{The House} Front and Side Yard Clean Up

Who doesn't love a good before and after? This one is mostly a time and weather issue but I did have to go in and clean up a bunch of the overgrowth I allow to stay for the winter months. Why do I do it? Because it provides food (flower seeds), shelter, and nutrition for the ground. Once I see bugs moving around, I'll clean it up and send some off to the local landfill (yard waste only). Some goes into my own compost. 

Among the pretty growth of my perennial flowers, you'll notice the switch of pots. I took all my blue pots and grouped them on my back patio. These two matching pots look nice here with the arbor and then I added some new white and black pots for my front porch. I'll do a separate post for it as it still needs some work. 

Unfortunately after I took this photo, we had a hard freeze so I'm not sure how my sweet potato vines are doing. I may replace them this weekend if they don't perk back up tody and toorrow with the warmer weather. I cut off the brown leaves and they aren't completely dead yet. The rest is looking great though! I plan on updating this photo often as the plants continue to grow and bloom. I need to take out a lot of my purple coneflower and replace my butterfly bush I lost a few years ago, but that'll maybe happen this summer. 

Check on my Instagram account - thebrickbungalow - for more photos as I work on the yard and show off what's in bloom. 

 

{Lily's Garden} June Update, #2

The hydrangea (first picture) is huge! It's an oak leaf hydrangea and starts off with white flowers but they age to pink. It's roughly 9' feet tall. The privacy fence is 6' and the trellis above is another 3'. Here is the same hydrangea in 2016 - in this post. And here it is in 2014 when it was just a little thing! And in 2013 when it was just a baby!!! 

The second photo is looking back towards the street, the opposite of what I normally take, but I liked the look. I'm tempted to figure out how to spray paint the fish a glossy black, but I can't take the stuff off/out, so I'm not sure. I may still try and hope for the best! Everything else in the garden is black (fence, shephard's hooks, etc.) and the big arbor trellis will be going back some day too. I want a nice, cohesive look with black accents. Black is also used throughout the inside of my house (hallway, living room ceiling, and basement stairwell) and backyard (mostly with black patio furniture). 

And yes, I know I'm posting a June update when it's nearly August but it's been a crazy summer. I need to get back out there and weed like crazy and then I'll post more pictures. 

{Lily's Garden} June Flowers

Lily's Garden has been in full bloom for a few weeks now and I love it all! The coneflowers are a bit out of control but it's a nice, semi controlled chaos of a cottage garden. The weeds may be getting out of control but I'll get out there soon and take care of everything ... once the heat decides to chill out and/or we get a nice rain to cool things down (and soften the soil!). 

But for now, lets enjoy the pretty lilies and coneflowers, ok? I'm going to do another post of my annuals, but these are all perennials here in Missouri.

{Lily's Garden} Back Half Update

Last week, I finally tackled the back half of Lily's Garden when it came to the weeds. Guys, it was bad! I had tackled the front portion over Spring Break or earlier in the year before I laid down mulch. But the back part? Nope. And then it rained, got hot, and repeated because it's Missouri and the weather likes to do that. But then, thankfully, it cooled off after some storms and so the ground was soft and the weather was good and I got my butt outside to weed. 

Three hours later, it went from a giant eyesore of green weeds, grass, and overgrown dill to where you can see my rock paths, recycled brick pavers, and my plants again. And then it sat there, exposed dirt and all, until I finally added mulch to it a week later. 

See? I mean the landscaping fabric doesn't care about stuff anymore as this was all between it and the rocks. And oh so much grass. Thankfully there was no poison ivy in the mix, as that's all in the backyard (where are my poison ivy eating goats?!). 

Stopped to enjoy the flowers I can see again. I added the above purple Scabiosa (I believe) earlier in the year and then ignored it, knowing it had enough rain to survive. 

You can see the bricks! And the rocks! It's not 100% free of weeds (probably never will be) but it's there and I can walk around and enjoy the back half as easily as I do the front. And now, I can take 30 minutes to an hour in the mornings to do light weeding, when necessary. 

I need to figure out what to do with the fireplace insert. My dad got it from an old job site of his and I used to put flower pots in it. I think it needs to be moved to a better spot, more of a focal point, but the thing is a beast and I don't really have a better spot. Suggestions? 

And to save you from scrolling back up to the top for a good before and after... here it is ...  

And then I added mulch, which needs more than one picture taken, but you can kind of see it below. You'll see it more on Instagram - follow me at thebrickbungalow 

And just so you don't have to scroll back up. Doesn't it look amazing? 

I also chopped off some of the oak leaf hydrangea as it made it hard to see the hostas, the hidden baby hydrangea back there (baby in size, not years, that needs moved) and some astilbe I planted last year. 

Want to see more garden photos? 

Lily's Garden - what you see above and more of the same space

Side Yard - our little area that is well used with containers and herbs

Back Yard - a mix of everything in our backyard including gardens no longer there

{Garden} Corner Plans

While working on my big computer, I've been editing photos. Did you know I have over 18,000 on this bad boy? Yep...trying to narrow them down but I'm not having any luck after I uploaded Colorado's vacation photos. 

Anyway, I came across the following two photos. The first was from June or July of 2014, the second from August 2014. I had to save them as I've been thinking of this area for awhile. It's become the eyesore of the garden. It no longer looks like this and there's weeds everywhere. 

I like the idea of the height that the sunflowers created in 2014. It all came from bird seed and I've been fighting the seeds ever since. I think this fall, once I can tackle things and my lilies, which are buried somewhere back there, are spent, I'll start from scratch. 

I'm thinking of getting large pieces of cardboard to help with the weed control since it all needs mulched anyway. Then I'll keep the few plants I like - lilies, coneflowers, and the blackberry bush that's in there (one of those tiny ones that's meant for a container...which it may be transferred to), and then I'll rethink the area. 

The fence will stay. It goes the entire length of the garden, which is also the entire length of our house and driveway so it looks nice. But I'm thinking of adding a trellis to where the sunflowers are and getting a climbing rose. I don't have any roses, as I was actually against it after removing a horrible one many years ago, but now I'm thinking it would look great. I could also add one to the front of the garden on the arbor. 

What do you think? Do you have a climbing plant you like? 

I will not do morning glories again (so many seeds!!). I already have a beautiful clematis closer to the front. 

The fire place insert may move too, depending on what gets planted. 

Suggestions?

{Garden} Late June Update

How it is almost the end of June?? This month has flown by and I feel like I haven't accomplished as much as I wanted. But.. my chicken coop and run are done, the girls have been in there for days, and the back porch is cleaned up from the chicken brooder. I hope to get it painted soon. But for now, let's focus on the gorgeous flowers that are open!! 

OK, so some of the plants above are technically weeds but I haven't pulled them yet. But at least the flowers look pretty! 

Guys... this oak leaf hydrangea is huge! The top of the trellis is roughly 9' feet tall (or taller!) and this oak leaf makes that look like nothing. I found a picture of it as a baby, so I should do an post about it soon. 

The "flower" above is what is left after the clematis petals fall off. I find it more unique and fun than the blooms, plus the last forever. They start off smooth and turn fuzzy.

I'll be back with more garden updates. I didn't take too many photos of our backyard garden this year, but the south side garden (with veggies and flowers) is growing strong. One pepper plant looks pitiful but it's been watered and receives full sun. I'm not sure what's going on. There are peppers on it but the leaves are droopy. 

Have a great Monday! 

{Lily's Garden} Early June Update

Hi Friends! Have you been reading about our back yard chicken adventure? We got them in early May and we've been spending a lot of time (and money) on them. Luckily for me, the garden has come in strong this year with only two plants that haven't returned. I replaced one but it died too, so I may switch directions. Other than that, I think it's looking good, don't you? 

The lilies are blooming like crazy right now! This is one I picked up a few years ago to add some height and variety. It angles down which is so pretty but very hard to photograph. 

Below is a shot from before some of the lilies bloomed. Above is the most recent full garden shot. I'm trying to show more updates this summer and I'm already slacking so come back for more garden shots! Or check me out on Instagram @ thebrickbungalow - I take the pictures but they don't always get on the blog. 

And now my coneflowers are blooming and I love them. They're so pretty in all stages of their bloom - even the bright green buds.  Don't you agree? 

The daylilies will be blooming soon and then who knows what! I don't have a lot of late bloomers so maybe that's the next plan? I've run out of room though so here's to hoping all the lilies and coneflowers keep going!