TX House: Backyard Overhaul

***Originally posted on cregarstyle on December 3, 2014***

I realize it has been about six months since I finished our backyard, but as y'all know life happened and it slipped my mind.  So let's take a quick look back at what the yard looked like when we bought it.

The previous owners had 5 randomly placed trees in the yard so our first step was to rip them out (the Oregonian in me cried a little) and filled the spots with grass seeds.  We then worked on creating a 3 foot deep flower bed along on the back fence.  Here is what the yard looked like once we removed the trees and created the flower bed. Our grass looked a little sad, but look at all of the room that is available now that the trees are gone!  We have played many games of corn hole and badminton in the yard with the new space.

Our flower beds were a mess of grass and weeds so that has been is still a never ending struggle to keep it clean and tidy. We had initially put in one layer of rocks to line the bed, but then we decided to add a second level so that it had the look of a small retaining wall and was clearly defined from the grass. 

YUCK! Weeding is my least favorite chore.

The next step was to revamp the corner beds that are connected to the back bed.  One one side everything was growing strong and the other side has a different story.  The poor crape myrtle was dead so I ripped it out while weeding one day.  We had originally planned on replacing the crape myrtle in the corner, but we never got around to it and surprisingly the lack of symmetry doesn't bother me.  Update: in May of 2015 we added a second crape myrtle which is growing strong.  Apparently the lack of symmetry DID bother me :)

Next I planted 5 double knock out rose bushes in the center of the bed and they have taken off since they went in the ground in March.  I hope some day the center will be a wall of rose bushes.  Here is a photo of the little guys when they were only a few weeks old in the ground.

About this time we added the second layer of stones and decided give our landscape some vertical visual appeal.  On each of the seven fence posts my wonderful husband installed shepherd hooks to hold my hanging baskets.  We actually have 5 hanging baskets that are on the middle 5 hooks and solar paneled lanterns on the hooks on each end.

On each side of the 5 rose bushes I planted 3 Ixora plants that have beautiful orange blooms.  In hindsight I wish I would have just continued the rose bushes across the whole flower bed because it would be more uniform, but these are a pretty alternative. Check out the second layer of the rock wall.

As the grass began to get regular watering, our yard turned into a beautiful oasis in Central Texas.  The amount of green almost makes me forget that we live in an area that is always dry and brown.

Finally we installed some hanging lights on our small porch and added REAL patio furniture including a fire pit!  We love to sit out there in the evenings and watch the fire or hang with friends under the lights.  Thank you Target and wedding gift cards for the furniture.  I think having patio furniture, that isn't camping chairs, makes me feel like a real adult.

Thanks for touring our backyard with me.  We are hoping that when we rent our home in the next few years we get someone who will love and take care of our yard that we worked so hard to personalize. Until then...