Saturday, July 5, 2014

Yard Work


I live in the house I grew up in.  My father built it and my parents and I moved in when I was a couple of months old.  A lot of history here.  My parents loved working in the yard and planted hundreds azaleas, camellias, dogwoods, and other stuff.



I moved back home in the early 1980s and reared my children here. I moved out and rented the house when I went back to college to finish my undergrad degree and then grad school.... and the yard was not tended for a good 8+ years.  When I moved back home, I did my best to get control of the "mature" shrubbery but it's become more difficult as the years have gone by and my balance has declined.  


I don't trust myself with a chain saw anymore, let alone a ladder.  Also, yard work is complicated by my heat intolerance and allergies... so I am pretty much restricted to working in the yard during the winter.   



I got me some yard dudes to get the yard under control so I can go into "maintenance" mode but they arrived before I had a chance to take some "before" pictures so.... to give you an idea of the scope of this project... I played around with a couple of "after" photos.   

First up, a "before" shot of the front yard from the road.
 
The dark green is shrubbery that was against the house and the lighter green is the shrubbery on the side of the front lawn nearest the road.  The yard was sort of a forest glen... with shrubbery all around it. Next, is the "after" photo...


 

The "before" view of the road from the front of the house.


 ...and the "after" view.
  


I'm giving some thought to what I will plant back but nothing will be planted until later in the fall.  It's just too dern hot to plant anything now.   

And, just in case you think I am exaggerating how big the decades-old shrubbery had gotten, here's a view of the left side of the house.  The azalea to the right is over 6-ft high.... and there is a gate into the back yard at the back center...

 
The yard crew is scheduled to return on Monday to tackle both the side yard and the back yard.  No, I won't be "helping" but I'm sure I'll be called on for lots of decisions. Plus, the guys seem to thrive on attention and admiration of their efforts.





11 comments:

  1. Wow! Thank goodness for "yard dudes". : )

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  2. Wow, that looks like a large lot!
    How nice that you get to live in your childhood home!

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  3. When they are done with your house, send them my way. They did a drastic job, but if you like it, that's all that matters. I'd be missing the flowers.
    OOOOO I love dogwood. I hope you still have those.
    Hugs

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  4. Wow, that is a lot of work to keep up. In the last 2 years our yard has begun to over grow....time to cut back a lot. I think the supervising position sounds just about right for you....keep the lemonade flowing!

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  5. Nothing like starting with a clean slate. Such potential. A couple of months is just what you need to make some decisions on what you want to do with all that space. Looking forward to the spring photos. Me personally, I don't do yard work which is why I live in a townhouse.

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  6. That's an amazing difference, Freda. Hooray for yard dudes! :o)

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  7. Freda, I've been awol (again!!!!) and it was nice to read your last few posts and catch up on your doings!! ditto for the cheers for the yard dudes! How great that you are able to get it done for you!!! The T-shirts for the girls are great!! And those pillows - I've been watching your progress and they are awesome!!

    Be sure and take a little time each day for yourself!

    Blessings and hugs!

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  8. Looking GOOD, Freda. It's always something that needs to be done when it comes to a house. I call them money pits.

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  9. Hello from Marj of SC, I am at my Daughter's place in Macon,GA pet sitting while she and my other Daughter are on vacation. Just wanted to say Yard Dudes are the best, I recently hired some at home to get my yard under control. your yard is going to be beautiful next season.

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  10. You're lucky to have found a good group to do this. An overgrown look is rarely pretty and it just keeps growing. Good decision to get it cleared out.
    Lillian

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  11. Wow! I remember the "before", and now you have a nice clean slate! They did a great job.

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