Young House Love

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A Beautiful DIY Secret Garden

Something has us gravitating towards outdoor spaces lately. Maybe it’s being mid-makeover on our freshly lofted sunroom? Maybe it’s wishful thinking that summer isn’t ending? Whatever it is, we loving Stacy’s transformation of her backyard into a quaint and cozy green space. Here’s her letter:

There were several books from my childhood that affected my view on life and how I wanted my home to be when I grew up. One of them was a book titled Mandy, and another was The Secret Garden. I have always wanted a space that was all mine. A space that maybe didn’t function as anything other than a retreat and a place to image and dream. Welcome to my secret garden.

Garden After Thru Doorway

Here is what the area looked like before:

Garden Before

This garden took almost four months to create. Not only do I have four small children, but I was at the mercy of mother nature. Plus, I had to build the fence on two sides. It was harder to get finished that any other “room” I have ever done.

Garden After

Next to the bench I have an outdoor solar powered lamp and in the corner there is a trellis. Next to the trellis is one of my favorite things about the whole garden. My moss art! I LOVE moss so this seemed like the perfect fit for my space.

Garden Table Moss Art

I used an old apple crate for all my gardening supplies (see above). I love that not only is it functional, but super cute! There is also the ladder from my Better Homes and Gardens photoshoot that I turned into a plant stand last year. I don’t think the pictures really capture the effect this mirror has on the space. It wasn’t until I hung the mirror that it felt like a room. I got it for $15.00!

Garden Bench Mirror

Thanks for touring my secret (okay, not so secret anymore) garden! I am so excited to have it done so can start on the next project. -Stacy

Garden After Door

Amidst all of Stacy’s cool projects in this space (which you can find linked to at the end of her blog post about the space) I think I’m charmed most by her casual stone and moss path throughout the space. And Sherry loves those awesome arched doors in that dark chocolate stain. Very secret garden indeed. Thanks for sharing your garden with us, Stacy!

Comments

    • Stacy Risenmay says

      I have had the mirror up year round for over a year now without problems. It is on the north side of my house so I am sure that helps. You do need to be careful in the location and placement for sure :)

  7. Tiffany Rose says

    Wow I love her secret garden! I always dreamed of a space like this. I could imagine adding string lights and solar powered spot lights throughout the garden. Also cushions on the bench to make it a cozy spot on cool summer nights! <3 Love that path and gate too! DROOL!!! :)

    Reply

  8. jenna says

    “freshly lofted”? Do you guys have secret updates to the sunroom? Are you holding out on us???

    Love the garden! Thanks for sharing. What I like about it is I think it will be even more charming and welcoming as plants grow and things like the mirror get a little weathered.

    Reply

  9. Rachelle S says

    AMAZING! It is absolutely beautiful and charming! Thanks for sharing : ) and I hope Stacy enjoys her secret garden.

    Reply

  10. Jayme @ Keeping Up With Myself says

    Mandy is one of my favorite books! I’ve read it so many times, the binding is held together with duct tape because it’s falling apart. I’ve never seen it mentioned or heard anyone talk about it.

    Stacey, your garden is beautiful and inspiring!

    Reply

    • Katrina says

      I’m another huge Mandy fan! (But I agree, don’t know many other people who have ever read it.)

    • leila says

      I adore Mandy, read it many times as a kid and I always wanted my own cottage… and wanted the book made into a movie! You’ve made a beautiful secret space!

      Put Mandy on Clara’s 10-year old reading list now! :)

    • Caitlyn says

      Also read it and loved it (and my first thought was, surely she doesn’t mean THAT book – no one else read that! but I guess it was more popular than I realized).

  12. Gauri says

    I loved Mandy and The Secret Garden! What a fun idea to transform a space based on your favorite books. I’m an avid reader and would love to take this idea into my future home!

    Reply

  13. Laura says

    Mandy is STILL one of my favorite books! It is written by Julie Andrews, yes *the* Julie Andrews. This redesign brought a smile to my face thinking about the book. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  18. Laurie says

    Oooo! Now I want a secret garden! Just a small patch to garden since the rest of my yard gets taken over by the dogs.

    Also, did you notice the handles on the gate doors? This is my kind of zen garden.

    Reply

  22. Shay says

    Absolutely love this sweet little garden space. I -love- the idea of a mirror in an outside space; anyone have thoughts on how one would hold up long term through the weather changes?

    Reply

  23. Brittney Everett says

    I LOVE it! I have always had a love for the Secret Garden! My wedding was Secret Garden Themed, I wore a key around my neck for 11 year that was symbolic of the key to my heart –

    “Within my heart a garden grows,
    wild with violets and fragrant rose.
    bright daffodils line the narrow path,
    my footsteps silent as I pass.
    sweet tulips nod their heads in rest;
    I kneel in prayer to seek Gods best.
    for round my garden a fence stands firm
    to guard my heart so I can learn
    who should enter, and who should wait
    on the other side of my locked gate.
    I clasp the key around my neck
    and wonder if the time is yet.
    If I unlocked the gate today,
    would you come in? or run away?” – Robin Jones Gunn

    Reply

  24. Mel says

    Allow me to geek out for a second. I LOVE the Secret Garden book! In the book, there is a big old antique key that the little girl has to find before she can unlock the door to the secret garden. Such a whimsical touch to put a big old antique key next to the gate!

    Reply

  27. Wendy @ New Moms Talk says

    Stacy,

    Wow! Way to go!

    J & S,

    Thank you for the timing of this! We just found a house we’re on which we’re seriously considering putting in an offer. The owners used to run a gardening business, so there are three green houses on the lot which have my mind a flutter with ideas of play spaces, an outdoor library, and more!

    Reply

  34. Julianne says

    Very creative! Surely has a green thumb to go along with that creativity…need to have Stacy drop on by my place! ;0)

    Reply

  35. tess says

    beautiful! I be the flowers just glow at night

    The Secret Garden is one of my favorite books. Have you seen the Agnieszka Holland movie? It’s wonderful. Will have to check out Mandy for myself and my daughter.

    Reply

  36. emily says

    really love all the white flowers…keeps this secret garden really beautiful and simple. and i really love those doors…such a gorgeous entry into this beautiful space.

    Reply

  38. Megan @ The Brick Bungalow says

    I love her garden! I found it a few months ago and just adored everything in it, especially the bench, moss art and the mirror. Who knew that a mirror would make a garden feel so special!? I’ve been working on my side garden for 4 YEARS now and she’s definitely one to look up to for inspiration. Thanks for featuring her!

    Reply

  39. Trela says

    Amused that the comments on Stacy’s blog are as much about “Mandy” and “The Secret Garden” as they are for the garden she created! Seconding so many others, Sherry, it’s a MUST for elementary aged Clara’s shelves! (But hold out for the hard cover with the pretty illustrations!) I mean how can you say no to Julie Andrews??? (You can’t. I promise.)

    Reply

  40. Craig says

    Just a wonderful space. Having a green spot to relax in without the world intruding is wonderful to relax in after work. Thanks for sharing this!

    Reply

  41. Swarfel says

    This is very random, but you have 1.1 million followers on Pinterest, not to mention all the love you get here and probably on instagram, heck you got an award for it; please tell me, tell us, be real girl- how do you keep the realness in check, you seem so chill? And how can a fellow novice blogger get that kinda love!? ::))
    BTdubs, your style, your home, the videos of your kid and puppy, the book- it’s all off the hook!

    Xoxo, swarfel

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Thanks Swarfel! The truth is that it would be intensely intimidating for us to think about how many people read our blog/IG/Pinterest/etc but since we started out just talking to no one (literally, there are tons of posts in our archives with 0 comments) it’s very easy for us to pretend we’re still talking to about 10 people, so that’s how we blog. Whenever we think about the actual number of hits/readers it makes us all clammy and nervous – so my secret is to blog like you always blogged in the beginning – for yourself and for fun and for the love of it. Going into it aiming for money or world domination just feels like it wouldn’t have the same outcome. Oh and here’s a page full of links about how our blog grew for ya!

      xo
      s

    • YoungHouseLove says

      John and I just joke about that because people sometimes ask us “why did you start blogging?” and we can’t even think of any answer other than “we just thought it would be fun! It was a total hobby!” so as a joke John and I come up with alternate answers that crack us up… like “we just do it to bring shame upon our families” or “what we’re really after is world domination.”

      xo
      s

  43. sophie says

    The Secret Garden was and remains one of my all time favourite books. I read and reread it often as a child and I have read it again as an adult. I watched the film that came out about 10 years ago and loved it once more. REally magical. Really wonderful. And how lovely to have a space that brings all of that to life!

    Reply

  44. Karen says

    Ohhh, I so could see myself curling up with a good book, pillows and a blankie on that bench on a cool Autumn morning! And again, the unicorns grazing on the grass whild we all wait for this dream to come true… :-)

    Reply

  48. Amy D says

    Oh man, I love this space! It has given me inspiration to one day do something similar in my backyard. I love the doors and the path. Fun fact – Mandy (it was also one of my favorite books as a child) was written by Julie Andrews (but under the pen name Julie Edwards) of SOund of Music, Mary Poppins, and My Fair Lady fame. As a life-long theatre geek, her being the author was one of the main reasons I read it! :)

    Reply

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