Landscaping Part 2

While we haven't done much inside the house lately, we've been working on the two beds in the front. Our friend Mary of Pinnacle Lawn Care designed the beds for us last year and suggested a few things for the front bed: a Japanese Maple and 3 false cypress. After considerable landscape stalking (wouldn't that make a great name for an HGTV show?!?), and validation from our friend Mary, we went to work filling in the two beds with a variety of other plants and flowers.

Now, when I say we "landscape stalked" I'm serious. We drove around, walked our neighborhoods and searched the internet to get ideas. We consider our house to have a modern look - not quite mid-century but has some mid-century features. We wanted our landscaping to have modern features as well. We tried to educate ourselves on what would work in each bed - one gets mostly shade the other is full sun. We also wanted things to complement each other and the house. It's still hard for me to believe how much reading I did on landscaping - never thought that would happen!

Let's just take a moment to remember what the front looked like when we bought the house...this was taken early April 2009.

Here's what we have as of late May 2010. I must say we are pleased as punch with how it looks so far.

We now have allium, false cypress, blue fescue and palace purple coral bells. Not only is it amazing that I planted most of them, but it's hard to believe I actually know what they are!

Then we have the south side corner...

More tufts of blue fescue, 2 different types of sedum, morning light maiden grass and a goldlace juniper.

The beds are connected by more beach pebbles, with 2 different types of stonecrop scattered throughout.

So there you have it...all the front landscaping we finished this Spring 2010. In fall we plan to add a few bulbs (various types of allium). We're looking forward to seeing how this all looks in a few months, too. (and if we manage to keep it all alive)

Now our attention turns to the porch...fixing the railings, painting the railings and decorative metalwork, painting the front door, replacing the light and adding house numbers.