Our Garden Tour | Summer

This is the third summer in our home since the new addition/renovation.  Each season we've added new elements, moved things around, replaced and replanted.  This year I finally feel like we have established most of the elements I had planned for our garden.  You can see the original garden plans here.  

What I've discovered about gardening is that I love the creative process and the constant changing and tending.  It is my never ceasing project.

During the winter months I look out the window and notice the structure of the yard, the beds and the evergreens and I think about what spring will bring and what new elements we'll add.  In the spring, I'm constantly walking around the yard and looking for the new buds to make sure everything is still alive.  I look for the peony shoots to sprout, the first daffodils to poke through (sometimes in January or February) and anxiously urge the cherry blossoms, as they are the first to come.  In the summer, I'm watering and weeding all of the time.  And mowing.  All of the time.  In the fall, I will be monitoring the maple trees as they change, endlessly raking those leaves and collecting privet berries.  I love it all.

When I was designing our garden, I had trouble finding plans for a standard 1/6 acre neighborhood yard.  I started looking at arial overviews online of neighborhoods and home I admire.  While you never view your garden overhead, I think it is really helpful to plan it with that layout in mind.  I also like thinking about it from the perspective of walking - like coming around this corner there is a lilac, and then the gate is overgrown with honeysuckle, and hasta fill and bend over the path below.  Now that the structure of our garden is in place, I look forward to adding more whimsical, eye level elements like vine covered trellis or climbing hydrangea.  

I moved the large boxwood from the foundation last year and put them on the back fence line.  We replaced them with Annabelle Hydrangea with a small boxwood hedge.  We also planted a small tulip magnolia tree and dogwood to the left of the drive.  To the right there is a plum tree... oh and that massive 150 year old oak tree.  Did I mention the leaf raking?



The Window Boxes were a super easy DIY project.  In the spring I fill them with hyacinth, daffodils and pansies.  In the summer and fall, they are boxwood.  I will plant them in the ground at the end of fall, then hopefully they'll be healthy enough to put back in the boxes in the spring.  I forgot last year and they died in the boxes over the winter.  Hopefully I do not have to buy new ones every year : ). Though I do know they will grow to large at some point and I'll need to get smaller ones.

They've doubled in size this year and I can't wait until they really fill out and spill over next summer.

We love the long porch on the back of the house.  I added the boxwood hedge at the end of last summer.  Boxwood are always my go-to because they just make everything feel lush and green all of the time.

Sandwich Lantern Co. copper onion lanterns.

This is a Hydrangea Standard Tree (see how it has bloomed below), surrounded by garden roses and a small boxwood hedge.  This is the most "structured" area of our garden, which I love, but I didn't want too formal of a feel for the rest of the yard.  But I love the little formal touch here.

They smell so good.

Annabelle Hydrangea are always my favorite.  I pruned them back to 6 inches in January and it has helped provide big blooms this year.

Resident porch pup.





The pots are planted with boxwood, then surrounded by smaller pots.

The view of the back of the yard looking off of our porch/patio.

Against the back fence line we have a fire pit.  You can see the large boxwood here that were moved from the front of the house.

These are a full sun hydrangea called Prairie Fire.  They sit in front of some Leyland Cypress Trees and to the left of the Privet Berry Shrubs.



To the right of the Privet are our Garden Boxes.

In our garden boxes, we grow tomatoes, cucumber, eggplant and herbs.  This photo was taken about a month ago and now the tomatoes have taken over the trellis completely.  I love these trellis' better than a traditional tomato cage - from Lowe's.




They also are the home of our fairies.

I've put in some new climbing garden roses that I'm hoping will take over this fence and perfume the entire yard.

We hosted a party in our backyard a couple of weeks ago.  I'll share those photos next  : )

Did you notice how much I "worked" last week?  Lots of new blog posts!  I have a couple of more planned of recent dinners and parties, so stay tuned for those in the next couple of weeks.  However, this week, I'm done for a bit and ready to relax the summer away... so, its time for a sale.  Everybody wins!

Be sure to look around, many items that were previously out of stock we have restocked with "finds" while we were sorting out our inventory.  There is still stock of kitchen and laundry room bottles, gold frames, botanical prints, wraps, candles, baking supplies, tablets, kitchen essentials and home decor items.  It is a great time to stock up on these essentials we have each season.

15% off orders over $50, code : Summer-15
25% off orders over $100, code : Summer-25
35% off orders over $150, code : Summer-35
+ FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50 (automatically applied)

Shop away!  The Everyday Occasions Store >

New Maple Trees | October Glory Maple Trees

This spring, as our home construction was nearing completion, I shared our plan for the landscaping and garden.  We've really enjoyed every step and have done everything ourselves (to this point) for plantings and design.  Here is a post about the design, inspiration and layout I shared in the spring.

You can see that the backyard is fairly open.  While it does feel lush because of the flowering vines and overgrowth on the back fence, we really need some shade on our patio and the back of the house to help with efficiency.

Our plan has been to do things step by step, and to add more each year.  We've accomplished the hydrangea hedge on the left, the peonies on the right, replaced the back fence, planted the cherry tree, the rose garden to the left of the porch, and the hydrangea under the elm tree.  We also added a stepping stone path from the front yard on the left (photos at the end of this house post, here).

The next step for our grand plan was to add the two maple trees in the back yard to help add some shade and some relief to our too open backyard.  We've enjoyed the wide open grass area for running and playing, but know that adding trees will add to the cozy factor of the yard and much needed shade.

We've had a love affair with Maple Trees for a while.  We spent many days admiring them when we lived in New England - on our walks in Concord, Ma., driving to Deerfield, Ma., and (our favorite) trips to Vermont.




Here are some of my favorite New England Fall Folidage posts from the past :

Concord Mass Fall Foliage
Deerfield Mass Village & Homes Tour
Vermont (Lots of posts)
Nantucket Fall Trip
Bedford Post Inn, New York

The decision of what kind of Maple Tree was next.  Because we don't live in Vermont, we wanted to make sure we picked a variety that would thrive here.  Factors I considered :

- Color
- Fast Growing (we desperately need shade!)
- Shape : Oval, but wide spreading.

We considered Celebration Maple, Autumn Blaze & October Glory, as these three had the largest selection available in our area.  For local shoppers, we purchased ours at Suburban Lawn & Garden.

While shopping, I found myself leaning toward the October Glory because it seemed the fullest and healthiest looking.  It sealed the deal when we had a great costumer assistant tell us that he grew up with an October Glory in his backyard.  He says he still remembers how it created the most amazing, warm light in his childhood kitchen in the afternoon.  Sold.

Here is what I learned about October Glories :

"Quality shade trees can take a bit longer to mature than other fast-growing trees, but the October Glory Maple is an exception. This special selection of the native red maple will grow at least three feet a year, so rapidly turns from a young tree into a mature tree in a short time. - http://www.thetreecenter.com/october-glory-maple/

"This Red Maple (Acer rubrum October Glory) is known for its rapid growth and enduring fall color. In fact, its “October Glory” display of orange-red leaves lasts far longer than many other Maples. 
For several weeks you will be treated to one of the most vibrant displays of any tree in your neighborhood. It would look spectacular in your yard as a central focus, or equally at home near other plantings due to its narrow, upward growth.
October Glory is one of the most popular Maples for many reasons.  Tiny spots of fiery red flower clusters appear on the bare branches in the spring while the rest of your yard is still muted in browns and greys. 
The birds will flock to the small, elongated red fruits that accompany the flowers.  Glossy green leaves will appear next, some slightly tinted with a reddish hue.  As summer progresses, your Maple will grow 2 feet or more, achieving an oval-rounded form for optimal shade." -http://www.naturehills.com/red-maple-october-glory

We planned to purchase substantial size trees to help with shading the back of our house sooner rather than later.  Were were advised to not buy a tree any larger than a 3" diameter - meaning the trunk is 3" in diameter.  This means the tree is about 12-14 years old.  Maple trees grow 2ft taller each year.  Our trees are about 20 ft tall and will grow almost 2 ft every year.   Here they are as they arrived.

We really debated on planting the trees our selves, but decided that we better leave such large trees to a professional.  The delivery fee was about half of the planting fee, so even if we had them deliver it, the savings of digging, removing the dirt, staking and mulching the trees were minimal.  It took them about two hours to complete the job.  I'm pretty sure it would've taken Mike and me an entire weekend and a rented truck.

This is the view from our bathroom upstairs.  They were much bigger trees than I remembered.  I was afraid that when they showed up and where planted that they would seem smaller.

Out of the kitchen window.

I can't wait to watch them change color in the next couple of weeks!

They really make the yard feel cozier and more lush.  Now, I'm off to water them - again : )

Landscaping and Garden Design Plan | Hydrangea, Boxwood, Peonies, Lavender...

The time has come for us to actually be doing some physical work at the house.  After months and months (7, but who's counting...) of doing walk-thrus and watching subs work, I actually get to get my hands dirty (and my fingernails...) and do some work, which thrills me.  I'm not a very good observer - more of a doer.  Being able to "do" for the last week has made me feel so rejuvenated.  Rejuvenated and ready to move it in just a couple of weeks; )

You can browse through my plan above to see where I'm going.  I'll share photos of my actual progress later in the week.  This is a finished project plan drawing.  I'm picking and choosing what I'm working on this year to start.  I've already put in the front landscaping - boxwoods and hydrangea.  I've planted the hydrangea hedge in the back left, along with the dogwood.  The cherry tree and lilacs are also in.  I transplanted some very old peony bushes in the back right that I'm so excited about - more on those later.  

As you can see from the design plan, I'm doing a lot of symmetrical beds - my style.  I'm trying to incorporate some curves and some flowing places, too, to create movement and natural lines - a little out of my comfort zone there.   Just making the plan has helped me feel a little better - and helped curb my enthusiasm to do everything at once.

So, this is where I've been for the last week.  Our old new yard.  Okay, actually, this is where I've been for the last week...

This is a major Before picture standing on our back porch.  As you can see, we have an overgrown fence line in the back that is our neighbors.  I like the natural backdrop, but want to put a pretty cedar fence in front to hide where their chain peeks thru.

The previous owners didn't do too much in the back, so we are left with a nice blank slate.  I do wish we had some more mature trees like our neighbors to offer shade, but we'll have to plant small and let them grow the old fashioned way.



To my left, very charming south neighbor's yard.  We'll be matching her fence for our gates and back fence line.

To my right, North side neighbor's privacy fence.  We'll be adding landscaping to soften.  The first think Mike did was rip out the bush to the left.  I think it was just a giant weed.

I assure you after a week of work it already looks better than these photos I took a couple of weeks ago.   In fact, here's your first sneak peek of the exterior paint color.  

You can also see the stepping stones (some of them) headed to the new patio area.  

We still have a ways to go.  There are a couple of things that will help tremendously :

1) New back cedar fence to match south side neighbor.  Mike and my Dad worked on it over the weekend and should be ready very soon.

2) New sod everywhere - something Mike has been dreaming of for a long time.

As always, I've gathered a lot of inspiration... I'll be pleased if I can somehow create even just a glimpse of these luscious gardens in our yard.  Hopeful, but not entirely sure : )

We are doing pea gravel for our patio and I'd like to put some big pots scattered around the yard, too.

We all recognize this garden.  This is an older photograph of the Barefoot Contessa's.  I love the wild mixed with the hedged boxwoods.

Newer photo.  Purple and white.

And an arial, just because it is interesting to see the structure.  We will want more play room in our yard, but maybe I'll do some hedged square beds, too?

I want our front walk to be spilling over with hydrangeas like these.  The boxwoods will be more for the winter months when the hydrangea are sticks.

Wish me luck!