Here’s growth in our front garden, starting 10 years ago.

start of landscaping

first rocks

pond liner

front yard construction-2002

These next 2 photos show the same view in 2003 and 2004. Even the vehicle on the driveway grew!

yard-03

yard-2004

This is a photo taken later in 2004 after I did some tile work on the house. You can see how much the garden grew over the summer.

garden & yard-2004

Here’s the yard in 2005.

yard-2005

blue walls-2005

And moving along to 2006 when I added a little more tile to the house.

yard-2006

This was last year, when the wolf willows were in desperate need of a trim. They grow so quickly that they need trimming several times each summer. I planted these to replace a weeping caragana that didn’t survive a second winter. I was glad to replace it because I thought it looked “artificial” and out-of-place. I did not realize that the wolf willow I planted would go insane because they are growing next to a small pond, and they seem to LOVE being near the water. They love it so much that they are continually sending up suckers throughout the rest of the yard. If you read the attached link, it tells you that wolf willows like dry sandbars. Apparently my wolf willows did not get that memo.

yard-2011

I went outside to capture the garden now. I like it best in the spring when the Japanese peonies are blooming, but that’s a frustratingly short time frame. Some of the plant varieties that I put in 10 years ago are gone. It’s survival of the fittest around here, as I seem to spend less and less time on yard work. Hooray for perennials! I’ve also adopted a more relaxed attitude towards dandelions. The city no longer sprays pesticides (which is a good thing) but we live across from a large city park where the dandelions flourish (which is not such a good thing.) I’ve decided it you can’t beat them, join them and accept the odd yellow bloom. After all, I did love them when I was a kid.

front yard-2012

Things have certainly grown around here – plants, tiles, cars on the driveway…

13 thoughts

    1. Thank you. I must say I was surprised to find the shots that seemed to be taken from the same place – just habit – not good planning on my part! And I love taking photos of the way the garden looks at different times of the year. There is a small pond with water trickling over rocks, so there’s lovely sound and it attracts the birds. Thanks again.

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  2. What is the weeping (?) tree with the white bark? Maybe a weeping birch? I’ve been wondering if something like that would work in my climate and location.

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  3. What utterly lovely landscaping you’ve done from start to finish. Wish I had the knack. The tile work looks like a labor of love, too. Fantastic.

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    1. Thank you. Our landscaper was an artist with a bobcat. He moved those rocks like they were weightless, and he placed them instinctively – a joy to watch. I worked with him on plant selection. And yes, the tile work was a labor of love. Thanks again.

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      2. I agree. People ask why we bothered to put the pond in the front yard when we could enjoy it more in the back. I beg to differ, since I see my front yard every time I come or go, whereas I might even go into the back yard every day! (except now because of the cat.) Thanks again.

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      3. I SO agree. I absolutely love front yard gardens when out walking — I would never get to see some of these gardens if they were in the back. We have a number of front gardens up here in the Rockies because lots of yards don’t have backyards. Gardeners must have their flowers!

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