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Saturday, September 12, 2015

New House Update! Landscaping Plans




What's New?  Things I'm Liking At The Moment!!!:
We are counting down the days until our new home is finished and we get the keys! We are officially one month out until that happens!!
 For some people, order offers relaxation. This backyard is all about order: http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/porch/outdoor-rooms/backyard/?socsrc=bhgpin042114perfectorder&page=10
One of the first things we have to address when we move in is our backyard landscaping. Having an HOA we will have certain requirements, and one of those is we need to submit a professional landscape plan to the HOA for acceptance before we can begin and once it is accepted we have 6 months to have it done.

Say What?
Should I panic?
Nooooooooo!!!

Pondless Water Features:

As soon as I found out I needed a professional I thought of my blog friend, and master gardener Debra Phillips who will do e-designs. You see Debra lives on the other side of the country from me.

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She is not just a blogger, but a shop owner that sells beautiful items from her European travels, she takes people on Garden and shopping tours in Europe.

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In fact she will soon be on a month long trip to France. Can you imagine being on that tour? Oh how fun!!

We are just starting the process, and I have been pinning away on a secret board for just Debra and I to look at, and to share ideas. 

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Pictures have been sent, questionnaires have been filled out, and even a video of our yard has been sent.

Debra is very thorough in her getting to know exactly what makes you tick, and what will work, or not work for you. 

Once you see the images I have pinned throughout this post you will see that I picked the perfect designer for my yard.

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Since I am usually the planner, and have a systematic way of thinking this whole process is a bit different for me, and I am truly on the learning curve here. 

I know what I like so that is a good start, and I am all about details so that is helpful as well. But to be honest even if I weren’t, Debra would be able to pull out of me what I truly love, and put it together in a beautiful design. She is clever and talented like that!

I also love the large stepping stones in the grass area:

I thought I would share some of the images that have been swirling around in my head for our very small yard. 

Our backyard is only30ft deep and part of that is an 8ft slope, and about 40 ft wide. Perfectly sized for our needs.

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FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO!

The first step in this process is to start saving images of gardens that speak to you. At this point you don’t need to think about the WHY, just pin or save images that speak to you.


Love the boxwood around the trees:

After you have saved several images you will start to see a pattern emerge of elements, and styles that you like. 

I usually do the analyzing and still do, but I am fortunate to have an expert analyze my style this time around. I asked Debra if she had to give my style a name how would she describe it, or name it. She said……

“If I did not know you were a California girl I would think you were from the Midwest, or East coast.” 
She is so right I do seem to have more likes that lean that direction.

Love this look for a path on side yard that is accessed:

SECOND STEP!

The next thing you need to think about is what are the most important elements to you. 

Mine was pretty simple, it is all about the views, and water features. I have to have the sound of water in my yard. I use to have a pool in my backyard, and loved looking out at the pool …..

Professional backyard pic
Our previous home’s backyard, this make me miss it!!

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In our new home we will have a view to the backyard from our Great room and our master bedroom. Since my kitchen sink faces the Great room I will have a perfect view of any water feature we place out there.

We are also fortunate to have a small covered side patio right outside that open door and the three windows on the side. 

This will be a perfect spot for yet another water feature up against the fence.

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After doing a lot of pinning I came up with two water features repeatedly. It will be interesting to see what we come up with once we start shopping, and see what is available and budget friendly. 

Here are some of the water features that caught my eye….

the Polished Pebble:

This would fit in perfectly with my aesthetics. Water, stone, boxwood check mark 3



love this rustic look and especially the pebbles in the bottom:

Antique trough and spigots! ♥♥♥ this look.


Hometalk | Ideas for that Narrow Space in Between Suburban Homes:

Throughout this post I am posting some of the images that I used to show Debra what I like in a landscape.

TROUGH FOUNTAINS  I love the simplicity of this spigot
Another trough fountain, this could work nicely right outside our side patio.


VESSEL FOUNTAINS are also very appealing to me. I would like to see a fountain out at the side patio and another water feature out my Great room windows:


TROUGH FOUNTAINS I would like a trough fountain on the side where the patio is at, if I can find one. Love the idea of a wonderful old spigot:
I really like the lighting in this one! More ideas to ponder!!


Definitely want an espalier and I like the small leaves on this vine, not sure what it is though.:

This would be perfect behind the side fountain. Does anyone know what kind of vine this is? I really like the small leaves and how tight it is.


I like this pergola and the steps up to it, not sure this would work since they don't like structures to be seen over the fence, would have to check with Hoa on this one, but I do love it.:


VESSEL FOUNTAINS easy backyard fountain, backyard inspiration, fountains and water features, Water-Lover:

Vessel fountains are attractive to me. They are easy to install and make, plus they are very budget friendly.


Basalt column fountains fit nicely into a natural landscape, attract birds  butterflies, plus it doesn't collect leaves.:

The three stone columns is another look that I think is nice and gives a more organic feel to the garden.


TROUGH FOUNTAINS stone trough fountain:
Another trough fountain, even one single light is pretty.
TROUGH FOUNTAINS Greystone Cottage courtyard by Howard Design Studio.:

This was the first trough fountain that I saw that was not used up against some type of wall or fence. This is huge and most likely not within my budget, but still very pretty in my minds eye.


intriguing to me
This is so interesting to me. The use of an antique spigot with a vessel fountain.


I would want cobalt or black I think- Lush look, small lawn - Sunset
Make mine cobalt blue please!
(I will be discussing colors for my landscaping in another post.)


impatiens are a great annual for our gardens here I like pinks and white:
These are plantings that I have used in my previous garden in a shady area, and would like to use again if we can.


Mossy garden path - Roger's Gardens Landscape:
I love stepping stones mixed in with greenery. Baby tears is one plant that I have to have in my new yard on the shady side. My Grandpa always had baby tears in his yard, and they are a sentimental plant to me.



Boston garden photo - taken from such a dizzying height! ("Gawkers, Welcome: House and Garden Tours" - NYTimes.com)
Is there anything prettier than a brick courtyard? Narrow and yet it is lush and inviting.


A small courtyard garden in Charleston, South Carolina. The narrow, deep lots present challenges and opportunities.:
Curves make a nice gentle flow in a garden.

This is just a small sampling of the images I pinned for Debra. I hope her brain is not swirling as much as mine is.

So much fun and so much to look forward too. We still have lots to plan and do, and I plan on taking you all along with me on this new journey.

 Good Reminder:
If I had to make one last very important point it would be sure to make a plan of attack,  and then you will be able to take one step at a time and……

“Enjoy the Process!”

If you would like to see more of what I like in a landscape, click on the titles below……