Every Little Step We Take...Another Step

After

You may have never read about or have seen the property which spawned our Every Little Step We Take practice when it comes to restoring properties over time, taking advantage of existing plants, modifying layouts and introducing new plants (if need be), vignettes and points-of-view - perhaps, even some basic hardscaping.

Before

This requires some patience. I have plenty of such for various reasons and a little from the customer helps, which most have plenty of as they slowly see the changes and the beautification of their property.

I worked on the front yard of this property (see related link below), which is heavily shaded, but there was so much potential for the back yard which had been treated as shaded for so long although the several tall pines had grown, dropped their lower branches and allowed for so much more sunlight. It was pretty much a yard of pine straw and the customer was paying to have it put down regularly.

This inspired me to install the curved lawn which is so much an accent to the plants and beds (see related link below) while, in and of itself, captures the eye.

I had spent months, over time, pruning trees and shrubs before addressing all this - first things first. Then we began looking at dealing with content and structure.

Most of the plants you see are existing plants, many transplanted, although I have brought in a few - purple pixie loropetalum, sunshine ligustrum, coleus, farfugium, hosta and a red hydrangea along the side of the home. I have yet to plant the vitex tree and golden mop cypress in the beds in the back...soon.

Hydrangeas, which can be so finicky, if only transplanted a few feet, are all doing well.

After

Before

This customer, although on the most-wanted-list of mosquitoes is very diligent at watering all her new plants, in-ground or potted. She is becoming a plant person, slowly.

We also took advantage of one of the many shepherd hooks (and other metal things I found lying on or in
the ground - it's dangerous back here). It's now used in the smaller bed for sunpatiens.

The property had so much potential and it also had tons of monkey grass - still does. Most of where it is, it works.

But, it was also in the midst of plant beds where it didn't belong and seemed to be the only previous answer for borders. Oh yeah, and brick.

I transplanted all the cast iron plants which were towering over the deck, acting as a border, along the exposed side of older, rustic and unique shed and then filled in the existing monkey grass deck border with more monkey grass.

After

There is still more monkey grass to be removed and transplanted or discarded. If this was a small back yard one would feel overwhelmed by monkey grass, but there are still some shaded areas and it does serve as a nice ground cover.

Other areas of the property have and are being addressed and we have added new plants in various locations. But, there are still many other small projects to be done, some review and adjustments and then there is the plethora of brick and stone throughout (enough to build a small home), which most, may simply need a new home.

Another step, yet a long way from where this property was.

Related Links:

Every Little Step We Take - Landscaping Projects
Bend it Like Beckham - A Fun Sod Job

Every Little Step We Take...Literally