Friday 17 May 2013

The yard...now don't be too shocked!

Thought I would share the perennial bed on the right side of our yard.  In Canada, we call the back garden the "yard". I know that in some other countries that term does not relate to blooms and boughs...at least not in the sense of them being still alive and growing!

This side of the garden shares a fence with Lisa, the friend that I scrapbook and card make with on Wednesday evenings. You can see another one of DH's projects here. Lisa's husband (who is very handy and a perfectionist at any project) and my DH replaced some panels on the fence. It will be my job to sit and paint it after we have had a couple weeks of hot, dry weather. DH was very glad to have Ken's help as DH is not handy that way.

This is the sunnier side of my garden as the two story garden shed and a couple of really tall trees provide dappled shade over on the left side of the garden that I showed you a couple of days ago. As you can see, the extra sunshine has this side full of blooms at the moment.
This is the last almost spent blooms of the forget-me-nots but I like to leave of few till the bitter end so they drop their seeds for next year.
Here is my favourite plant in the garden...a black hellebore. Sadly, it has faded too and now looks a dusky dark purple...but the blooms were black for many weeks.

We had started to lift and divide the perennials on this side too, but had to stop as the plants grew too big to continue. We will resume our project in the Fall.  Just thought I would show you an example of how the whole garden beds used to look. Here you can see a poor daylily growing up through another plant that is about 3 1/2  feet (or more) across and 4 feet deep. Other plants are even growing right up to the edges of that huge one. The whole garden was like that on both sides so we have removed a lot of plants. Some that we have put aside for my sister are they're size of garbage cans!

Now I do like the kind of garden where you hardly see any soil...I like the foliage tips to be almost touching. DH on the other hand likes a good separation between the plants. It is a lot of work every year or two to maintain that almost touching look and  I used to do all of that.  Since my arthritis and my back got really bad and then the car accident,  I just haven't been able to keep up the task. DH is doing the bulk of the garden work so  I have taken his lead and agreed to try his style. So far, I have decided I quite like what he has planned.

We will be taking out a bit of the bed and extending the lawn on this side too. Slowly but surely, the bed sizes will get reduced. This one is about 12 deep I think and I not sure how long...maybe 25 feet or more...too much work for this aging couple!
Down at the bottom of the bed, we had this silly area that jutted into the patio area. It was hard to water and had to be done by hand. We have removed all the plants completely and integrated them into other areas. For now DH has set a bird bath on a cement circle and thrown down the cement rabbits  that the grandchildren love. We have left it like that till we decide if we will put in a water feature there.


It looks a little weird and bare, but hey ho, it will do for now. Well not quite bare...that is a hen and chicks sitting on top of the bird bath! We had 2 couples over for lunch on the patio on Wednesday and they brought me that little beauty as a hostess gift...lucky me! The pots on the hot tub slab are for the plant sale...sadly there is not hot tub...but a girl can dream...right?

At the far back on the left of the yard, you get another peek of the garden shed and the houses behind me. Luckily there is a canopy of tree branches that obscure most of them when we are in the seating area. In fact, I think you can only see the one on the left side from sanding at this spot...the previous owner built the shed 2 storieshigh to block them out from the dining area!!!
But what is all that stuff behind the shed? And why are there empty pots hiding at the back?

Well...it's the leftover plants from our toils...part of the 300 we dug out..And a couple of pots we were too tired to fill...hahahaha

Well, maybe only 250ish now...we had friends take a few, a bunch went to the garden club raffle last night and the rest are going in our plant sale this Saturday. My sister is taking whatever is left over on Sunday...she has fingers crossed for rain and no buyers...teeeheee
Here is a shot of some more of the  pots. I tucked them into the shaded beds under the trees...till that space got used up and then tucked them behind the shed where they got a little shade from the fence.Others are even tucked down the sides of the house! DH will be moving them all into the front garden today to set up for the sale...don't envy him that job!

I must say that posting all these pictures has really pointed out how much we need to work on our lawn...it is in a bit of a sorry state!
Well, that's it for me today. Hope you enjoyed the tour...
Off to finish writing up the name tags...150 done, 100 plus to go!!!

4:30 pm and a wee update...DH set up all the plants out front, while I sat in the garage with the door up and wrote more tags. While we were doing that 2 ladies from garden club dropped by and bought 18 more plants...Yay! The numbers are slowly dropping...Fingers crossed that tomorrow brings us lots more buyers!!!

24 comments:

Mary Jo said...

It's looking lovely though. And I love that shed, too!!!

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi Maureen so glad your were able to get a sunny day for your pickies and to share it with us - having great fun that is for sure...

and pray more plants go well in plant sale :D

Could not believe you have all those plants .. and the shed, that is a Rolls Royce shed if ever I saw one :D

love Shaz in oz.x

Brenda Brown said...

You have a beautiful garden, lots of hard work, but so well worth all the effort. Enjoy the summer sitting in it.
hugs {brenda} x0x

...the yorkshire fox... said...

...this have to be one of the best 'yards' i've seen in a long time, it's stunning, lots of love and attention has been bestowed and it's all paid off, gorgeous! thanks for sharing...Melxx :)

StasaLynn said...

Wow! Your garden is GORGEOUS! You and your dear hubby do great work together!

Take care of yourself!

Craftin Suzie (Susan Wykes) said...

I've really enjoyed the pictures of your garden Maureen! You both have certainly worked hard and it has really paid off. You have a beautiful garden! Good luck with the plant sale! Susan x

Di said...

Wow Maureen - what a lovely garden (yard)! Good luck with the plant sale, they all look so healthy I'm sure you'll do brilliantly - your sis might be a bit disappointed.

Our front garden border is very closely planted and we're waiting for a gardener to come and prune, thin, do some fresh planting and (whisper) lay fresh lawn. The sort that doesn't grow and won't need mowing :)

Today is Playground write-up day but I'll try to email you ASAP! I haven't forgotten.

Hugs, Di xx

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Wow, gorgeous flower beds there! I have many of those plants in my garden including a black hellebore! I love them. Well done, your hard work has really paid dividends!
Hugs, LLJ xxxx

scrapn_momof2 said...

Beautiful garden!!! I love all the pics.

Brenda said...

Your yard is lovely!! I love your landscaping and all your beautiful plants! I can't believe you and DH dug that many out!! I sure wish I lived by you cause I would be at the plant sale buying like crazy! lol I don't see anything sorry about your lawn, it is very beautiful!!

Far North said...

What a beautiful garden! Thank you so much for sharing!

Christine Harrop said...

You have both worked very hard to get your garden looking so good Maureen. And I love your shed!! Christine xx

Sandy said...

Gorgeous - I am leaf green with envy!!!
Sandy

Sue McG said...

Your garden is so beautiful! I love the black hellebore, and that shed is just delightful. Happy Spring :)

roffeycreations said...

Looking fabulous Mo - what a tidy garden - I have a courtyard where I just lopped off the top of the weeds - they are now below the head high fence line - and my garbage bin is full - so will have to give it another go real soon - LOL - I am not a gardener - wish I was... have a great week... Mxx

Sue said...

Oh wow Maureen the garden is totally gorgeous and I adore that shed!!! lots of huggles Sue xxxxxxxxxxx

May said...

Your Garden is Gorgeous... you both have worked so hard... Great pics... Love that shed... Hugs May x x

Anonymous said...

gorgeous maureen! wow, that's a lot of work so i can see why you'd want to downsize it. thanks for popping by and leaving sound advice; from now on, i'll try not to keep track of commenting. visit when and if you can and i'll do the same. :)
linda

Unknown said...

Hi ya, oh my that is one lovely garden! Looks so lush and pretty!! For me a yard is more a small paved area for a terraced house where there isn't room for a 'proper' garden.

And I loooove that shed - it's so pretty, must be fairly big as well to have a second level. I'd love something a sweet as that to craft in - if it's big enough??

Sarah

Darnell said...

Thank you for sharing all your photos of your gorgeous property, Maureen! Everything looks amazing!! That is a whole lot of work and upkeep. Even your little garden shed is adorable!! Good luck with the sales and do take it easy with that back!!

MaryH said...

You folks have a done a ton of work & I was amused at your term of "yard"- as opposed to 'garden'. In the south, we call 'gardens', those areas where one grows veggies, etc. The other bit is a lawn or yard. Yours is lovely, and I could wish to borrow your DH for a few weeks. Mine does NOT like this kind of thing (nor do I), but alas, no gardener do we have. I always say if we win the BIG lottery I shall hire, in the following order: an accountant, a housekeeper, and a gardener! I like how your DH is landscaping, and what a dollhouse of a shed you have. TFS

brenda said...

Call me plain nosey Maureen but had to pop by and take a look at your planting you mentioned.

Things look well developed compared with some of our plants and certainly well greened up, our are still struggling alouhg the nice weekend has helped.

Thanks for sharing.

B x

brenda said...

Meant to say, the lilac blossoms on that bush were probably the best ever, but strangely no scent at all this year, usually it's Heavenly in the evening. All part of the odd season I guess.

B x

Izzy Anderson said...

Your yard, garden and plants are just wonderful. What a beautiful haven you have built. Loved reading this post!