A Little Garden TLC

BEFORE: Backyard 

The gardens ( Backyard, Side Garden and Front Garden) in our new house needed a little TLC...and I needed A LOT OF BUG SPRAY!  Our town holds an Historic Home and Garden Tour every year.  Our neighborhood will be on the tour next year and was on it 5 years ago.  The Historical Society said there will be a lot of interest to see what we have done with the house since the last time it was on tour.  So...we have some work to get done in the next year!  I think we are well on our way!

AFTER: Backyard

We have planted a bunch of perennials and pulled and killed lots of weeds and cut down lots of little trees growing out of stumps back there.

We have also laid out the pathway that will be pea rock going to the front of the house.  Right now there is a broken down fence between the two which they have strapped to a tree.  That will be coming down soon to connect the two gardens and create a beautiful shade garden.


(Left) The pathway that will lead from the front garden to back garden.

The Front Garden is on a quiet street shaded with trees and squirrels running wild...including two albino squirrels.  It was consisting of lots of weeds and lily of the valley.  We thinned out the lily of the valley, pulled weeds and planted perennials.  Then laid down mulch to choke out the weeds.

We also found some landscape blocks and moved them to the right of the house making the entrance to where the pathway will come through.  We planted some ferns and lily of the valley in this area as well as one of my favorites, a bleeding heart bush. (Seen below)

The future pathway to the backyard

Now we go onto the side garden.  This is the most visible garden since it on a busy street and where the driveway is.  So most of our guests come to this entrance.  I'm including a porch picture as well, that we have recently painted!

After: Side Porch which is our main entrance

The side garden was filled with rock on top of rock!  We had to sift through all of it (almost a foot deep)  It was quite the challenge but worth it.  The dirt was great and ready for planting!  We just needed some warm weather here in Minnesota.  

Collecting larger river rock from around the yard, we had enough to do a border around the front of the garden.

We transplanted our hosta and day lily's from our old house and added some lavender, daisies and perennials as well as a few herbs.  It is filling in nicely!

Our yard was also not in great shape but we are happy to say the grass is now plush and filling in great.

Please find me on facebook:

Through My Creative Mind

to see the day to day progress on the house!