I have a little transformation that I did on a side garden that I’d like to share for Metamorphosis Monday, our gracious hostess is Susan of Between Naps On The Porch. Be sure to check out her blog to see lots of other before and afters!
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I’m calling this garden area on the side of my house my “Summer Gold Border” inspired by the Grace Livingston Hill book “April Gold” (which I’m reading for the third time this summer).
“April gold is flowers. Beautiful bright yellow flowers, yellow as gold….You watch when April comes and you will see little green shoots begin to come up through the ground, and by and by there will come buds, lovely big yellow buds, and then when the rain has fallen, and the sun is bright again you will see a burst of bright yellow flowers, all golden in the morning like sunshine. My April gold! That’s what I call my April gold! Lovely golden flowers!”
So this is what it looked like at the end of June! It’s taken me months to finish this area. It started getting so hot, I really could only work out there very early in the morning. So I would do 20 minutes here and there. Then I worked on other things and I just finished this yesterday!Sometimes you just have to give yourself a break when you’re doing a large or time consuming project and realize it’s not going to get done over night (unless you have the funds to hire someone to do it for you -which I don’t)!
There’s this lantana right next to the bench that comes back every year (it’s the only one I have that does that). So I took my colors from it. The last couple years this bench has been red so this year I painted it orange!
We don’t ever really sit here because it’s too hot usually. This area gets sun all day! We usually sit here under the shade of the crepe myrtle.
Here’s what I did:
- weeded
- removed sod to enlarge the bed
- re-trenched border
- moved daylillies & cannas
- planted annuals
- painted bench
- wound some grapevine around the top of trellis
- put down two bales of pine straw
Removing sod is hard work! This grass creeps so you really can’t smother it and we don’t use chemicals if we can help it. Now, I’m just going to show you the after pictures without any text. All the pictures enlarge when you click on them.
The trellis is just some lattice from Home Depot that we framed and attached to two posts that I topped with finials. I needed something tall on that big white wall that was inexpensive so this is what we came up with. We have a grape growing up the side of it.
Here’s a view of the side of it
I think it’s all ready for some pumpkins this fall!
I’m so glad this is done…I need to trim my bushes now and think about my fall veggie garden! But now my neighbors have something pretty to look at as they drive by this side of the house (we’re on a corner lot).
Thanks for stopping by!
Manuela, you have been such a busy lady! Your yard/garden looks sooo nice! You've worked hard and it paid off. It really looks so nice!
Nancy
Wow!!! So very pretty. You did a great job. Cooler days maybe you can sit out there soon.
Ally
Your flowers/yard are just beautiful! How thoughtful of you to think of the view your neighbors will have as they drive by.
What a beautiful overhaul !!!! xoxoxox Clarice
You have been working hard! Everything looks great! I can totally picture pumpkins and fall decor out there.
Hi Manuela….hope you enjoyed our lovely weather here today..finally a little releif from the heat…you did a great job on the yard…like everything else you do!!
What a pretty garden. I have not tended my flower beds much this year due to the heat, but the last couple of days have been great – much lower temps.
Hi Manuela! Love what you did with your bench! The color is perfect and really adds a nice spark to your yard.
Hello Manuela
I love the new garden, the yellow flowers, the bench, all very nice.
Congratulations.
Hi, Manuela. You've got a great garden. It look awesome and refreshing. Summer is really good for gardens. I wish my garden could look like that.
Your yard is so pretty Manuela. I love your bench. What a wonderful place to spend time. It looks great!
XOXO
Jen
How lovely! You did a great job.
Been enjoying your posts and just love you frenchy decor style….it's my favorite too 🙂
Helena
It's such a pretty and cozy corner, it's a pity you don't really enjoy it by not sitting on the nice bench. Why not add a garden tent attached to the wall to enjoy some shade?
That's my kind of metamorphosis. We are working on a new flower bed too. It's too hot here in the summer to plant things so the bed is waiting patiently for a little coolness. It's so exciting to create something new outside!
Wow, good for you! Now that the weather seems to be a little cooler, maybe I'll venture out to my yard and do some yard work too. You did a great job! Looks very nice.
Just beautiful Manuela! You have such gret ideas for making things beautiful!
What a fine place to sit and relax. Perfect for this fall and cooler weather~ ~Ahrisha~ ~
It looks great! What a metamorphosis! Love the bench painted orange.
I love the character of that old rd bench.
I hope you will come over and check out this weeks Knock off and I bet you have some things you could post to the KNOCK OFF KNOCK OUT Party.
Cheri
Its So Very Cheri
Quite a beautiful transformation. Now you have a lovely place to sit and just enjoy the outdoors.
Wonderful job.
My yard needs some attention! Please come over! 🙂
Such a beautiful yard. I love the bench, it turned out gorgeous. Everything looks so pretty. Hugs, Marty
Your yard is gorgeous and I love the cute bench.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
Your bench looks fantastic! We redid one a couple months ago.
And the garden is really nice 🙂
It looks great and welcoming too. I have to say, I'm not an "orange" person, but the bench painted orange looks fab!
Look at you busy bee! I love this bench redux in orange. I am in love with orange lately ( I use to think I hated it)and trying to find some where in le maison to inject a bit of it! Thanks for the lovely tour of your yard.
You have been a very busy lady… I love the change. I had a similar bench in an area that always had sun…So I pulled latus (sp?) around both sides of the bench and topped it with the same material…
THEN i planted ivy — before the end of summer the ivy had filled in and viola` there was shade and we ended up in there all the time.
Your space is so lovely — you should try something like that so you dont miss the beauty.
TTFN~~claudia ♥
I think your bench looks great wearing orange! Once the fall comes, you will enjoy the fruits of all your labor, take a little break, and enjoy your yard in the cooler weather. You're a hard worker and the end result sure shows well! hugs, Sue
I love Lantana. I have a lot of it growing out in back mixed in with the geraniums. You did a lot of work and it looks great. I like the color on the bench. Have a great week Manuela.
What a lovely up-dated look! The area looks so inviting… 🙂
You did a great job Manuela. All of the plants seem to be thriving. Mission accomplished. I know what you mean about the heat. I have a couple of projects that I've been working on but I can only stand it in the early morning or evening!
Way to go, Manuela! You deserve a round of applause for all you do in your garden. I amazed and inspired by you. So listen–I'm giving you a round of applause! I'm clapping for you! (Well, I did add you to my blogroll, and I'm clapping in my heart.)
XOXO,
Richella
You have done a great job! It looks beautiful! All your hard work has really paid off and now you can sit back and enjoy it.♥
Hi Manuela! I love what you did! Girl, can I have some of your energy please? 🙂 You are so talented!
Blessings,
Sandra
What a beautiful transformation…I love it. It all looks so nice. I so need to do the same with a tiny garden I have…I will have to wait until cooler days. I just melt in 98 degree weather plus get worn to a frazzle.
Am I getting too old for this kind of work? Probably…..:)
Stunning! Your garden is just beautiful!!! Makes me want to do some yard work. It has been so hot I can't stand to go out there.
Your garden looks lovely. That is a lot of work!
By the way, I'm sending you the Splash Award. Come and get it at your leisure. 🙂
http://beautydoesmatter.blogspot.com/2009/08/beauty-of-perfect-meal-and-making.html
What a transformation! Yard work at this time of the year is so hot and exhausting, so kudos for working so hard! It looks beautiful!
Beautiful… lots of hard work has really paid off. I'm sure your neighbors must really enjoy watching your transformations.
Wow! Its so pretty! Girl you have been working! Mine looks awful! Hubby threaten to mow it down! lol I can't keep the mulch in for the chickens! The weeds and grass keep on coming! I have all chickens in a run now but 3 are free range. Hubby wants them all to be. He bought a motorcycle and I said, well they may scratch it up! lol They are so far still in the run! I bought chickens that will lay chocolate color eggs this week. Start laying in November! I can't wait! lol
Love the color of the bench! So pretty!
Lovely! It reflects your good eye for design and the hard work you put into it. Kudos!
What a huge difference! Will you stop by and make over my garden for me? 🙂