Tonight I was watering some plants, when I turned and saw this view:
Sort of pretty if you ignore the BBQ pieces strewn about, right?
What if I told you that 3 years ago, to the week in fact, it looked like this:
My goal was to create a planter around the AC unit to soften it. Our raised bed adventures have completely transformed the side yard into usable space. The nasty black mulch is history. A walkway has been created from stepping stones found as we removed grass. (Yes, really. The grass grew over them. We find a new one about every 6 months still buried in the yard). The pathway has been marked by smaller stones we've dug up (aka. "Folsom potatoes"). The existing plants have grown in. We've added color which was sorely lacking in the backyard.
I couldn't help feel like my garden plan was sort of coming together, and I meant for it to be that way. It's weird to get to a place where you can look back and feel like something is working, and the hard work isn't all for nothing. That there is a garden growing here, not just an endless laundry list of projects, which is what I see when I gaze over the yard. Future plans, ideas, things we could do.
I felt accomplished for, like, a whole minute. And then I remembered I needed to finish watering.
Jul 12, 2009
A real live gardener lives here
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17 comments:
A garden is never done. At least the garden of a gardener. Congratulations for accomplishing a big goal!
P.S. Your agapanthus is so pretty.
Indeed a gardener lives there; it looks great!
I've had that same, very satisfying, momentary feeling.
Ya done good! Keep it up - you're an inspiration, well to me at least.
What a good idea to have taken 'before' pictures. You've done a beautiful job at making your yard into your own private sanctuary.
One thing I notice is how much cooler (temperature) your yard looks.
"Before" and "After" pictures help spur you on to greater things, like weeding! You may want to frame your before and after pictures and hang them on a wall where you will see them often. It'll serve as reinforcement for all you want to do in the yard, as well as provide you a source of (sort of) unsolicited compliments from visitors. Perhaps a bathroom wall...
"Sort of pretty if you ignore the BBQ pieces strewn about, right?" No, it's still very pretty.
Always nice to see those before and afters that really work. Nice job!
Lovely progress!
That's great. I had the same experience. Those little tweaks here and there somehow contribute to making a plan come together, even when you don't know you have a plan. Pat yourself on the back and claim victory!
I was actually trying to remember what the side of the house with the raised beds used to look like this weekend, and couldn't really.
It amazes me how wasted that area was, and makes me even more glad we've made the changes there that we have...
LeLo - I'm ok with the garden never being done, I just want it to not look like a construction project! Yes, Agapanthus is pretty. Grows like a weed here too. People who can't grow it wish they could, and here I am, going to divide the hell out of it this fall. 10 clumps will become 40. Agapanthus anyone?
Adriana - Thanks! It's getting there, slowly.
Chuck b - Momentary - you said it! But indeed satisfying.
TSannie - Well shucks, thanks for the kind words! I have my favorites who inspire me as well, on many different levels. Glad to be one of yours.
CeeCee - I am ALL ABOUT the before and after shots! I wish more people would take them. I photographed this house and lot inside and out when we bought this house, because I think there's beauty in the changes.
Fred - We have but one picture on our wall. And anyway, I prefer the "after" shots. :D
Kim & Victoria - I don't clean up before I take pictures, although the backyard is fairly tidy right now. Glad you made that recipe, hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Mike - Glad to see you out and about! Thanks for the kind words.
Ralph - No real plan here, we just kind of wing it. Glad this one is working out!
Chris - I love going through the old pictures of the house and garden and seeing how far we've come. Cheers!
Hi Katie, thanks for the nice post and the great pics. Yes it only takes a little initiative and some time and effort to make things happen. Its well worth the price when you look back and compare photos like this for sure. You are happy you decided to go ahead with that plan, right?! It’s just a simple decision with great benefits for the future.
Great post!
Joost Hoogstrate
Katie, it does look beautiful! It feels so good to see all the hard work bloom into something worth enjoying.
I want some agapanthus for my back garden. What variety is that? I've read that some varieties don't rebloom reliably, so I've got to do my research before I buy.
I love what you've done to it!
Joost - We have a sort of plan, but mostly just wing it. I move plants now and again when they stop "working" in a given area. This area seems to be a plant magnet...now on to the rest of the yard!
Lisa - I have no idea what variety of agapanthus we have. All I know is it grows like a weed here and I can't kill it even if I tried. Yes, check local resources for specific varieties in your area.
Rosemarie - Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! Good to see you here. And Thanks!
yay! it must be so rewarding to see the progress...i have yet to see that in my mess (whoops! i mean 'yard').
Weber grill - I approve!!
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