Backyard Garden Makeover at SF Vacation Hut

Post date: Feb 02, 2013 7:30:38 AM

The garden we've had for the last few years at SF Vacation Hut was lovely, especially in the springtime.

Unfortunately, in spring 2011, our neighbors cut down the apple and plum trees that you see to the right of the gold-colored fence, and they put in a deck instead. In addition, they put in a new building directly to the right of the fence. So there is no more greenery to the right of the fence, and instead there is a building.

We wanted to make a change that would direct attention away from the neighbor's new building and provide more space for dining and enjoying the backyard with friends. Daniel Gregory, my high school classmate, offered to design a new garden for us. Here is Daniel's plan.

The plan includes purple hop bush along the right-hand side of the garden (looking toward the back), which we'd like to grow tall enough to provide the private feeling we enjoyed when we first moved here.

Daniel Gregory came to visit from Denver, and with help from Chris and Tomas, as well as yours truly (Rachel and Jeff), he has completed Phase 1 of the project. Phase 1 includes everything in the rectangle at the back of the backyard area. We replaced the gingko at the front with an espalier apple tree, and we instead planted the gingko to the back right area of the new garden. The palm tree shown in the design is labeled "Smoke Tree?" but in reality, we did plant a palm tree.

The work to build the planter boxes for the Purple Hop Bushes, as well as the new planting beds with the magnolia, and the deck with a new retaining wall and circular planting bed ... all of that will be accomplished as part of our larger house remodel, which we hope to embark on soon within the next year or two.

Stay tuned ... I will show you photos of our completed project in a future post!