it's what's on the outside that counts....

alright, only when it comes to landscaping -- and that was Priority 1 around here this weekend. Now that he has a new mower, my husband is a man on a mission when it comes to the yard. So it seemed like the perfect time to tackle some landscaping plans. Our house has some existing landscaping from the previous owners, they actually did a great job in the front of the house. But the back and sides leave a little to be desired.

We live on a corner lot so when you're driving down our street, this is what you see. 

That's a whole lot of siding. Like a big wall of of beige slapping you in the face. 

Thankfully, we were fortunate enough to negotiate some money toward landscaping in our contract with the sellers. So it was time to get down to business. The landscaping company came out and we did a total walk-through the yard and what we wanted to do/can do with our budget. 

Item #1
The great wall

First up was breaking up that huge expanse of siding on the side of the house. Our landscaper felt that some of the plants in the front of our house were too big for their current placement, so we are moving them to the side. That will add height and color and those plants will be interspersed with some tall grasses and the lily bushes that are currently sprouting. 

Item #2

The back of the house and deck

The Mr. and I are going to tackle re-staining our deck so I will be sure to update you on the hilarity that ensues when we attempt that. I am just hoping we come away from it uninjured and with our marriage still intact. But currently we only have one knockout rose bush on the side of the deck. We want some privacy while we're back there, so the landscaper suggested a tree on the roadside of the deck, then repurposing the three rose bushes all around the deck to give them some breathing room. Some more bushes, grasses and small plants will fill in the holes and cover up the bottom of the deck, so you can't see underneath. We will also be getting some deck furniture in the coming weeks, so I'm on the lookout for that. 

Item #3

Privacy

When we were looking for a house, I was adamant about having privacy from the neighbors and therefore a yard with trees. Basically we ended up with the complete opposite of that and can see directly into our neighbors kitchen while they eat. Thankfully they are nice and wave to us. But when you sit on our deck, you can see all of our neighbors' backyards. 

So in that big hole right in the corner of the yard where our neighbor's fence is pointing, we are going to put in a berm of trees and shrubs. And just to the right and out of this particular shot will be another tree that will balance out the berm and define our yard a little more. 

So while we wait the two weeks for the plans and drawings to arrive, I have been dreaming about what our yard will look like and cruising the Internet for some inspirational landscaping pictures.

traditional landscape design

Love this porch. Beautiful, colorful flowers. It seems so inviting. 

traditional landscape design by kansas city architect RDM Architecture

I love how the landscaping creeps up the side of the house, this is how I want ours to eventually grow. 

traditional landscape design by san francisco landscape designer Verdance Fine Garden Design

The height differentials of the uniquely shaped shrubs adds tons of interest. 

I can't wait to see how the whole yard turns out, so stay tuned and I'll keep you updated every step of the way!