Our Texas "Ponderosa"

You can almost hear the theme song from "Bonanza" playing in the background. I would move to the country in the mountains tomorrow, but since I can't, I brought the country to my yard! I wanted to grow veggies and needed a maintenance free way of doing it, so I picked stone. Wood raised beds scared me, I'm the one maintaining these, so with not a lot of help from my husband....stone raised bed it is.

So, we had the raised beds made for a song. The best part... the stone was FREE from my Mother-in-laws leftover stone pile in her backyard. I was more than thrilled! {I am always trying to find a way to be frugal & stretch my dollar}. Then, I knew I wanted the split rail fence & arbor I had envisioned there for the last 8 years, since my kids little playhouse was there. Well, they outgrew the playhouse, now it's a little garden. I asked the guy that built the privacy pergola, and he said it was less than $100 in materials! So, we bargained on the labor & voila!

I started researching Fall planting a for Texas, went to our local nursery and they had lots of advice too. Now I have tomato, cucumber ( not looking so hot ...sigh....),lettuce, spinach, leeks, broccoli, Georgia collards, basil & rosemary. I have pumpkin pie pumpkins, and tomatoes blooming. I'm so excited! I also built with some pallets a mini deck, for my future bistro set. I may end up getting rid of it, if I find a great set that's too big. But I had to have a place for me to relax in the shade. This is my first go around with growing...wish me luck!


These are Before & After of the back corner, now affectionately called "The Back 40 of the Ponderosa"...can you here the Bonanza theme song now?....I Love it! Be sure and notice my vine fence in the raised bed, it's my old iron fire-screen, I hope my cucumbers make it...if not there is always Spring.

I had to add stepping stones...my rose bush even looks happier! I also added some lavender. We shall see if I can keep it alive. Regardless of the photo, the lavender will get full sun, and only pea gravel as "mulch" according to a website. So, I'm crossing my fingers.

 

The back of the fireplace was always an eye sore to me. I wanted vines, nothing did well with our soil. So the raised bed and bringing in soil to either side of the raised bed allowed me to plant perennials or in this case pumpkins.

 

In the midst of this project, I wanted the rain barrel my husband bought me, & it sat in the garage or 4 years, hooked up. Yay! He helped me get it installed, 2 days later with a big Texas storm it was near full! It's on the side of the house, so not too conspicuous.

Finally, I moved my little bench from the back to between the pampas grasses. It makes the right side of the backyard more meaningful. I added these great little planters, my husband surprised me with. I planted pansies in them.

I love my new gardens & my new privacy. I feel like I really do have a touch of the country in the suburbs. My kids & the neighbor kids love it too! Funny how all of these little changes attracted so much activity to the backyard. My neighbors have come over more now too. I love how growing things really can make your life grow in friends & memories.

So, one thing I learned...it's never too late! I waited 8-9 years for this. I've never been so excited to get my hands dirty!

I hope you all like the changes & get inspired to make some changes to your homes & yards!

Happy Decorating or "Farming"!

 

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