As a child, I can remember helping haul wheel barrel after wheel barrel of mulch from the spot in the front yard where an entire truck load was dumped to the backyard where the garden was just beginning. It was hard work, and I am sure my parent's (and now Dad & Kim) did the bulk of it, but I will still take pride in that beautiful landscape.
One summer, my father decided he wanted a new water feature with a rock bed around it for room to sit and put a bonfire. About 3/4ths of the way through carefully lifting up sod from this location and saving it to put in bare spots around the yard, a neighbor came by. He let us know there was a machine that would do that for you. I was dirty, sweaty and speechless...did my dad know this, and was he just torturing me! We didn't get the machine, we finished by hand, even wheel barreling the rocks down ourselves. Now I must say, it is one of the designs for which I can take a lot of pride!
The back yard has had many updates throughout the years, and each member of our family has put in a significant amount of work along with the help of friends and a few paid workers. I love this place, and I want to give you a glimpse as well.
First, I want to share with you something new that my father and his girlfriend have put in this year. It's in-ground containers filled with rich soil for annuals. They dug and placed these throughout the rock beds for easy landscaping, this way next year, all they have to do is dig out the plant, put in a new one, no need to move around rocks or wonder where the design might look best. It stays in place & it look lovely, crisp, and clean!
And off to a picture tour
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| What I woke up to every morning! |
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| Newest addition, Dad & Kim cleaned this side up and put in a lovely walking path |
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| Garden view from the dock |
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| Location where I wanted to get married...thanks for shooting that one down Dad. His excuse, we didn't have enough restrooms...lo & behold, the location we chose had less than his house...but I'm not bitter ;) |
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| Homemade pond fills with lily pads in the summer |
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| Homemade waterfall from the pond to the lake |
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| Garden overview from the pond looking to the lake |
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| Dad used old candle sticks as potting designs in the garden |
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| A vegetable garden! |
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| Garden décor |
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| Hen & Chicks, my favorite succulent grows throughout the larger rock beds |
If you have never touched Lambs Ear, you have to! It's my favorite plant, and the 'leaves' are so soft!
In my perfect world, every great night ends with a bonfire!
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| Dad & Kim! |
Question of the day: Do you have a favorite location at your parents home? Is it a room, a park across the street, a hideaway you made in the attic? (yes, I def had that!)
