Yard Work, Hard Work

So besides painting when we moved in, we have done almost nothing to update our house. Not that it needs much (cosmetically, anyway), but we had been getting lazy about doing anything! After complaining about the outside to my in-laws at dinner last week, they so graciously volunteered their time, landscaping knowledge, and their bodies to help us on Saturday. Here's a picture of our front yard when we bought the house...

No, no, it doesn't look awful or anything. Trust me, much worse exists in our old neighborhood with no HOA or enforcement of deed restrictions (I'm talking lawns never mowed, limos parked on front lawns, you know - eclectic like the Heights without the charm!). But it was pretty jungle-y and not to our taste. The bush in the left corner is really just a weed that was never tamed and on the right were the huge elephant ear plants that blocked a lot of light. Right after we moved in, we took down the palm tree in front of the front door because it blocked the view to the door and then we lost the 2 left pine trees to a lightning strike a few months ago (sniff, sniff).

Yesterday, with the help of Tony and Judy, we tore everything out of the beds, including some small trees that Jeremy went all Paul Bunyan on with an ax! It felt so good! Tony put chicken wire up on the left rought-iron fence so McLovin couldn't squeeze through and Judy and I planted all new stuff! Here are the during & after pictures:

Demo!

Jeremy probably about to hack away at roots.

I'm taking a break! The humidity was truly killer.

The new plants are in!

Finished! Wow, you can see the window!

Center & right side beds

Cute little bed on the left fence

Yay us!

Me with the Hamblen Yard Crew! :)

We planted azaleas on the left side, which I am SO excited about. My mom always had azaleas in her yards so it seemed like I needed some at my own house! We planted a cute red flowering plant in the brick planter and gorgeous lantanas on the right side. A little hummingbird started coming around while we were working to the red flowers and lantanas, so I hope he approves of the new plants and keeps coming by! I have officially named him Oliver, but he goes by Ollie, too. My next goal is to snap a picture of him! In the little bed on the left we planted pretty yellow and red-yellow flowering plants, but I have no idea what they're called unfortunately (update - according to Google, I think they're Jungle Geraniums). We were lucky enough to get all the plants 1/2 off at Houston Garden Center (you know, because no one in their right mind re-landscapes in late August!), so now hopefully we can keep then watered, happy and alive!! We'll probably add more little plants in front of the azaleas but want to see how the beds fill in first. It was miserably hot and we all sweated like crazy, but we stayed hydrated, took lots of breaks and suprisingly weren't too sore today. We'll see how tomorrow goes... :)

Just found all the flowers online and what they should look like...

My Autumn sweetheart azaleas!

Plants in the far left bed by the fence - Jungle geraniums or Ixora coccinea, I think.

Ollie the Hummingbird's favorite - Texas Scarlet or Centranthus ruber, again I think.

Irene Lantana

Don't-know-the-official-name Lantana

Sonrise Lantana (Yes, it's spelled s-o-n-rise.)

Anyway, many, many thanks to Tony and Judy for all their wonderful help and knowledge this weekend! It was hot but I had a ton of fun and am so excited to see our garden grow, literally! :)

"The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring."

-Isaiah 58:11 (New Living Translation)