Backyard Transformation

In May 2010, I bought a house.  It was a Short Sale property that had been neglected over a year before I moved in.  The house definitely needed lots of work, and backyard was...a jungle.  Overgrown shrubs and weeds were taking over the property, and the soil was totally hardened.  It took me weeks even to make flower beds.  9 months later, my backyard looks so much better, but it still needs a whole lot more TLC. 


I want to show you some of the improvements I had made so far. (Click on the pictures to enlarge)

May 2010.  Overgrown shrubs (more like trees!) were covering the windows, and weeds were as tall as 4ft - as you can see it in front of this picture.

June 2010.  My boyfriend cut down the shrubs and weeds completely (Yes, he's wonderful <3).  Exposed are a bunch of junk!

July 2010.  I decided to make a flower bed under the window of my second bedroom (currently being used as an office).  I used a pick to break and tilled the hardened soil, then mixed soil amendment as my boyfriend taught me (he's got a green thumb, and he's a great teacher).  My boyfriend installed the drip irrigation system so the plants would be watered more efficiently.  I planted 2 Hibiscus I bought from Home Depot and a Pineapple Lily that I received as gift.

My first plants! (Left - peach Hibisucs, Center, Pineapple Lily, Right- Bicolor Hibiscus) - I used the pick in the background to till this area!

October 2010.  During the summer, I didn't work much in the yard mainly because it was not comfortable to work in the hot weather, and I had other rather urgent home improvement projects inside the house.  However, I managed to make the second flower bed (front side in this picture) and planted a few other plants (Dianthus, Egiptian Stars).  Oh,I got some nice solar outdoor lights for my birthday!  They look great, and I love them!

By October 2010,  I had added Yucca (left), Dianthus (Center, front) and Calla Lilly (at the center where the soil is darker) to the first flower bed. 

January 2011.  By this time, Dianthus expanded and kept blooming, Calla Lilies and Freesia emerged from the ground and started to show buds.  I also transplanted Blanket Flower, Texas Bluebonnet, Oriental Poppies, Cosmos, Lavenders, Platycodon and Sweet Williams that I grew from seeds.  The juice bottle you see on left is my 'instant greenhouse' for the poppies.  This helps to keep the moisture in the soil, keeps the plant away from cold air and snails/slugs.

My Dianthus.  In Japanese, it's called "Nadeshiko".  In Japan, "Nadeshiko" is often a synonym to "Idealized Japanese Ladies". 

 My beautiful Calla Lilies.

 Calla Lilies and Freesia buds.

Calla Lilies, Freesias, Dianthus and Blanket Flower.

The overall look of my 2 flower beds.  (Project is still in progress, and it will always be!)

A view from the center of my yard. (I received the water fountain for Christmas from my boyfriend - can you tell how he motivates me to improve my yard?)

Tha's it for now.  More improvement/transformation entries to follow...I hope!