This past weekend was "project weekend". Between the big chair project on Friday and a monster of a day landscaping on Sunday, we are exhausted!
When we bought our house last August it had zero landscaping. So we finally took the plunge this weekend and spent 7 HOURS on Sunday landscaping the front. It was the most manual labor I've ever done and I can hardly move now. Every muscle in my body is sore. But it was all worth it!
This is what our house looked like before (taken last August)
This is how it looks now
It looks a little sparse from this view. But it needs room to grow. Most of the plants will double in size over time. Here are the rest of the pictures. It looks better up close.
That's it! Don't you LOVE it?!
I LOVE it.
I don't love the way my body feels though. Did you know that ripping up sod is really, really hard? Did you know that shoveling 2 cubic yards of mulch out of the back of a pick-up truck will make your arms feel like jello? Did you know that digging holes in dirt that feels like clay will make you feel very old the next day? Trust me.
That looks sooo nice. Not only do I like the indiv. plants but the overall design. Did they help you w/that part or did you guys just know what to do?
Posted by: steve | May 06, 2009 at 03:04 PM
Oh yes, I LOVE it! I love the curvaceous mulching and the cheerful attitude of the plants. Great, great job! Um, I guess "landscaper" won't go on your resume, tho!
Posted by: Paula | May 06, 2009 at 05:33 PM
You've been extremely busy lately! It looks great though! Nice Job!
Posted by: Leslie | May 06, 2009 at 07:59 PM
Thanks guys! Dad, we did not have any design help or anything. But we didn't really know what to do either. We just figured it out as we went!
Posted by: Paige | May 06, 2009 at 08:03 PM
it looks great!! i can't wait until the next time i come to visit so i can see it in person :)
Posted by: michelle | May 08, 2009 at 11:57 AM
I meant you won't become a landscaper because of the pain!
Posted by: Paula | May 11, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Very cool. I love the flowers! At least all that hard labor was worth it, eh?
Posted by: Chris | May 12, 2009 at 11:22 AM
you will be amazed how things transform over the years. I have photos of our container garden when we moved into our rental three years ago and now it looks like a jungle! Keep going... ;)
Posted by: misti | May 20, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Hi, this is my first visit; I was sent here to see your post with Roxy (I'm a life long cat lover). Your landscaping looks lovely and you'll grow to love it more and more as it matures.
Just a word of warning, the lavender needs to be in well drained soil; it will not tolerate standing in water. I've killed more lavender that way; finally I gave up and planted it in pots, where I can control the drainage!
Posted by: nola at the alamo | May 20, 2009 at 01:07 PM
Thanks Nola! Actually it isn't lavender. It's called Salvia. It does look just like it though!
Posted by: Paige | May 20, 2009 at 01:11 PM
Just stopping by and thought I must comment and congratulate you on a fabulous job! Love the choice of plants and the way you've place them. I also appreciate the amount of work involved - as we've spent the past two years turning our grass only garden into a nature haven for local wildlife, by digging up lots of clay, putting down fertile soil and then planting numerous natives. It's fabulous to see them take off and the native bird life return to the garden. Best wishes with your future endeavors! Sarah
Posted by: Sarah | June 02, 2009 at 03:23 AM