One of the things I love about this house and this neighborhood is the mature landscaping. There are no scrawny saplings or yards covered only by a patchwork of newly-laid sod. Everything is established and adds to the charm and beauty of this neighborhood. For that reason, I was hesitant to start cutting down trees and ripping out bushes, but after being in the house for a few months, I needed to acknowledge that much of the landscaping would need to be removed or heavily cut back. Bushes had grown together and several were way too close to the house. The maple trees were in desperate need of thinning and a few of the small dogwoods were struggling in their shadow. One dogwood had been completely choked out by a thick hedge of overgrown, woody bushes, leaving a tangled mess around a dead tree. You could see that it was all beautiful at one point, but time has taken a toll.
So, this winter, we had the six large maples “crowned and trimmed” and had the company remove the large holly, the pine tree (on the right in the photo below), and the large bushes hiding the front door. (You can read more about that HERE.)
That really opened up the front of the house, but we still had more work to do to clean up the front and prepare for cleaning and painting the siding and trim before putting in new plants.
So, last Thursday, the weather forecast looked perfect for a yard clean-up day. My parents came to help, the boys were off of school for spring break, and Jeff was able to help when he was done with work. I dug out all of our yard tools from the garage and set out to trim the large hedge in the side yard. I need to insert here that we have some of the best neighbors. The retired couple across the street, Lucy & Frank, love doing yard work, so they mowed and hauled away all of our leaves last fall. They have loaned us yard tools and offered their trailer along with a dump pass to discard our yard trimmings and leaves. They went through the yard clean-up process with their house, so they get exactly what we’re doing and have offered some great advice. And, Frank even came over to give me a hedge-trimming lesson since I looked a little daunted.
I have trimmed bushes before, but not an established hedge. Armed with Frank’s tips and an electric trimmer, I just went for it. (THIS is the trimmer I have.)
It was tough to get the hedges trimmed back into a straight line because they were pretty uneven, but it looks better than it did!
I won’t be entering a topiary-trimming contest anytime soon, but it’s not bad for my first time shaping a hedge and the hedge will look better as it’s trimmed regularly and it starts growing to fill in the gaps. Several of our neighbors have these hedges and they look really sharp.
I’m planning to pull out the bulbs (I’ll relocate them or give them away), which I’ll work on here since it’s a small job. Frank offered his edger, so I’m going to create a nice edge and put some mulch under the bushes to make it look nice and tidy. I’ll trim the bushes again in the fall and I think they’ll start looking even better. They already look greener and maintained.
Jeff wanted to remove this hedge, but I really love it. It offers some nice privacy from the street and it frames out a perfect place for a kitchen garden. We’re going to watch the light over the summer this year and will likely work on it next spring.
Once we cleaned up the trimmings and raked up the leaves under the bushes, we worked on the beds along the side of the house. There was an azalea bush by the garage and a holly bush next to the side door. I wanted to remove both of them to get a clean start. The holly bush was quite annoying when we were changing out the light fixture by the door. Dad and I kept dropping screws and would laugh at the terrible placement of the spiky-leaved bush. My dad bleeds if you look at him wrong, so I would go into the bush to fetch the dropped screw. Needless to say, I was glad to dig that thing out!
I am not planning on planting a bush next to the door again because we’d like to add a small, covered side porch. Until then, I’ll plant some smaller things and annuals. I am going to look into some smaller bushes to plant between the side door and garage, but I don’t have a clear vision of how that bed will look. The basement window’s placement makes it a bit of a challenge.
(You can read about our new exterior light fixtures HERE.)
We’ve already ordered a new window for the dining room and a larger one for the kitchen, so those will add a lot to the curb appeal of this side of the house. I might put a flower box under the kitchen window, too. It really is a perfect place for one and will distract from the cellar doors a bit.
We also cleaned up along the fence and the bit of the side yard behind the hedge. There was dead ivy on the cypress hedge and they needed a good raking around the trunks.
The sweet autumn clematis that hangs over the fence turned brown over the winter, as it does. I know from planting and working with this variety of clematis at my MN house that it needs to be trimmed way back each winter. I was honestly afraid to pull the clematis back because it is so tangled with the fence. It might be all that is holding it together at this point and, with so many other big projects going on, we were hoping to get another year out of the fence.
The problem was, there was a lot of sweet autumn clematis hanging over that fence and the vines were already coming back to life. That meant it was getting heavier and would probably put even more strain on the fence.
So, I pulled it off the fence and clipped it way back. This was the messiest job by far as I worked under a shower of dried clematis blooms and old vines. There were also bird feathers, spider nests, and just a mess of things that I really didn’t want to have my hands in! The fence is still standing, but just barely!
It is just so chewed up and rotten that there really isn’t much hope for it. One day, it’s just going to fall over in surrender to a light wind or under the weight of a small bird. So, I sent a message to our contractor to get a quote for replacing it. Fortunately, we don’t have a lot of fence to replace. Since wood didn’t fair too well, we’re looking into vinyl.
Once we finished with the sideyard, we moved to the front. We raked leaves and pulled up five more small bushes. We were digging up the bushes, which was quite a chore, but Frank brought over a log chain and helped Jeff pull out the bushes using his truck. There was still some digging and work involved, but it was much easier! I still need to dig up all of the bulbs along the front edge of the siding, but it’s looking better already.
(Boxwood Topiaries & black planters)
We started trimming the bushes along the left side of the house, but we were all pretty exhausted by that point and decided to call it day. By the end of our clean-up efforts, we filled 18 lawn and leaf bags (we use THESE) and made two large piles of brush and branches to take to the dump for recycling into mulch and compost.
We still have a lot of work to do in the yard, but we made great progress and, I have to admit, it felt good to be sore and dirty at the end of the day.
In other house news, the concrete work has begun in the backyard! First, we had the pool shed removed so a concrete pad could be poured for a new small shed to house the pool pump and equipment. The shed absolutely had to be replaced. It was eaten, falling apart, and was just set in place on an uneven dirt floor. It had been named “the cat house” by our neighbors.
So, it was ripped out a couple of weeks ago and they are framing and pouring a new slab for it this week.
They are also putting in a new concrete deck around part of the pool. Part of the existing deck sunk away from the pool, causing a gap along the coping tiles. It did that because there wasn’t proper drainage. We also wanted to add a handle to the steps for safety. So, they jacked out the old concrete a couple of weeks ago and are pouring the new concrete this week.
One thing I didn’t know is that concrete around a pool needs to be “grounded.” If it’s not properly grounded, you could receive a little shock when you enter the water, or people with pacemakers can feel the charge when they are near the pool. All of this is so far beyond me, but our contractor couldn’t find where the ground wire was connected, so they are going to make sure it’s grounded properly.
Once their work is done, we’ll start cleaning up the backyard. It’ll be so nice to look out and have a nice oasis to enjoy back there when the pool is refurbished and filled and the garden is cleaned up. If the weather is nice, we’ll probably do another work day this Thursday, but until I have a bigger crew, I plan to work in the yard a little each day…
You can read more about our 1970 home renovation HERE.
Looks like so much fun…cleaning things out and having a blank slate. So many possibilities!! Excited to see what you do, especially with the window above the cellar doors!!
Fun stuff! Good thing you have a nice big family team of helpers! Your yew hedge is a treasure, and will make an excellent dark green backdrop for future plans. Be sure to offer up that old white picket fence to someone when you take it out, it is a highly sought-after garden decor feature! And I did not know that pools needed to be grounded either, wow, you learn something new every day.
I don’t know if this fence can be salvaged for decor. it really is falling apart. My dad is going to try to lash some of it together with wire because you can’t even get a screw or nail to hold in it. It’s really bad.
My goodness! That’s a lot of physical work; I’m exhausted just reading about all you did in a single day! It looks great, and I know you’re excited about starting over. The shrubbery around our house should probably come out. It is looking overgrown, no matter how much we prune it. The previous owners had the areas landscaped by a yard maintenance firm that was obviously looking for an annual contract to keep everything in order, as the plants chosen take A LOT of work to keep in line! Sometimes it’s better just to start over! Have fun.
It’s looking so good, Marian!
When you say Frank loaned you his edger, what kind of tool did you mean? Edging is something I’m determined to get under control this summer!
It’s a gas-powered tool (they have electric, too) that creates a little trench. He uses it to create clean edges on his garden beds and between the grass and the curb, along the driveway, etc. It just makes a yard look sharp and tidy.
Thank you! I will have to check into that.
Wow, you guys really went after it! It already looks so much better and opened the house up so much by removing overgrown bushes, shrubs and trees. I can’t tell by the picture, but it looks like those might have been junipers at the front porch and I can tell you they can get really big and over-take an area. We had three big junipers pulled up about 10 years ago. My late uncle came over with this jeep and we hitched a chain around them, and he pulled them out for us.
Besides having your parents, it’s really nice you have some great neighbors as well. I love an older neighborhood with mature landscaping and lawns. I see so many newer neighborhoods with no trees at all! I had to laugh at the pool shed/cat house. I would say it had seen better days and I did take notice of the new beautiful iron fencing!
Yeah, I meant to mention that was our neighbor’s fence. Their fence was falling apart and their dog would try to dig under it to play with Sebastian, so they replaced it shortly after we moved in. It is a very nice update that we benefit from!
Always so satisfying to complete these type of projects! How about some lavender between the garage and kitchen door? It seems like your kind of plant! 🙂
Yes! I was actually thinking of putting lavender on either side of the little stoop. I had it flanking the steps to our house in PA and I really loved how it smelled when we walked up the steps.
I love yard work! There is something so satisfying seeing a yard look neat and tidy. Your new old home has so much amazing potential. With all of your vision, talent and skills it will be a showstopper!
Also, I have to mention that I am so pleased that you bought and fixer upper. I always learn so much from you and always admire your hard work and the results you share. You will forever be my favorite blogger💚💙
Curious, if you are planning to add a window to the side of the garage or some type of architectural detail to soften the large expansive wall?
We had talked about adding a window, but it would eat into our garage storage (we put built-in shelving along that entire wall) and the cost might not be worth a window in the garage, especially when we need to replace several more windows in the house and basement. I’m planning on breaking up the siding with landscaping at this point.
Haven’t done a thorough investigation, but wondering if “fake windows” might be an option to balance the other side of the house. Of course landscaping and trellises would also do the trick.
Why dig up the bulbs? Just curious.
I don’t like that they are coming up in random areas. I’ve done that in both of our previous yards, too. I like bulb flowers, but I want them to come up in some sort of order. I’ll replant like flowers together in a bunch or a row where they will have more impact.
Looks wonderful! I, too, love mature landscaping. You will enjoy the big trees during the hot summer days.
Neatly planted bulbs have a way of oozing out of order ….. at least, that’s been my experience.
Ha! I don’t mind some oozing, but these are all over the yard in very random places. Some are coming up under bushes, in the middle of beds, in the grass…just everywhere without any real rhyme or reason.
Gophers and vole’s love rearranging bulbs for you when they aren’t busy making holes!
Bulbs in a row dont usually look very pleasing. If you don’t like the naturalised effect they’d look good in clumps somewhere else. Daffodils are so welcome & cheerful in spring.
That’s a lot of work and will make a big impact. It looks so much better- a clean slate. If you have to add a little outbuilding to house pool stuff, I can see a cute little garden cottage style building with flowers all around. If you are going to have an outbuilding, might as well make it a cute one and part of the landscape.
You mentioned using vinyl fencing instead of wood. I live out in the country in Missouri and put 6’ vinyl around the back and one side of my back yard then 4’ picket vinyl sidings on the other side and front. It was a large area and I had 4 gates put in so it was fairly expensive but absolutely very low maintenance even with snow in the winter. I know both Lowe’s and Home Depot carry it.
Your helpful neighbors may love the offer of those bulbs! I have found that a digging fork is a better tool than a shovel for digging bulbs (less damage) or turning over a planting bed. Breaks up the soil instead of slicing it off. I do use a shovel to go straight down to make the edges though.
Something to consider: my landlord put in a white vinyl fence and it looks great, but it is blinding since south facing for us. We hang green shade cloth on it every year since it raises the temperature on that part of patio and rooms that face it to well over 100° by late April. I am excited for your new adventure and look forward to seeing what you come up with for this property. As a person who has moved alot in my lifetime my motto is “Bloom where you are planted!”and I wish you much luck!
Just a thought. How about a raised bed next to the basement? It might be a little more structured and contain whatever flowers, etc., you want to put there.
Your yard and pool area are going to be beautiful! Landscaping takes time but you have a substantial lot to work with and some strong foundation pieces in the gorgeous maples and hedges (I like your hedges too). IMHO I might be inclined to place a little fence/wall on the two sides of your basement and then add a pretty vine or line each side w some pretty small shrubs – to soften it and dress it up! A kitchen garden is a must if one has the space! Some herbs also live very well in containers and I could picture some large white or terra cotta containers in your yard too! It’s going to be just lovely!
Y’all accomplished so much and the changes so far are amazing. Look forward always to seeing what you plant, etc.
Heavy work you’ve done but it shows and it was necessary. About the little picked fence, try to find out if you can locate wood that has been treated to last.
I hate anything plastic and would never use that in our ground. Just like plastic garden furniture. You have good taste, so you know what I mean. Wood will not need to be painted and it ages into a beautiful natural silver grey.
Marian, it looks like your daffodil bulbs – if left alone – could give you some very nice flowers soon. If you haven’t dug up already you may wish to hold off. Those sunshiny trumpets announcing spring are so beautiful. However – you are mega focused – so if you must dig them up at least force the bulbs in smaller clusters in nice new clay pots and decorate your home – or give as gifts (like to your incredible neighbors) maybe???
I’m exhausted just seeing what you have done and will do.
It’s going to be a showplace property and home when all is done. Enjoy the journey.
We had a blank slate when we moved into our home in 2008 because we ripped up the sparce landscaping and went to town. We were so gullible and misguided. We picked shrubs and trees because we thought they’d live forever. They don’t. 🙁 Sadly, it is time to pull up all our near dead variegated Euonymus and replace with something better. The Forsythia is so overgrown I can’t even reach the top to trim it! And the Lilac I planted got an insect infestation in the base and killed it but not before it propagated itself multiple times and made woody stems of new growth. Now it’s all over and I’m not super happy. Landscaping apparently is a process and has to be replaced or cut back and can’t just be allowed to do what it wants. Who knew?! LOL I’m learning.