First of all, the outpouring of kindness and support that you guys showed to our family yesterday is both humbling and amazing. Thanks for the helpful words of encouragement and for sharing your stories. But enough with the heavy stuff. How about something light and fluffy? Let’s go on a looooong overdue photo tour of our yard (a la Katie B’s), shall we?
You’ve gotten a few select glimpses of what we’re working with in this post about our carport/driveaway, this post about our “alley”, and this one about the magnolia out front. But there’s plenty more to show (that’s your warning that this post will be photo-heavy – so much so that it took me three weeks just to muster the energy to finally edit down the 100+ pics that I snapped a couple of weekends ago and write this beast of a post).
So let’s start somewhere familiar – the front yard (as sort of pictured in our header).
It’s smaller than our last house’s front yard (i.e. the house is closer to the street) which I see as a good thing because there’s less grass to mow. Sah-weet. Actually, there are enough bush-borders, areas of groundcover, and that big dirt circle under the magnolia that ensure there isn’t too much grass at all. Of course we have some long term plans to transform our house’s curb appeal and pretty much every square foot of yard that we have (just like we did slowly and steadily over 4+ years at our last house) but as for specifics, we’re not quite there yet. But it should be fun to see where we end up in a few years.
Our general plans for the front are mainly to make it feel more open and inviting to the front porch. Like our last house, there are lots of borders of bushes (mostly boxwoods and azaleas) that act as a natural fence around the grassy area seen above. But in our opinion, it just means a lot of visual interruption – especially when it comes to feeling welcomed towards the front door. We’ve also always felt that short squat houses like ranches look best with some open area and lower and more varied plantings than walls of large shrubs (so there aren’t a bunch of things in front of the house to dwarf it even more).
No one really uses our front door now (unless they’re selling something). In fact even FedEx uses the side door in our carport to drop things off. We can’t really blame ’em because the front pathway is so narrow that it doesn’t really say “walk this way.” I actually had to trim some bushes on move-in day just to fit furniture through (it didn’t help that the bushes were also dusted with snow). Since the path is such a nice natural continuation to the sweet paver stones that they used to create the driveway, we’d love for it to at least look like it’s usable someday – even if everyone still goes to the carport.
So we’re thinking that trimming back / removing / transplanting some of these bushes above in favor of some lower profile landscaping will help open up the entrance on both sides of the path. Which will hopefully make it feel more inviting and show off our full-of-potential front porch (which we also have plans to pimp as we go).
But as much as bush-borders are a theme on our property, it doesn’t compare to the sheer volume of liriope (aka “monkey grass”) that you can find around here. Just check out the sloped area on this side of the front yard. Yup, it’s above that stone wall and below it, about 10+ plants deep:
This particular sea of liriope is actually kinda welcome because it makes for a virtually self-sustaining spot of landscaping, though it would be nice to add a bit more color to it at some point. But we’re not über-focused on that area because we’re so distracted / confounded by the area next to it. Yes, this big wild spot of leaves and tall grasses next to that stone wall and brick path is still our property.
This is the area that separates our house from our neighbors to the left (as you face the house). And I must say that we really appreciate the breathing room. Which reminds me – I should point out that this lot is surprisingly similar in size to our last house (almost an acre), BUT this lot is kinda square whereas our last house was a long skinny rectangle – with about half of it being woods in the back.
(Imagine a nice little whole-yard sketch here- I’ll have to whip one up in a future post).
The “pro” of our new squarer lot is that it puts more space between us and the next door neighbors (instead of just including a seemingly endless dense and thick woods in the back of the house). But the “con” is that instead of having a maintenance-free forest hidden in the back, we get “wild” spaces like this one shown above instead… which is visible from the street, btw. We’re not 100% certain, but we’d love to naturalize this area even more so it looks lush and semi-foresty instead of oddly bare but not quite tended to (tall grasses and wildflowers come to mind along with more large trees and shrubs). No rush though, we’ll figure it out someday…
And even though our lot is much less long and skinny than our last one, we still have plenty of raw un-landscaped area in the back. Actually, we have a ton of it. Sidenote: can you believe that’s the back of our house? Thanks to the addition it’s so different from the front (we think the peak is so charming) but someday we hope to bring some peaks into the front of the house and paint the hardboard siding (and possibly the brick) to make it feel more cohesive. But that might be five years down the line or even further. Gotta think long and hard about big changes like that to make sure we don’t do anything hasty that we’ll regret hate with a passion down the line.
Apparently this expanse used to be more heavily wooded, but somewhere along the line it was cleared and now it just sits as a leaf depository. Total bummer because we loved the private wooded feeling beyond the grassy part of our first house’s backyard.
The old John & Sherry would just thrown down some grass seed to make the entire area look more finished, but we’ve sort of outgrown our “let’s grow grass everywhere” phase (thanks in part to reading the Organic Lawn Care Manual last year). So our current plan is to keep this portion of the backyard “wild” so it’s one less area that we need to maintain/mow/water/weed/otherwise tend to. We plan to slowly plant fast growing evergreens that will create some nice privacy and bring back that wooded feeling that we love. Because there’s already enough landscaped backyard to maintain for our tastes. Behold…
Overall, we think the backyard is super charming. Which is a bit surprising considering how much we didn’t enjoy having pathways-lined-by-bushes everywhere in our last house’s yard. I think the key difference is that these pathways are brick, not pea gravel (which was a weeding NIGHTMARE). Though they obviously could use a quick pass with the leaf blower. But see those round planting beds on either side of the path the branches from left to right in the photo above? Those are goners. Sherry thinks that planting grass there to create more of an unobstructed area for pooch running and kid playing (especially when the offspring is older and excited to play tag or have races or play running bases) it’ll be nice to phase out a few of those small areas that break up that lush green grass. So we’re thinking that the brick paths can stay but the round beds will go.
And even though the low-profile liriope border along the path is an improvement over the big obstructive boxwoods in our last backyard, we’re not crazy about it – especially the fact that it’s 3 or 4 plants deep in many places. It just makes the paths feel narrower and more closed in. And since we’ve always preferred more organic transitions (vs. heavy distinct borders) we’ll probably dig up a lot of the monkey grass eventually (or we’ll post one of those you-dig-it-and-it’s-yours ads on craigslist) and just grow grass right up the edges of the brick paths for a more flush and clean look.
Liriope isn’t the only border going on back here, though. We’ve got more stone borders than you can shake a stick at (which would probably break your stick, btw).
Sherry’s not a fan of them visually (too interruptive for her tastes) and I’m not a fan of having to break out the weed-whacker to trim the grass against them. I could learn to live with them in some places (like where they make a distinct break between the grassy yard and the wild leafy abyss behind). But other places – like this little tree in the middle of the grass – are a bit too disruptive (Sherry wants to transplant that guy into the woodsy back part of the yard anyway to de-clutter the grassy area a bit more anyway).
One thing is for sure- all of those stone borders are a pain in my arse when I’m mowing.
(Yes, I’m using my gas-powered mower and not my push mower for the back, since it only really works well on long, straight yards – which the back sadly isn’t).
Now that we’ve covered the front, side, and back yards – let’s move around the house to one last spot that we recently mentioned in this post (you can see how much older the pics are in this post by clicking over to that one for more lush leaves and stuff). It sits behind our carport, just off our sunroom and gets called everything from “Liriope Heaven” to “Burger’s Bathroom.” Here’s the view of it from the carport:
For Burger, it’s perfect. It’s fenced on all sides, completely visible from the house and has plenty of curious spots to sniff / mark… and even a little zen lawn ornament.
As we’ve mentioned a few times, we’d love to continue our liriope-removal party over here (can you tell I’m trying to psyche myself up by calling it a “party?” – maybe putting it all up on craigslist is the way to go) and then we’ll be DIYing a stone patio (all by ourselves if all goes well) so we’ve got more usable outdoor living space. I’m sure Burger would argue that he’s getting plenty of use out of it now, but he got out-voted at the family meeting. Poor guy. But he loved lounging on our back patio at the old house so methinks he’ll be down with the plan in the end.
Right now our only outdoor entertaining space is this patio off of the sunroom and living room that isn’t even big enough for our grill (fyi, that patio furniture was left by the previous owners and yes, Sherry’s broken ceramic dog still sits sadly by the door).
The sunroom used to be some sort of outdoor space before it was enclosed, actually. You can even still see the original brick staircase that used to lead up to it. Funny, right? Well, funny to you and me – so annoying to the wife. She just doesn’t understand how someone completely enclosed the sunroom and heated and cooled it and added a million outlets and a fan but didn’t take the time to remove those odd stairs. I suggested putting some potted plants on them but she thinks it’ll be too busy and cluttered looking so we’ll have to come up with some other plan. Someday.
All-in-all, we’re smitten with the outdoor spaces that we got with this house. None of them are perfectly “us” yet, but that’s probably why we’re so excited about them – there’s so much possibility and potential. Even if some of it is buried more deeply (under rows and rows of liriope for example).
We’re falling in love with our surroundings more everyday as things start to bloom and green up. Like our new Most Favorite Tree In The Universe – this maple that’s grafted so it has two different colored leaves. Yeah, that’s one tree. Nature rocks my socks.
Maybe we love it so much because it provides this awesome shot of color through the window of our guest room (which we catch a glimpse of every time we walk down the hall away from Clara’s room). This picture does not do it justice.
It’s actually a bummer I didn’t wait longer to take these pictures (three weeks from camera to post is inexcusable) because just yesterday our azaleas started to get some color on them. So rather than delay this post any longer by retaking and resizing all of these images (which might be another three inexcusable weeks), Sherry snapped a few flower shots for me to throw in here at the end. Ooooh…. ahhhh…..
Phew! Now that you’ve seen all of these “before” pictures of the yard – and now that the weather is starting to be consistently nice – we can start tackling some of those outdoor projects. Well, as soon as Sherry’s allergies calm down a bit (our car was so green with pollen last week that it looked painted). But she’s working that Netti Pot like a fiend. You’re welcome for that visual.
Update: Apparently this post was confusing (even to Sherry) so this updated post (complete with a sketch and a video) should help.
Robin says
I don’t suppose there’s a market for “Free Monkey Grass! Dig your own!” Is there? I remember how you managed to get those pavers removed at your old place.
Also, lily of the valley is ideal for carpeting shady spaces, like after you’ve planted evergreens.
YoungHouseLove says
There actually might be! We may just give it a try!
xo,
s
tarynkay says
Please tell me that you’re keeping the magnolia? It’s so gorgeous, and I can just imagine how amazing it’ll be in bloom.
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, after limbing it up we are confident we can keep it around and enjoy those blooms!
xo,
s
Brittany says
Haha, too funny that the ceramic dog remains. And I actually kind of like the “stairs to nowhere” on the side of the sunroom. They’re like a reminder of how far the house has come! But I guess if you didn’t do that change yourself it doesn’t really make sense…
laura says
You have an awesome yard! We bought our home in April 2010, so we have only been there a year and we are just starting to try to fix up our lawn. It was vacant for 3 years so it’s pretty wild looking! I LOVE the crossbred Maple..that’s awesome! We live in the country and are planning on doing a windblock with pine trees so I donated $10 to the Arbor Day Foundation and got to pick 10 trees of my choice! So, that is a cheap way to do it if you want to add back the privacy. :)
Michelle Kersey says
Can’t wait to see what you all do with it! I’m always so lost on my own yard!
My mother in law has a maple tree that is two colors as well! She’s told me in the past that it was originally a Japanese maple that died, and when it came back it was two colors.
Michelle says
Love the view through the guest room window! It just makes you smile!!
Stephanie L. says
Re: The ceramic dog’s demise…I’m so sorry for your loss, but I saw one at Pier 1 that is pretty similar. :)
Molly P-H says
This is so helpful — thanks!! We’re also in a one story ranch that needs front yard help and explaining to my husband about “short squat houses…look best with some open area and lower and more varied plantings” is really going to help me make my case :). Molly in FL
Katrina says
Landscapes all broken up like yours makes for a very interesting game of “extreme crochet”. It was a favorite at our first house. It was still a favorite after we edited the landscaping!
Those stairs are quite annoying, but they would be a nice place for some potted plants and perhaps herbs and vegetables (if there is enough sunlight, that is), or even an extra “seat” for your new patio area – at least until you figure out the long term solution.
tarynkay says
Do you mean “extreme croquet”? I am picturing people running all over your lawn, madly hooking away, trailing miles of yarn behind themselves. Which sounds totally fun. But I think maybe you are talking about the game with wickets and balls, rather than the handicraft?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I love that visual.
xo,
s
Katrina says
Ha! Yes, yes I was. But after your visual extreme crochet sounds like it needs a chance. I know there’s a active knit/crochet community out there just waiting for that game to be invented!
Paige says
ooo loved all the pictures. the back yard has so much potential–can’t wait to see what you guys do with it.
Jordan@the2seasons says
What a nice big backyard and at least you will get a good workout when working outside. We bought our house with a backyard of all stone. The previous owner didn’t like to mow so he took out all the grass and put down small stone. We are slowly removing the stone and dreaming of the day we will have green grass. Also I love your driveway it is so classy!
Michele says
When moving in I had to deal with monkey grass madness, gnome kingdoms & cedar bark chunks. I placed all this madness in a cardboard box, listed FREE on craig and it was gone from my driveway, that was magical.
CaraL says
Being from West Texas, it is nice to see so much green in the yard, but I agree…enough with the monkey grass! That stuff thrives out here in our wind & drought-striken land. Can’t wait to see your progress, (the side patio/burger’s bathroom especially) I know it will be so cozy and perfect.
Jackie E. says
Love your blog! A day without YHL is like a day with OJ!
The horticulturist in me has to offer an explanation for the bi-color japanese maple. The fancy red-colored japanese maples are grafted onto the rootstock of their less showy cousins and more common green leaf maples. Both are fairly small trees but the green is much more vigorous than red.
Your tree’s green rootstock is sending out shoots and is vigorously outgrowing the red. I suspect that if you examine the bottom on the trunk you will see the graft and the difference between the two plants. My best guess is that is was never intended to look like it does, but nature has a funny way of doing exactly what it wants to and in your case it’s a marriage made in heaven since you love the mix of leaves.
In reality the rootstock is going crazy, but you can just keep it pruned so it doesn’t overtake the red leaved part.
Julie says
I know Jackie! I am not a horticulturist, but I once owned a small garden centre, and I was itching to comment. I think the suckers coming from the rootstock have overtaken the tree.
J'Ann says
Loving in the city I sometimes forget what trees look like lol. Look at all that lushy goodness :-)
A Girl’s Next Best Friend
Alissa says
I live in dry Colorado and all landscaping here tends to be more brown than green. So I was flipping through your photos with awestruck wonder, yet wondering the whole time how bad things must be there for allergy sufferers. (Then you mentioned it at the end and I laughed.) Do you guys know which plants are the major contributors to your allergies, and any plans to remove them? Or is it not even worth it there because neighbors have those plants, too?
YoungHouseLove says
I have tree allergies which basically means when any tree or large shrub starts to grow leaves I’m sneezing. But we seem to be past the worst of it- whew.
xo,
s
Steph H. says
Have you ever heard of guerrilla gardening? I’ve been hearing a lot about. I can’t wait to try it at my own house someday. I’ve heard it’s very easy and not a lot of work. Here’s a link to somebody who sells the “seed bombs” on Etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/visualingual?section_id=6095264
YoungHouseLove says
Never heard of it but it sounds fun! Off to google it…
xo,
s
Earth Girl says
I can’t wait to see the landscape progress. Our three acres is managed native woods and meadows, but around the house, I have a small area of more formal landscaping. You may want to think about the paths. Except in the most formal landscaping, winding paths benefit from landscaping that adds mystery and an invitation to continue walking. Definitely not monkey grass, but at the inside curve, some shrubs, ornamental trees or large perennials to hide the view beyond creates an invitation to explore down the path. A focal point around the curve (bench/ornament) is the reward. A winding path in the middle of turf won’t be used. People will just start taking the shortest route to a destination that they can see.
Nichole@40daysof says
As always, I am jealous of how big the lots are where you live. The stairs that run into a wall would drive me bonkers, too. Looking forward to seeing all of your outdoor projects.
http://40daysof.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/the-long-awaited-blue-living-room/
lynn says
well, there’s plenty of back-breaking work to be done but you’ve got plenty of material that can be moved around the yard – and that means less cash to dish out. Good luck!
Christine says
It does seem strange that the addition was added and the stairs were not removed – but I don’t hate them either. The spot below will be the patio? They could be additional seating?
Natalie says
If you want to get rid of the lirope without pulling it and you don’t mind a wait you can cover it (with weed barrier, cardboard, etc.) for a few months (works especially fast in summer) and it’ll be a lot less likely to come back. I have a book that outlines how to do it but all my stuff is packed away at the moment (moving). Good luck with whatever you decide!
Layla says
I’m so excited about your upcoming yard projects! We just found out that the short sale house we’ve been trying to buy got approved, so we’ll be moving into our first own house in less than a month – YAY! Can’t wait to start planting pretty things and gardening! Are you guys planning to plant an edible garden again?
YoungHouseLove says
Yes we’d love to add one!
xo,
s
Cara says
I am so jealous of your yard and all that space. We have a little under a half acre surrounded by houses and the only trees are tiny. Plus grubs killed our grass last year. I can’t wait to see how you transform it all.
Molly P-H says
Thanks also for the link to that 8/10 post on the organic lawn care book!! We’ve been trying to ditch our sod/lawn for several years; almost have it out of the backyard. Front yard is a tough call with the idea of curb appeal and resale value to families with kids (we don’t have kids so we don’t need “play areas” but we know future owners will) — any thoughts on that as you write future posts about lawns are WELCOMED!! :)
Emily R says
I’m in your area and I would love to take some of those rocks, from your rock border off your hands…and I would be a super happy camper with a few boxwoods. Please announce on the blog when/if you freecycle them or offer them for removal! Funny enough, I plan to add some pathways,etc and boxwood borders to my now open lawn! =)
Thanks
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely plan to share any craigslist links if/when we go that route!
xo,
s
Kaitlin says
Ok, so talk to me about DIYing a stone patio. We have been considering doing this at our new house, but my Dad is firmly against the idea. He thinks it will end up being a nightmare, that will constantly need weeding and just won’t hold up well.
I think they look nice and it will be cheaper than doing a stamped concrete patio, that we just cannot afford right now. I don’t know anyone where I live that has a stone patio, we live in North West Pennsylvania, so we get lots of snow, would that affect it at all?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We had a cobblestone patio in our last house and loved it! We didn’t have any issues that you mention (it was laid by professionals just a week or two before our wedding though) so we’ll share all the details when we DIY this one!
xo,
s
Monica F says
Landscaping is my favorite part of being a home owner. You guys already have a nice space and I can’t wait to see how it transforms. I actually love the brick stairs you have because they would be perfect for containers. My favorite border plant to add some color is dianthus. I have some “fire witch” dianthus that looks more like a border grass that get shoots of pink flowers in it.
Sarah says
Since you seem to be into reading books on the subject AND you have tons of options with your outdoor space, can I recommend Doug Tallamy’s book “Bringing Nature Home”? I have a feeling you might like it!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks!
xo,
s
Carolyn says
I actually love the extra stairs to the sunroom! They look so charming with the moss growing on them.
Why is there a little smiley face in the footer of your page to the right of the text? Just for fun?
YoungHouseLove says
Isn’t that cute? It’s a stat tracker but I love that it’s programmed to look like a little hidden smiley face.
xo,
s
Caroline says
You guys are so witty and cute, and I love your yard(s)! This is the first time I’m posting, but just wanted to say I love your blog! It’s so well written and has inspired me to tackle new projects in my condo. I met John a few times at UVa, ages ago, and I’m so happy to have stumbled accidentally upon this blog so I could see your adorable family. Now I read every day! Keep up the good work, Petersiks. xo
beth in dc says
Maybe you could make lemonade out of all the liriope! (Liriope-ade?) People actually go to garden centers every weekend this time of year and pay Good Money for gallon-size containers of it. Have you considered posting an offer on craigslist or freecycle or a neighborhood listserve for people to come dig up some of yours? Actually, I’ve always thought on-line plant trading made a lot of sense–for everyone but the garden centers, I’m afraid!
YoungHouseLove says
Yup that’s the plan! A free you-dig-and-it’s-yours thing will hopefully be the charm!
xo,
s
Audra says
I swear- we need to become friends! My hubby is awesome with yards (we had a plush vibrant green yard within 6 months of moving into our home that came with a wonderful clay/dirt mixture yard). People think it’s sod but he grew that nature “carpet” from seed. He can help in your yard if you guys can talk him into letting me redecorate my house. He comes from his mom’s design theory of “the blander the better” (is blander even a word?!) So our interiors look like a college dorm room/ bachelor pad that was decorated with every shade of blah. Plus, I have an 8 1/2 month old little girl and I live in Chesterfield too. Boy, I sound kinda pathetic don’t I?!
Jen @ The Decor Scene says
LOVE all the pictures!!! What a great looking backyard with lots and lots of potential. All of that disruption in the backyard would drive me nuts. Then when Clara is older or you have other children, they would be running in the plant beds and you would be yelling at them. LOL! So not worth it. Plus it will be easier for John to mow the lawn without all of that extra stuff. Love all the thoughts you have going on. Can’t wait to see your patio done. And I think those stairs to no where are kind of cute. I would paint them white and use it for extra seating. In the nice weather you could have some nice pops of color by putting some nice outdoor pillows to sit on for extra seating. I’m sure Clara would have a great time seating there. Some potted plants and you are all set. Just one person’s thoughts. I will admit though, it was weird for them to leave the stairs there.
So are you freecycling all the plants you take out and whatever extra bricks you take out from the bordered areas? Or will you use all in other areas of the yard so it’s all FREE to you and your backyard? ;)
YoungHouseLove says
We definitely plan to reuse a lot of stuff in other places and will freecycle or craigslist the rest for sure.
xo,
s
Luisa says
Clara’s birth is a true miracle … your courage throughout it all is amazing …. it sounds like time is healing
Onto business: I was delighted to hear that you are considering painting your brick. I love painted exterior brick and think you can bring an original, fun vibe to your house. It would really give it that stand-out curb appeal … and I’m not talking about painting it pink!
Amanda Wells says
What an awesome backyard…and your grass is SO green. I currently live in a new neighborhood and have no trees, which makes me so jealous of your yard.
http://www.amandadovewells.com/?p=287
Hanna says
You guys are smart to wait until spring/summer to make any major changes.
I remember when we sold our childhood home. It was Fall and when we went back a few months later the owner proudly showed us that he had cut down all the “scrub bushes” around the yard. (He had gone seriously chainsaw happy on just about everything he could reach.) Sadly he had not known that all the scrub bushes were in fact lilac that we had trained to stand like small trees, and a couple of monstrously old, huge forsythia bushes.
Also there had been a quintz (sp?) tree growing out of the huge (150 yrs old) boxwood in the yard, so that in the spring it looked like it was covered with hundreds of tiny roses. Every year professional photographers dropped by and asked to take pictures, and it had even been featured in several calendars. But in the fall and winter it all looked very scrubby, and so, unknowingly, he cut it all out.
We didn’t have the heart to tell him, just smiled and nodded. But my mom cried on the way home. Your ‘living with it for a while’ philosophy is most wise! You never know what treasures lurk in your yard and gardens until they come out to play int he warm weather. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man that sucks! So sad.
xo,
s
Stephanie Phillips says
Oh, man! That totally made me tear up!
Ashley says
Oh, Sherry, I feel your pain! I’m in Richmond and my allergies are awful. My neti pot has even stopped working (aka I’m too congested for it to actually work!). Here’s to hoping we get some storms today that don’t cause damage or harm but wash some of this nasty stuff away!
hillary says
Love that you are planning to add some wildness back to your yard. A more diverse ecosystem = a healthier ecosystem, even if that ecosystem is just your yard!
I think it would be neat to get a living/potted Christmas tree every year and plant it in the woodsy part of the yard after the holidays. Maybe a slower re-foresting than you have planned, but it would be a lovely visual record of the time you spend in this house!
YoungHouseLove says
That’s an amazing idea!!!!!! I love it so much.
xo,
s
aluck89 says
I see a “free liriope” ad going on Craigslist in the near future…
fauxmartha says
I think I may be the only one with this problem, but for the past 2 days I haven’t been able to see your pictures in the post. I’m viewing in chrome, but also tried in Safari. It may be my computer. Just wondering if anyone else has the same problem.
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, we haven’t heard about that issue from anyone else. Maybe try internet explorer? Or try subscribing via google reader or email and see if the pics come through that way? So sorry, I wish I could be more helpful! Anyone else have ideas?
xo,
s
Kayla says
So glad to see you guys are normal humans with the broken ceramic dog outside still. Love it. =)
We are also loving our magnolia right now! Nature really puts on a show huh?
Ashlye Bickston says
This post reminded me of Katie Bower’s recent one. Y’all are like 2 pees in a pod!
YoungHouseLove says
It’s so much fun for us to be at similar house stages (you know that early dating phase when you’re falling in love and discovering new things about it all the time). And now that it’s spring we’re all dying to be outside! Haha. But Katie doesn’t have the same killer allergies as me- lucky lady!
xo,
s
Loren says
It looks like it has loads of potential I’m sure you guys will make it look fantastic.
But OH EM GEE so much liriope. It’s reached ‘don’t feed it after midnight’ status.
Erica says
Did you guys conference call Katie Bower before this post? LOL.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, how funny is that? That girl reads my mind. I love that we’re both in that same place with the whole it’s-spring-in-a-new-house-let’s-get-outside craving!
xo,
s
Susan says
Random question, do you two photoshop out your house numbers or do you not have any up? I totally get that you wouldn’t want them on the blog but isn’t it bad for emergency folks to not have them at all? Not criticizing at all–just curious!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, we have them! We just edit them out for privacy/safety reasons.
xo,
s
pam says
We removed the sea of liriope along out walk way the first year we were here. Snakes love to hide in it and snakes kinda freak me out. I’m really looking forward to seeing what you do since we live in a similar ranch with similar landscape issues. Of course, we’ve only lived here for 20 years and I still haven’t come up with a plan!
Allison says
Ugh, we also inherited a motherload of monkey grass when we bought this house nearly a year ago. We’ve been reluctant to really remove any plants because we wanted to wait a full year and see what bloomed during the year’s growing cycle. I’m so glad we did, too! There are so many things that I didn’t know about and thought were just “junk plants” or weeds, and have turned out to be gorgeous flowering beauties.
But that monkey grass. The bane of my yard’s existence. Like, did they have to border *everything* with it? Also, a crazy ton of holly bushes that we’ve recently chainsawed down because nothing is less kid friendly than an entire house bordered with really spiky plants. Yikes.
Letty says
I think putting potted plants on those back steps would actually look really nice! Maybe John can pull one of those “Surprise, look what I did while you were out, honey!” that Sherry did with removing the bathroom backsplash? ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, hilarious. I would love that!
xo,
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tiffany says
what a heart wrenching, thank goodness it was
such a happy ending story of clara coming into the world!
a happy early birthday to her (O:
and the yard looks amazing!