AT THE REQUESTOF SOME

    At the request of some of my friends and blog followers, I am going to peck out a few more entries to this blog.

    Since I stopped posting on a regular basis some time ago, there has been progress on our house and, more notably, our yard.  For close to 2 years I put down my power tools and picked up my shovel and mattock, rake and pitchfork.


Hardscape was added and our antique brick got new life as colums and a circular planter.

The only plant life worthy of salvaging were the azaleas, the magnificent Magnolias, 2 tremendous maples, an old pecan tree, a very large holly and, of course, the bamboo!

 
    Heavy equipment took out years of brush and weeds, and I designed some curves into the landscape to soften the squareness of the large patio/basketball court.

My daughter and I tote water to the garden behind the garage,
at least until we get the rainbarrels connected.

My son gifted me with yardwork last Mother's day. This included
digging out the original but long neglected pond in the back yard.

 All this happened 1 1/2 years ago.  I've been digging and planting ever since.  Good thing I love it so much!  We now have grass and loads of plantings.

There is more to come.  Keep an eye out for more recent photos and coments.

WHILE I'M ON THE SUBJECT OF BRICK

While we had the mason here, we hired him to build an outdoor fireplace.  

I drew a picture and he capably followed my novice design to a T.

It was July,

and it was hot,

but 3 half-days of work later.....

                We have a stunning chimney; the centerpiece of a beautiful outdoor gathering spot.
(I'll let you in on a little special feature....the key at the top of the arch was cut from the original 1907 sidewalk leading to the front door.)

October 2014 - Ready for guests

CURB APPEAL

    We have been so excited seeing how the recent brick work has turned out.  In addition to the driveway pillars, we had the mason fashion a circular bed in the center front yard.  Originally there was a larger circle.  Our smaller brick bed is something of a nod to the home's past (a larger circle would have meant today's vehicles would have difficulty manuevering around the drive).

Finishing off the inside of the circular bed

As seen from the front door

                     Our house 3 years ago , here, was equated with the Amittyville horror house.

Pillars and circle are complete, making for a somewhat grand entrance.  The house takes on an entirely new persona.

LOOK WHAT HAS SURVIVED

Look what has survived not only the transplant of 1 year ago, but also the harsh winter....

My lilac has begun to bloom.

Look what has survived years of neglect.  After the yard crew stripped the side yard of all the weeds and overgrowth this past fall, there remained nothing visible but dirt.  .....And then spring arrived and this unusual flower appeared.....

A lovely little flower called a trout lily.

THIS GARDEN WAITS FOR NO MAN

    Given the contrary weather, the yard is not moving forward.  The whole domino effect has been unnerving.  In order for the remaining yard and driveway to move forward the pavers must be dry.  This way, once the yard is complete the contractor will not have to drive heavy equipment over the finished yard to complete the patio/basketball court portion of the job.

     Despite the wet and unusually cold weather we have had all fall and winter, we have had days here and there which have been delightfully pleasant.  I have decided that this garden shall wait for no man. (Except when the task requires more than my 2 hands then I am happy to wait briefly for my son or husband to lend me theirs).

     One sunny weekend, I built raise beds and a compost bin.

This bed is high enough for sitting comfortably on the ledge as you
plant, pick, weed, or just rest a while.

The bin is lined with wire and the front panel is removable to manage the pile with ease.

Last weekend, my 2 men lent their hands and muscle to the the task of digging holes, erecting, leveling, squaring, and cementing iron columns leading from one section of the yard to the future vegetable garden behind the garage.

I found the iron in a salvage yard, removed a little rust and painted the 3 sections flat black

These iron columns will provide support for wisteria I moved from Warren Road.

My bottle tree from Warren Road has found a new home on Hawthorne Ave.

                                                                                 

The bricks used here in the edging are the broken halves from the original house chimneys.

An old clothes line post gets a coat of magenta paint and awaits hops rhizomes

                                                             

Seedlings in peat pots sprout and wait for Frost's departure

COME ON SPRING!

A RENOVATION OF A DIFFERENT KIND

    To those of you who have been following our house progress you will note it has been numerous months since I have made a posting.  This is not to say I have been idle.  Since our Warren Road house sold last August, I have been enjoying our new home and all that it entails.
Let me attempt to catch you up in the next few postings.

Numerous weeks ago the yard renovation began!

Looking out my windows I saw all sorts of heavy equipment...

   

  

In addition to clearing the property of weeds and trash, the contractors are laying pavers between the garage and house for the future basketball court/entertaining area.

We were thrilled to have the yard work begin and RADA and Associates is doing a tremendous job.

If we just could get 7 or more consecutive days without rain or snow!!!! 

 In order to move forward the pavers must be dry.

 Just when they dry.....

Something like this happens.

The pavers are 100% dry today, but....rain is predicted for this afternoon and

more wet and perhaps frozen precipitation is due later this week.

Patience.

TRANS-ING

Over a month ago I mentioned transplanting my old yard.  To be accurate I was not transplanting I was just trans-ing.  The plants have been forced to live in garbage bags, ceramic pots and plastic containers since then.  

Korean boxwood, strawberry geraniums, lily of the valley, daisies, curry plant, hosta...

More boxwood, Lenten Rose, peonies, veronica, lavender.....

Slowly, very slowly, I have been planting them in what I have begun to refer to as 'foster homes'.  You see, our yard is not to a point where I can provide permanent homes to all my 'trans' plants.  Much of the yard looks like this..... 

North side

an like this....

South west side
Note: the leftover 4'x8' luan used to protect the floors during restoration now is our promenade to the garage

I have begun a small project in order to get some plants in the ground before the blistering summer settles in.  This spot on the shady north side of the house is to be a patio of irregular bluestone edged in  broken antique brick .

The small patio is off the screened porch

                                                          

Broken bricks outline the patio and crevices between stones are spots to snuggle in some foot-friendly plants

                                                              

Hosta, Helleborus, Aquilegia, and ferns find new soil to their liking

(Eddie, do you recognize the red, rope-handled watering can from your cottage outside C-ville?  It's my favorite one but it's yours if you want it back.  How did I end up with it anyway?)

SUMMER'S HERE

I've no time to write much but had to share the beauty of one of our first magnolia blossoms.

Can't you just smell the fragrance

Billye's swing is suspended from a branch of a magnolia and is amid all the weeds and debris

                                

Miss Magnolia enjoys her swing and watching Mama do the yard work

DIGGING AND DIVIDING, TRANSPORTING AND TRANSPLANTING

In my back yard on Hawthorne Avenue...

                                        tucked away in the bamboo.....

A real jungle gym

As we prepare our house on Warren Road for the market, one job is to clean up the yard.  Two years of neglect have made it a more trying task.  I have been digging and dividing perennials for days and have transported the plants to Hawthorne Avenue  making some efforts to keep the transplants watered until beds can be dug.  

Helleborus - Lenten Rose

   

A lilac barely fits in the rear of the car for the trip

Ferns, Ajuga,  Acuba, daisies, boxwood, veronica, heather,  Helleborus, Wisteria,
Irises,  Daffodils, Curry plant and more......awaiting a fresh bed at a new home

LANDSCAPING BEGINS

    Landscaping this yard is a bit like the house restoration in that it is a task that will consist of numerous stages.  Stages one and two really took place when we sited the garage, built the brick retaining wall and  removed trees and stumps.  All of those jobs were beyond my proficiency so were hired out.

The folks that cleared my backyard of bamboo roots and graded were these guys......

   Jason is the owner and I think you will be pleased with his prompt response, accommodating manner, and quality of work.  He has provided me with a blank canvas (made up of 50/50 topsoil/manure) upon which I can now "paint" my back yard.  

A blank canvas as seen from the 2nd story deck

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

    At my home on Warren Road my pink roses are in full bloom this time of year, every year.  Whenever they bloom I think of motherhood, both mine and my mother's.  My first child was born many years ago on May 1st and Mother's Day, of course is always in the beginning of May.  This year when I look at these pink roses reflecting upon motherhood, I think "Where will I plant pink roses on Hawthorne Avenue?"

    As I mentioned previously we have had someone working on the yard.  Today my backyard has been cleared, graded and is now a blank slate.

Back yard as seen from the second floor deck

My backyard is quite sunny.  I must figure out where I will plant pink roses.  I will be transplanting many plants from Warren Rd. to Hawthorne Ave.  Among those plants will be one my son gave me several years ago for Mother's Day.  I look at it in bloom this time of year and smile.

Gaillardia

I adore being a mother and I love my own mother more than I can say....I think she knows how much...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

XOXOXO   Carlie

  

IF I DIDN'T KNOW BETTER...

If I didn't know better, I'd think that my son Michael had lived here on Hawthorne Avenue when he was a young boy.  As I cleaned up the front azalea beds, I found myself excavating remnants of childhood......
 

Legos, "army men", superballs, marbles, plastic propellers, seashells, a rubber iguana, batteries, CO2 cartridges, a broken arrow, floppy discs, Easter eggs, a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Matchbox cars.

In addition, I unearthed several tennis balls.  I surmised that a dog lived here too and have since learned that a dog did live here but he was ever reluctant to retrieve the ball.