padding slipped so we scarred the crud out of the trunk.  

But inspite of the injuries, I was determined to save the poor little thing. 

So I began digging a hole to plant him in.  My yard has decent top soil...for maybe six inches.  After that it is clay and rock.  So again, after digging for several hours, I finally gave up.  I shoved the tree roots in the hole that was about 1/2 the size it needed to be, filled it with water and backfilled the hole.  I figured we probably killed the stupid thing by yanking the roots and ripping the bark.  Cramming the roots in a tiny hole probably wasn't going to make a difference. 

Today, 8 years later, it is the prettiest tree in my yard. 

Here is a picture I took in 2009..... 

july 2009

I planted him in front of my bedroom window and next to the side garden so he would eventually shade the hosta bed. 

Only 4 years after that picture was taken, this is him today..... 

June 2013

I honestly don't think we could have bought a prettier tree. 

Four years ago, right before the first picture was taken, we had a horrific three day ice storm.  The tree destruction in our area was ungodly!  One of the large pines (to the left of this tree) actually fell on my house and the entire yard was knee deep in limbs. 

After the first day of ice and sleet, this little guy was literally bent in half.... his top was almost touching ground.  I just knew, inspite of his miracle transplanting, the ice was certainly going to do him in. 

Brian and I went out in the sleet and ice and beat the branches with brooms to break off the ice.  He straightened up a bit but the damage seemed pretty severe.  Every day we would go out and try to get as much of the ice off as we could! 

Amazingly, he survived the ice storm, never lost a limb and straightened up within a matter of days.  Today he is thriving and providing much needed shade for my precious hostas!   

He is an amazingly beautiful tree....I am always in awe of anything that can survive so much abuse and still stand strong. 

 

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A new life for the unwanted...

Nasty old furniture is not the only thing I find and bring home from my apartments. 

A few months ago I found an all-but-dead rose bush...still in the original pot...in a vacant apartment.  She was pretty much a goner....dry as a bone, leaves all yellow, basically on her last leg.  

But I can't throw away a plant if there is a teeny smidge of hope it can be saved.   

So I brought her home, pruned away all of the dead stuff and planted her....and water...and fertilized...and waited.... 

I wish I had a "before" picture of this pathetic little thing...because today she is a beautiful little rose bush!

Last year I added another flower bed to my yard and filled it with rose bushes. 

But this bed was pretty much full so I put her where I thought I might want another rose bush IF she survived!!!   Next to the deck....

And honestly, that bed is my "nursery" for sick and ailing flowers.  The yellow flowers are some I picked up for a $1 on the "all but dead" table at Lowes...they were on their last leg when I bought them.  The pink vinca had been bit by the frost so I got them for something like .25 a piece at Lowes. All are doing quite well...and as you can see, the rose bush bounced right back and is green and lush and flowering! 

Knock out roses are not "climbers" but they will get big enough to stake or tie up...so it is good to plant them where they can be "trellised."  

Eventually this pretty lady will be big enough to trellis to my deck and will adorn the entire corner of this bed!  

This is a great time of the year to check out the "all but dead" clearance area at Lowes. This weekend I scored $38 worth of plants for $5...geraniums and blue daze...perfect for a flower box I haven't planted yet.  They are all in good condition, they just aren't blooming...a little fertilizer and TLC and they will be in full bloom in a few weeks!  (I'll try to remember to post pics!)

Perennials can be rather pricey early in the year when they are all lush and bloomy and pretty.  But what I've learned (hostas being a PRIME example) is that they tend to struggle the first year they are planted...so why not pick up a few that are looking a bit sketch anyway while they are discounted pennies on the dollar!

Discounted perinnials may not hit their full glory this year...but oh my, wait til next year!

 

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