Community is so important to me. I love being able to share the wealth that come from my garden. It was a joy for our family to share our bounty with our neighbors. Our neighbors have shared pictures of the lemon bread, lemon bars, lemonade and all sorts of lemon flavored foods that our neighbors have made with the lemons we gave them. It has been so fun to see that our little gift of lemons was able to create joy in others. I hope as you plan your garden you can rethink how much more your garden can become.
- Laura Osteen
When I visit a client's yard for the first time, I always get excited about the potential of the outdoor space. So many ideas swirl in my head but it starts becoming a full picture once I work with my clients and get to know them. I love delving into their wants,needs and style. That is when it really starts getting fun. For this project, my client had beautifully remodeled the inside of her home. Being an interior designer, she had impeccable taste and everything inside was designed in a modern California casual style. Her house was comfy, serene, and curated with a laid back coastal vibe. It was a home that you want to come over for a visit and feel so comfortable to hang out all afternoon and into the evening.
Before: The backyard was going to need an overhaul to
match the inside. Initially the yard was uninspiring with no where to entertain. The kids somewhat used the yard but the sloping grass made it hard to play on. There was also an oddly shaped deck that due to its shape and size did not fit furniture well. In addition, the fence bordering the neighbor was low and as much as everyone loves their neighbors you don't necessarily want to wave to them every time you walk outside. Needless to say some privacy was much needed.
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After: I terraced the back hill to level out the lower yard. Using a mix of retaining wall materials I mimicked the curated feeling inside the home. The patio and lawns were done in clean rectangular shapes to add a modern clean feel. To provide entertaining space, I made the main patio sizable to hold a good size table as well as the BBQ. The patio's rectangular stonework in shades of grey/blue gives the patio an elegant touch that blends seamlessly with the interior finishes. After guests eat, they can now travel out over stepping stones to the cozy entertaining space with comfortable couches and a warm fire pit for evening relaxation. Traveling to this raised seating area also shows how big the yard really was. To add additional privacy, I strategically placed arbors to help provide additional intimacy to the entertaining area. The arbors will eventually become covered in sweet smelling jasmine that my clients will enjoy when they roast marshmallows over the fire in the evenings. It will become a space that they can create family memories for years to come and I feel so lucky to have been a part of it.
We are in such a crazy time right now with us all staying at home but to add some joy to your life #littlethings_challenge think about starting some seeds from home. However now that you are stuck at home where in the world will you get your supplies. First off look around your yard, garage, shed etc. I bet you will find more materials than you think. (At the end I will reference places to buy online if needed).
1) Containers – These can be anything. Egg cartons, old pots, baking container, a mug etc. You can really use anything for the containers. I do like using biodegradable containers because they are easy to transplant but honestly don’t worry about it. You can really use anything and just pay attention to the soil so that your plants are getting enough water.
2) Soil – You may have soil lying around from old pots. I am sure you have received a beautiful flower from a friend for your birthday or some other occasion long ago and when it died you tucked the container off somewhere. Now is the time to reuse that soil! You can also just use regular “dirt” from your yard. If using regular “dirt” you should mush it up so that there are no big chunks and that it is more fine. Regular soil will not maintain the soil moisture as well but as long as you watch it don’t worry you will be ok!
3) Labels – You can use tape, popsicle sticks, write on the container with a sharpie. Anything! Just make sure to label so you know which seeds are which because the eventual space each plant will need is different.
4) Seed Time – You can order online or hit up a friend or neighbor. NOTE: If in your rummaging you find some old seeds you can still use them but the germination percentage (how many seeds will sprout) goes down as they get older. Although this could be a fun experiment so give it a try. If ordering new try to get organic seeds if possible (I won’t get into the details of all this now) they are grown in a way that focuses on the soil and plant health.
Buying Materials: Your local hardware store may deliver, Amazon, Johnny’s select seeds, Burpee Seeds, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Seed Saver Exchange, Seeds of Change, & Annie’s Annuals (they don’t have seeds but can ship live plants from their inventory)
Check out my video in my IGTV or on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQWOzOjiEn4
For tips on growing your plants from seed. Also please free to DM or message me with any questions.
Most Importantly HAVE FUN!!