Has it really only been a year? So much progress has been made in our first year of gardening that it’s hard to believe it happened in a mere 365-ish days. Hey, I only about destroyed my back and my husband had to have knee surgery, but what does that matter when our yard is such a pleasant place to be now? (Ok, my husband just pointed out that we can’t really blame gardening for our failing bodies, but it sounded good.)
What started it all? The felling of one very dead hackberry that was dangerously leaning over our house.
When that tree fell, I had no idea that I was about to embark on a gardening endeavour of massive proportions. But I looked around my yard and hated what I saw. It was time, after 13 years of doing nothing, to do something. Even if I had no clue whatsoever about what to do.
But apparently I figured a few things out. The rest will come when I figure those out.
Here are a few tidbits of how our outdoor world has changed. Now be warned, the overgrown state has to do with all the rain we’ve finally been getting — I haven’t been able to clean anything up. At least things look more green…
The backyard, before and after:
The pond, before and after:
The back porch, before and after:
The front garden bed, before and after:
There’s a lot more to our yard than what you see here, and I invite you to see more. We have a long way to go, but it’s fun to take a look at how far we’ve come. You can also hear more about the story that got us on our gardening journey.
You’ve done so much in one year, Meredith, especially when you consider that you’ve started from scratch. It looks lovely. That’s a cool shade sail too.
Amazing transformation. You did a fabulous job. It must feel good to look back and see all that you accomplished. It’s just beautiful! -Jackie
Congratulations on the year of changes. You have come a long way. Beautiful work!
Hi Meredith.
It is amazing what a year of solid graft can do for a garden, and it looks like you have proved it! I have been hacking at chunks of mine for ages, it is never over, but the enjoyment of reclaiming it a foot at a time keeps it fresh!…A bit like keeping up with a blog come to think of it!
Stick with it. Your yard looks large enough for a large above-ground stock-tank, have you considered embedding one?
Regards,
ESP.
Thank you, everyone. It’s embarrassing showing off my messy yard, but probably more embarrassing to show the yard from before we started working, lol.
ESP, we’ve considered the stock tank, but as always it’s a financial thing.
Meredith,
Those before/after photos are my favorite types. Your yard has had an amazing make-over and I hope your back and knees recover, for more inspiring projects this upcoming year!
Rosey
Congratulations. You’ve come a long way in a year. I hope my yard looks that much better next year. This rain, though welcome, has slowed down my projects.
Thanks for sharing. Those before and after shots are inspiring.
Wow! What an incredible transformation in just one year! I can’t believe how much you accomplished in, really, a very short time. You and your husband are very accomplished and talented. I bet you are really enjoying your yard now.
What pretty combinations/groupings–fantastic transformation! Love to see before and after pics. (And Huskies–heh heh.)
Great job on your backyard transformation! I have to ask the question – is that an old hot tub or spa you used for your pond? We have one on our deck that we are thinking of getting rid of, and I’ve always wanted a pond, so maybe I should use your great example! Also, is your dog an Alaskan Malamute? It looks like one to me in the pictures, as we have one ourselves – her name is Yukon and she is dark gray/white like your picture.
That is indeed a hot tub we got from the Free section of Craig’s List. This way it didn’t go to the dump and we got a ready-made shell for our pond, which came in handy for supporting all the rocks we got from someone else on Craig’s List. It turns out a lot of the things that came in handy for fixing up our yard were things someone else didn’t want sitting around in their yard.
Speaking of things someone else didn’t want sitting around in their yard, our dogs are all rescue animals that we’ve adopted. We’re told that the big one is a large Husky, rather than a Malamute, but he’s definitely big for a Husky. Since he was found around a year-ish old, we don’t have specific information.
Oh, I completely forgot to mention that if you look on the sidebar, in the “our garden” section, there’s a link called “our pond” that gives an excellent overview of how the pond was made with the hot tub shell. Good luck with it if you decide to go that route.
Good morning. I just found your blog through Blue Gate Gardens, and I’m glad I did. I love your garden, before and after pictures, and you’ve done really great in just a year’s time. I look forward to visiting your blog to read more and view pictures.
FlowerLady
Keep up the beautiful gardening, Meredith! It is simply amazing how much you’ve accomplished in just one year. I know the plants, earth and local inhabitants appreciate your hard work and care. I, for one, continue to find inspiration in your blog! Thank you!
amazing transformation, meredith! i love the tub-to-pond: talk about upcycling! great yard and blog: thanks!
Lovely, lovely, lovely! The adventure has only just begun…
But the most important question is, who’s the kitty???
I love these before and after photos! The little red flaggy things are a nice solution for some shade over the patio. Did you paint the patio? Was it concrete? This would be something I might like to do as well. A lot has happened in a year, huh?!
You both have done a wonderful job on your landscaping. I really like your pond. I like the rocks around it and it looks very natural. Sail shade above your patio is great 🙂
I think you have done a wonderful job in this 365 days. Ponds, garden beds, courtyard all from scratch, just one hell of an effort. But at the end of the day, it looks so pretty.