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Sunday, March 23, 2014

So far, so...busy

So much has happened since the last post! Here's a brief list (posts and pics on each still to come):
  • Popcorn ceilings removed
  • New baseboards painted (I learned to use a professional paint sprayer!)
  • Hardwood floors and baseboards installed
  • Wallpaper removed in breakfast area
  • Boys' playroom (fka formal dining area) ready for occupation
  • Fireplace painted*
  • Tankless Water Heater installed
  • Painted all rooms except office, master bedroom, and breakfast area**
  • Front garden overhaul complete***
  • Patio overhang repair underway
For the sake of brevity (and my own sanity) I won't list all the things I HAVEN'T done yet, or haven't even started.  Just know that there's a future post dedicated solely to my passionate and all-consuming hatred of the master bath.

What I AM posting pictures of today is the front yard! I wish we'd had a sunny day for photos, but it's been threatening rain all weekend.

My bluetheme worked out pretty well, I think. I had to modify the rose selection - I just couldn't find enough positive information about the bloom consistency of the Reine des Violettes, so I went the tried and true Valentine rose.


Hopefully the red won't look too red, and will look more red-blue. I surrounded them with blue grasses and purple flowers to pull the color in that direction.




I filled upwards of 40 lawn bags with plant debris from the removal, and had to call upon my dear lawn guy of old to take a chainsaw to the stumps that remained.


The neighbors keep commenting on how much tearing out those giant ugly shrubs down has opened up the front of the house! I agree and I'm thrilled, but it has also exposed the garage wall which literally hasn't seen daylight in at least 10 years. It was completely covered by those gawd-awful stabby holly bushes and was actually growing moss.
 
 It looks even worse in pictures.



I'm completely at a loss for what to do in that little bed by the garage, so it has a little of everything.




The plant list:
  • Bismark Palm
  • Altas Mountain Palm
  • Agave Stricta 'Live Wires'
  • Euphorbia Lathyris (aka Gopher Spurge)
  • Santa Barbara Dwarf Mexican Sage
  • Azure Bush Germander
  • Valentine Rose
  • Silver Peso Texas Mountain Laurel
  • Canna 'Blueberry Sparkler'
  • Apostle Iris
  • Louisiana Iris 'Black Gamecock'
  • Aloe Striata (from my old garden)
  • Agave Weberi 'Purple Heart'
  • Agave Parryi
  • Elymus 'Canyon Prince'
Now I just wait and see what the summer kills....

*Full-disclosure: I've only primed the fireplace, but it already looks 100% better than it did.

**I have actually completely painted the sunroom but I hate the color. Let's just say that Palladium Blue isn't all it's cracked up to be.

***By and large the front planting is done, save some edging replacement and mulching.