The BIG Reveal--Befores & Afters!

Okay peeps. Remember how I mentioned earlier this year that I was sick and tired of my backyard lawns and was planning to get rid of them? I was visualizing replacing them with something like this checkerboard motif?  

Courtesy of Pinterest

But then I also found this photo on Pinterest.

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

I really like the formal-informality of it. I like the idea that the elements are mismatched and interesting and form a design hinting of both whimsy and antiquity. Is it my (admittedly somewhat fantastical) imagination or does this circle look like an unearthed relic from the past? 

Well, hot dang. In early March, I caught the vision and it was time to say bye, bye lawn! 

There were two lawns to get rid of. I've always referred to them as my "North Lawn" and my "South Lawn" because this sounds kind of elaborate and fantastical like my imagination. Like I live on a many-acre estate or something. Hardly. But anyway, first, the North Lawn: 

Before: 

Here is a photo taken last summer of a section of the North Lawn.

You can see that it's not very big. Maybe 15 feet at its widest.
Hardly estate-worthy.

Here it is in late summer. No matter how much water and fertilizer I dumped on it,
by the end of summer it always looked like this.
I hated it.

Here it is after the application of lawn death this past March. 

A muddy, icky mess. 

Me no likey! 

At this point, I was committed. And a little terrified. 

Fortunately I have a son who is a great scavenger. He found bricks. 

I found more bricks at the Habitat For Humanity ReStore near my work. 

I'd go there on my lunch hour, once or twice a week to get a bunch of whatever they had. 

My hubby, bless his heart, dug the lawn out and leveled it off.
I laid an old bed sheet which, by the way makes a cheap weed barrier. 

Then, I started playing with the bricks and other pieces.
Lots of adjusting and filling in and leveling was in order.
To the left, you can see the beginnings of a gravel pathway.

Getting closer to completion.

Still some leveling and a few more pieces to finish up. 

It's still not perfect. I'm letting it settle and will continue to work with it until it's just right.
But it looks much better than a stupid, needy, never satisfied lawn. 

And now, the South Lawn

Early summer. It looks so pretty, doesn't it? 

But not for long. 

For reasons that elude me, I didn't pick a photo depicting the peril of 

the late summer South Lawn but I'm sure you've seen a dead lawn before

and know what it looks like.

Speaking of dead lawns, here is a photo from March of this year.
Bye, bye you sad, sad grass. 

Once the dead grass was gone and I caught a vision for how this area would look,
I  laid another sheet and began arranging the bricks. 

Patience was demanded of me while I worked my magic.
And it didn't hurt that we had less-than average rain fall. 

It took lots of moving and shifting to design a pattern I liked. My daughters helped. 

Once I got the bricks mostly in place, I added soil.
On the right is the gravel pathway, not quite finished.

This hedge would be removed and new sun-loving plants would inhabit this border.

My idea was to plant low-growing Thyme in the spaces between the bricks.
I already had a bunch of it in another spot so I dug, divided and replanted. 

Here, the Thyme is taking hold. 

I added low-growing "Stepable" succulents too. 

Notice the hedge is gone and I've got a few of the new plants situated.

Here is a more recent photo. Catmint, Gaura, Sedum, Eryngium, Echinacea, Buddleia lindleyana.
Behind the newbies are the established plants, variegated Dogwood, Lespedeza thungergii, Spiraea, Fejoia, etc., 

Still working on the other border. 

And here it is just a few days ago, coming along nicely.
I'm still waiting (not very patiently) for the Cannas in that back corner to get tall enough to see.
They're taking forever! 

So there you have it.

It's a work in progress and won't ever be "finished" but you can be sure

that when it's getting close, 

I'll have some other grand idea to try. 

It's how I roll. 

Thanks for visiting! 

The Wide View

Monday morning and clouds. After a weekend of 90+ degree weather, [our first all summer] I'm happy for a break. [I know. All of you southerners are thinking, "wuss!" and you're right.] If gardens could talk, I think mine would also utter its relief. This is the time of year when hauling the hose around to water my thirsty babies begins to wear on me. Mainly because it seems like no matter how much water they get, some plants just don't want to look nice any longer. But there are areas that still look decent. I thought I'd  share some of the wide views of these areas. I took these photos last evening. 

 Under the pear tree, this hydrangea is 'Cityline Paris.'

 These white things are the handles to my vintage wheelbarrow. The big-leaved plant is Tetrapanax. 'Heidi' Achillea is just starting to fade and the center green plant is 'Alma Potschke' Aster, just starting to form buds.

The tall, big-leaved plant in the back to the right is Catalpa. It's only a few years old. I cut it down each year so it won't decide to become a tree.

 This is my outer pond, although with all of the foliage the water is impossible to see. My Spacial Denial is evident in all the photos. I never leave enough room for the plants to mature and then everything sort of melds together into an amorphous blob.

 Case in point... It's a jungle out there.

 The fuchsia on the left is hardy here, blooms all summer and beckons hummers. Easy to root and grow, it is one of three offspring from its mother planted elsewhere in the garden.

 Every year I do something different with this area. I didn't buy very many annuals this years so the colors aren't as bold as they've been in years past.

 Verbena rigida is sort of taking over this area. Who's complaining? It is a perennial and I am hoping to have seed to share. I'll let you know. The purple foliage jutting up from the middle of it is a juvenile Cotinus.

This bench is looking its age. It's got a bunch of dead fuchsia blossoms on it. My oops.

A peak at the north lawn looking worse for the wear. I'm standing on the patio, looking east to take this photo. To the left is the patio pond.

I'm standing on the patio for this shot too but I'm looking north instead of east.

 The tawny, wispy foliage on the upper left are the seed heads from my Stipa gigantea. They get probably seven to eight feet tall. Love that plant! To the right of the pathway you can see the aforementioned vintage wheelbarrow just behind the rusty obelisk.

 Stipa gigantea again, sneaking out from behind my towering Heptacodium or Seven-Son Flower, just starting to bloom.

In the center of this photo is Daphne 'Summer Ice.' It's been blooming [fragrant, tiny, white blossoms] off and on since early spring! Another must-have for any garden within its Zone range.

This is taken on one of the minor paths looking out at the north lawn. To the left is the ubiquitous 'Autumn Joy' Sedum just about ready to host a bee party.

Hydrangea 'Glowing Embers.' It's not quite as red as I'd like. In front of it is H. q. 'Sike's Dwarf' sporting one amazing flower head and a bunch of amazing leaves.

And finally, looking towards the patio. On the left, finishing up are lavender, native Bachelor Buttons and Phlox.

Sorry. I've just got to brag a wee bit more about The Moment I Knew. This Friday [August 26th] is the day! I'm psyched. See my sidebar for more information and thank you to all of you for your kindness. You're awesome.