Before & After: Side yard garden...

As you know, we have been working on our house and yard ever since we moved back to the Carolinas. The front yard landscaping is now officially finished with the completion of my side yard garden.

Here’s what the side yard looked like before:

Not much to look at, right? I had a few goals in mind when I started redoing the space. First, I wanted to create a hedge that would block the chain link fence running the length of the yard ~ it belongs to my neighbor and I simply hate looking at it. Second, I wanted to create a destination for the path that winds around the front of the house ~ a pretty spot with a little bit of privacy. 

Here’s what the side yard looks like now that it’s finished, minus a few stepping stones I’m going to add coming off the path and some new grass:

It’s a big change, isn’t it? I planted a variety of evergreen shrubs, some roses, azaleas, daylilies, a butterfly bush and some shade-loving plants. My camellia bushes came back to life after being cut all the way back and there are a few other goodies tucked in there. I created the bed outline from bricks we found on our property as we cleaned it up. I liked the informality of using the old brick.

The red brick down the side of the house was painted to match the front of the house, and then I created a little garden with some perennials, including a beautiful pink hydrangea. I chose to put this one in a big colorful pot rather than try to kill myself getting those old pavers or whatever they are out of the ground. I decided to embrace them and give them a splash of color instead.

The fabulous trellis was a gift from a friend. It helps give this area a bit of a focal point when your looking at it straight-on.

For a final touch, I spray painted my old black outdoor furniture to add a punch of color. I chose this color for the furniture and the hydrangea pot because I used something similar on the porch ~ it helps create a cohesive feeling for the outdoor spaces.

What do you think?


I am linking to:
Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life
Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound
Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House

Photos by The Art of Living Beautifully