The last time I shared about our yard progress was last summer in this post. Looking back, I can't believe how far we've come. I can't tell you how nice it is to just be able to enjoy our yard more rather than having to step outside into a big dirt patch. At the end of last summer we had just finished seeding our front and back yard. We did them on separate days and had a massive rain storm hit the day after we did our front yard so it is a little patchier in some areas than in the back but we are so happy to have a yard full of grass! Even since last summer, our yard has come a really long way.
The yard budget at the beginning of the summer was put towards a fully fenced backyard. It is nice to finally have a defined space with privacy that is ours. We fenced both sides with the help of our neighbors last summer but waited on the back because our neighbors behind us weren't willing to contribute and let me just tell you, vinyl fencing is not cheap. We figured if we gave it another year, by this summer they would be willing. Considering the fact that their yard has remained a dirt patch covered in 5 foot weeds (that completely wrecked havoc on the back of our yard last winter mind you), they were still not willing to help this summer. I honestly have some unresolved feelings about the situation but at least I don't have to look at their cornucopia of endless weeds anymore.
A little over a week ago we went to a couple of nurseries to price out/pick out plants and trees. Liam was such a trooper and found a black kitty to chase along the way! ;)
For trees, we chose 4 chanticleer pear trees. We wanted something that didn't get more then 15 - 20 feet which cut down our options significantly. I really love maple trees but they just get too big for the part of our yard we wanted to plant them at. We also wanted a tree that wouldn't make a total mess of our yard. At first when we were directed toward this tree with "pear" in the name we were a bit skeptical but learned they only have small green berries that don't fall off the tree. I guess birds love them and eat most of them off. The trees will also get pretty white flowers in the spring time. So we picked out our trees, a few shrubs, and ordered a trailer full of bark to be delivered this last weekend.
By the end of last summer, we had landscape fabric laid out across this back flower bed with bark on top of it but like I mentioned before, a combination of wind and the neighbors over grown weeds it was a gonner by spring time. We were left with very little bark replaced by massive weeds that had taken root in the space. So in a sense, it felt like starting over.
Another project we had planned on completing this summer was extending our cement patio. The builders give you such a dinky one that doesn't fit much on it. We promptly started tearing up grass for the space without realizing that now with a finished fence, they would need to crane the cement over the top of our house (read, expensive). We haven't fully decided what our decision will be but are looking at other options in the mean time.
After a long hard days work on Saturday, we got to enjoy our new trees and this beautiful Idaho sunset!! It was incredibly rewarding!
The yard budget at the beginning of the summer was put towards a fully fenced backyard. It is nice to finally have a defined space with privacy that is ours. We fenced both sides with the help of our neighbors last summer but waited on the back because our neighbors behind us weren't willing to contribute and let me just tell you, vinyl fencing is not cheap. We figured if we gave it another year, by this summer they would be willing. Considering the fact that their yard has remained a dirt patch covered in 5 foot weeds (that completely wrecked havoc on the back of our yard last winter mind you), they were still not willing to help this summer. I honestly have some unresolved feelings about the situation but at least I don't have to look at their cornucopia of endless weeds anymore.
A little over a week ago we went to a couple of nurseries to price out/pick out plants and trees. Liam was such a trooper and found a black kitty to chase along the way! ;)
For trees, we chose 4 chanticleer pear trees. We wanted something that didn't get more then 15 - 20 feet which cut down our options significantly. I really love maple trees but they just get too big for the part of our yard we wanted to plant them at. We also wanted a tree that wouldn't make a total mess of our yard. At first when we were directed toward this tree with "pear" in the name we were a bit skeptical but learned they only have small green berries that don't fall off the tree. I guess birds love them and eat most of them off. The trees will also get pretty white flowers in the spring time. So we picked out our trees, a few shrubs, and ordered a trailer full of bark to be delivered this last weekend.
By the end of last summer, we had landscape fabric laid out across this back flower bed with bark on top of it but like I mentioned before, a combination of wind and the neighbors over grown weeds it was a gonner by spring time. We were left with very little bark replaced by massive weeds that had taken root in the space. So in a sense, it felt like starting over.
Another project we had planned on completing this summer was extending our cement patio. The builders give you such a dinky one that doesn't fit much on it. We promptly started tearing up grass for the space without realizing that now with a finished fence, they would need to crane the cement over the top of our house (read, expensive). We haven't fully decided what our decision will be but are looking at other options in the mean time.
After a long hard days work on Saturday, we got to enjoy our new trees and this beautiful Idaho sunset!! It was incredibly rewarding!
In our front flower bed we decided to go with sunjoy gold pillar barberries. Low maintenance and the perfect amount of green in the summer time and a beautiful bright red in the fall. Speaking of fall, we plan to plant some flower bulbs that will come up in the spring and summer next year between each barberry. I can hardly wait to have pink and white tulips in our yard! :)
I couldn't be happier with the progress we made on Saturday and with how good it is looking! We owe a big thank you to my wonderfully green-thumbed mother-in-law for giving such great advice on how to plant things as well as playing with Liam so we could get all that we did accomplished. Hopefully by my next yard progress update we will have beautiful flowers coming in and that white porch swing I so desperately want to add. :)
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