HOME TOUR

Landscaping has loooong been a hope and a backyard oasis, well the thing of dreams. Our backyard was never good but after the remodel on the backside of our home, the soil was downright awful. Small rocks, dead grass, weeds and lots of ivy. We’ve actually never hired this job out before opting to pick up a plant here, a plant there and then shake our heads when it inevitably died. Landscaping is expensive, something we always wanted to do but couldn’t quite bring ourselves to do because there was always something else to pay for. Well we finally did it. Last year we started working with Terrascapes Landscape Design out of Sherborn, Ma. They are wonderful and were a recommendation from a friend.

Although we got a late start, with the stone patio and walkways (Idaho Quartz) going in last fall and some of the plantings this last spring, it gave Matt time to build the composite deck (Newtechwood in roman antique) which is the perfect deck in my humble opinion. It doesn’t get hot under foot and is the most beautiful color. He also had a chance to get the playground (custom designed Cedarworks) built for the kids. Two DIYs that were work and a major time commitment! But all of this inched us closer to a backyard oasis.

PATIO SET & DETAILS

This year, in the midst of a global pandemic, we had the joy of watching beauty unfold in a rather ordinary yard. You can get a glimpse of the beginnings on this blog post. It’s no longer ordinary and an absolute delight to be in. We eat dinner every night on the deck, twinkly patio lights (Brightech outdoor lights) above our heads. The outdoor table, the Claire View Dining set is a dream and we can’t speak more highly of it. I have this umbrella with it. We’ve had it since the beginning of June and everything is still in perfect shape. So comfortable, solid and lovely. We have the matching loveseat and chair on the stone patio below the deck in addition to a couple of the cutest kid’s Riviera Chairs from Serena & Lily.

I sourced these Anais outdoor pillows from Ballard Design for our patio set, loved the modern design and way it brought the pop of blue out. You can see some more pictures of the patio set in this blog post. Similar rug here.

FIRE PIT

We’re thoroughly enjoying S’mores parties weekly with this beautiful fire pit / coffee table. We splurged on it, even on sale it’s pricey (they do make a less expensive option with a lid too) but I wanted a well-made, sturdy fire pit that could serve as a coffee table when not in use and wouldn’t be an eyesore in the yard since it is sitting on our patio. I also wanted one that wasn’t on legs to avoid tipping with little people around. We put a few huge rocks in the very bottom of this one for good measure and it takes a lot to get it to budge. It’s hammered copper and very well made but fair warning, it does get very hot to the touch in the sunshine. It has a wide ledge that makes the perfect s’mores. Now having used it for the last several months, I’d buy it again. It has patinaed beautifully and is a wonderful addition to our yard.

COTTAGE GARDEN

Terrascapes created the plans for the landscaping of my dreams, analyzing our soil and light conditions and picking just the right plants that would thrive. Just like all designs around this home, I knew what I wanted and was particular about some plants. Specifically I wanted a white english cottage garden along the walkway and they have truly delivered. We’ve got white cone flowers, irises, and peonies just to name a few.

FENCE DETAILS

We had to wait until a few weeks ago to put the cottage garden in and some of the plants won’t go in until fall when they are available again but it already looks like a haven. There is just something soothing and meaningful about working the earth. Our fenced in vegetable garden, you can see the trellis details here, has been a joy too, even with an attack from squash vine borers and a generally feeling of having no idea what I am doing. We used Walpole Outdoors for our garden fence and arbor and Reliable Fence for the perimeter black chain link. Walpole Outdoors has a special finish on the wood fence that has a 25 year paint warranty and the metal fencing extends a foot into the ground all the way around to prevent burrowing creatures from accessing the garden goods.

I’ve started a gardening journal this year so I will be more prepared next year. I’ve placed seed orders and can barely wait for spring. Just that small hiccup of waiting for winter to pass. This coming year it won’t be so awful when you’ve got something so hopeful to look forward to. And any gardening is hopeful work.

Now friends, there are many more details coming soon about that She Shed sitting so beautifully in the vegetable garden. She’ll be my office / garden shed and a true haven. Lovely too. So here’s the backyard as it currently sits. Adam Williamson from Jade Star Builders helped us out last weekend building the deck skirt. I had wanted it to mimic the vertical planks on the second story of our house and he delivered. It’s beautiful. We can’t recommend Adam enough for whatever size project you have around your home.

Here it is, the grass no longer hurts bare feet to walk on and the yard is fenced which helps keep babies from wandering and deer out. There are beautiful safe plants, a designated “kid area” of the yard with the mud kitchen (you can make it too) and playground. We’ve got the berry cage Matt built made all the more beautiful by those apple espalier trees and the perimeter yard mulched and planted with an apple tree, peach tree, dogwoods, geraniums and shrubs.

Thank you Ruthie, Ruth Eileen Photography, for capturing a very sweet spot for us during this quarantine season. Having a yard you want to be in has certainly been a blessing we do not take lightly.