Back Yard Wish List

I am a realist, ask the mister. While I enjoy dabbling with the hippy vibe (i.e. moments of center-parted hair and a love of flare jeans), my deep innards are more practical and less whimsical. We often see circumstances in totally opposite ways. He is the dreamer, I am not. It works, most of the time. I like that about us. He makes me want to stick my big head in the clouds once in a while. So here goes, babe! What I dream the backyard will be before the end of summer. Gasp! 
Remember, this is DREAMING TIME! So no judging! 

So, let's start with some pretty drastic before pictures (I am calling them "before photos" because calling them "present photos" seems a bit harsh).

Middle Earth


I will break the back yard up into thirds. This is the middle. I like the middle. It has a cute house that the mister built (FYI, the box to the right is the sand box, and the tubes to the left and for some mysterious future project). Please ignore the state of the grass. My neighbor actually came over yesterday and asked if I needed help with my lawn and getting rid of "all that moss and your abundance of dandelions." Thank you, neighbor, and yes please!

Moving to the Right


Then there is the side yard. Yes, that is a very black stump. We tried to put a bonfire around it last year to burn it out. Well, you can see how well that worked. Moving on. The half completed fence to the right should be done in a few weeks, which will be lovely. Me thinks the stump must go! As well as all the random slabs of cement we found when clearing out this yard. 

I will save the other side of the yard for a different day. It deserves its own post.


NOW FOR THE DREAMING PART!

I have always wanted some raised beds for a vegetable garden. Growing up, my mom always had a garden, and we ate the most scrumptious food imaginable. Although, the over abundance of green peppers did see us eating stuffed peppers well into the winter months. Anyway, I would love tons of raised beds. Not only would it spare my back, it keeps the yard still looking neat and makes it easy to mow around and tend. (Confession: my favorite book as a kiddo was Secret Garden. Oh, how I wanted to see that garden in real life.)

Here are some of the ideas I have been muling over:



I think some trees planted across the back would look lovely. But nothing that would make it too shady back here, we need all the sun we can get!




 So there is the dream, beginning stages anyway. Not sure of the layout of the dream, yet. My dear friend, Susan promised to come over and help out with the building of the beds and the placement for optimal sunshine. Woohoo! 
Baby steps. Sometimes, dreams are just dreams because we are too afraid to take those baby steps. I am always amazed at the big dreams the mister has for us as a family. He is never afraid of baby steps, or ginormous leaps. 
I like that about him, too. 

Comments

  1. I would go with the simple path and have your garden off to the right. That way your raspberries have a better chance of not being picked by little hands and never reaping the harvest. Also, covering the sides to make a more natural walk way would make it a bit harder to see what your girls are up to. My favorite part of your back yard is your patio furniture, mosquito nets, and the Kerr lighting! It completely encloses that area for evenings out on the porch entertaining!

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  2. You had me at middle earth.

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  3. I would do the simple path lined with lavender (because I can't figure out a place to do that on my property, so I can live my dream through you). Another option would be to build a tall trells over the walkway - like an arbor - and grow grapes over it.

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  4. I love your dreams! I would be careful to put the raised beds out of the way enough to play running games. Putting a path out to the play house is a good idea. Then the girls could run out there when it's raining and not get mud all over the floor. It'll be beautiful, whatever you do. It always is. Good instincts!

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  5. I love watching your dreams come to life. You guys are awesome at that! :) Can't wait to see what you do first!

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  6. Thanks for all the great ideas! Wherever I put the veggie beds, there will be plenty of play area because they would only come about half way up the backyard. Let's face it, I am not going to being spending hours and hours every day tending the garden. But maybe one hour a day would be realistic. I like the idea of a path and lining it with lavender.

    Beth: I hadn't thought of that, with the girls keeping their feet clean on rainy days, totally awesome!

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  7. I think the planters lining the route to the house is awesome. Do that. With that green awesome carpet running right up to the princess' house.

    Love your thinking on design, Sis. You do good work.

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  8. You will love raised beds. I got mine last summer and it makes gardening ALMOST a cinch! So clean looking, low maintenance & still delicious produce you go pick whenever you need it. I'm adding more beds this summer I hope. Sweet little playhouse and great ideas for the path and I liked the arbor idea too. How fun!

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