...then spring came! I noticed that many of the shrubs looked overgrown--giving the entire courtyard a cramped feeling.
I contacted a local landscaper and gave him my ideas for a "courtyard remodeling." The remodeling was prompted by some flooding that we experienced.
...but little did I know that the courtyard would be "un-enjoyable" all of last summer. What began with a small "fix" turned into a courtyard nightmare that included mud, a large hole, gaping wires from the irrigation system, and a couple of very unhappy dogs who also could not enjoy our "secret garden!"
Miss Audrey Hepburn and Prince William (Diana's boy) who are typically chillin' in the courtyard, but, due to the "remodeling" could not even take a nap in the shade!
Last spring - the fireplace, grill, and food prep area remained intact as did the gazebo! ...but...
This is a picture of the original courtyard design. You can see an area to the back where we had a table. This area flooded due to poor drainage in the original design and needed to be remodeled and redesigned. Also, you can see how cramped the plants are: azaelea, day lillies, small arborvitae, and coral bells with a juniper thrown in!
The gaping hole and mud...which became the bane of my existence for an entire summer!
It is amazing to me that with the economy the way it is, you would think that a landscaper would want to finish a job and receive his $$$ !!! This remained as you see it from March 2009 until November 2009!
Once the area was drained and paved, I had the landscaper replace some of the shrubs.
Landscaper added the pathway to match what was at the other entry. I asked him to replant the small Japanese Maple (October Fire) and to add golden cyprus, blue juniper, and boxwoods to keep with the same pattern of plants.
Sitting area below was added by the landscaper. (Eucalyptus bench)
Sitting area below was added by the landscaper. (Eucalyptus bench)
What I did: I used leftover pavers to border the hvac unit and used liquid nails to secure them. The Lavender Garden (to the right) has been going for two years now!
At this point, I had to say..."you're fired," and continued the remodeling on my own... gotta love the DIY!
...but that's not all for courtyard style...more to come!
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