So, today I’m back with the before and after shots of the house. This time I’m going way back to when I first bought this house 2 years ago. Those are the true Before shots and will give a totally accurate view of what I was dealing with in the front yard. A house that had never been landscaped or given any love at all in the front yard. The only thing I had going for me were 2 cherry trees and a beautiful pink dogwood. The middle cherry tree was half dead and growing into the dogwood, so I opted to just have it cut down so that I’d have a clear view in the middle of the yard and that was the best decision I made. This created a nice under planting opportunity for all of these blooming shrubs that went into my yard, giving it a cottage feel that I just love.
If you missed yesterday’s post with the in progress shots of the landscaping going in, you will want to catch up on all of that.
Southern plants are wonderful and I have long loved hydrangeas (truly my very favorite flowering shrub) and azaleas are a staple in Southern yards too. I grew up with them and have had them in all my yards since my first house. My parents have azaleas in their yard too. Gardening and planting flowers has long been a love of mine too and I’m finally getting back to those roots that I love so much. I’ll be piddling around in this garden for a long time to come, I’m sure. Watching it grow and change will be so much fun in the next year or so!
So, let’s go back to the beginning. Remember this look? Ahhhh yes, I sure do! Here’s a shot from 2 years ago with the middle tree still there.
And this one was after the tree was cut down in the middle, before the front porch was built. Oh, you poor little plain house. You need some help!
And here’s the AFTER!  Wow, isn’t that pretty incredible from 2 years ago til now?
I can hardly believe it either. Doesn’t look like the same house.
I took lots of pics in different light to give you all a good idea of how it looks. This was during cloud cover.
This was sunny Sunday morning.
Front yard bed with camelias in the corners and those are gardenias in middle. When the sod goes in, no more dirt will show and that will be nice too.
These are the Angyostar vines on the trellis, which will eventually cover those trellis forms. I think this solution is a good one for a floating fireplace like I have. It might take awhile for the vines to cover, but that’s fine, I can wait. I left the left side open to be able to get to the hose back there.
Sunny morning shot of the pink dogwood bed. You can see how great it looks since they removed lots of low growing limbs.
Good shot of the front of the house in the sunshine.
Front porch with a beautiful view now.
Right bed under the pink cherry tree.
Another view of that bed with pinestraw in place. It will look so great once the sod gets in over here too.
Mailbox with 3 Loropetalum Emerald Snow and a clematis.
I just love clematis on the mailbox, so I picked this one up at Lowes.
Baby Gem boxwoods lining the walkway.
Front bed by the house.
Low growing shrubs by the house and these will only get 2 to 3’ high or so. One camelia anchors the corner and will get taller.
These beds have lots of azaleas and hydrangeas.
And here’s the problem area that is left. This is where a small retaining wall will go with pea gravel below where our tires will roll by the driveway, coming out of the garage.
One more shot of the beds and you can see the curves it has. Love those curves! Beds should always have curves for interest.
Fatshedera Angyo Star on the trellis. This is a beautiful variegated evergreen vine and looks similar to ivy. Carmen said this should take over these trellis forms in a few years. It’s not a fast growing plant though.
Gardenia Jubiliation
Baby Gem Boxwood
Encore Azaleas
Dear Delores Hydrangeas
Agapanthus Queen Mum
Pittosporum Mojo
Encore Azalea white
Pieris Mountain Snow
Loropetalum Emerald Snow
Delta Jazz Crepe Myrtle
Spirea Little Bonnie
Early Bird Crepe Myrtle
So, that is most of the plants that went in my yard, I think I covered them all. I’m sure all of these are tried and true for the South, so you can’t go wrong. You can find Southern Living plants at Lowes and Home Depot both, so check them out when you get a chance.
And don’t miss my beautiful friend, Carmen over at the Southern Living plant site too. She has lots of fun videos showing her favorite container gardening tips and she is so creative.
You can bet I’ll be sharing updates of my beautiful front yard all along the way. I can’t wait to watch my garden grow!
Rhoda, it is amazing to see the before and after pictures, especially the after. Again, I go back and look at all the gardening pictures, getting new ideas each time. Your yard is beautiful! I can only imagine how excited and happy you are each day as you look out the window at this view. As you learn how to care for these plants, hope you will share with us: time to fertilizer, type of fertilize, time to prune and general care for plants. Thanks again for sharing with us. You are a great inspiration to many women. God bless you and family. Tell your father Happy Father’s Day from one of your fans in Georgia.
Beautiful! We’re looking at a house that has a very plain front yard. Should we buy it, I’ll be coming back to your post for ideas. You do a good job explaining and providing photographs.
What a great transformation! Thanks so much for listing all of the plant names!
It looks beautiful. What a blessing this blog has been for you in so many ways. I know for those of us who read it, we get blessed, too. Enjoy!
Oh, Rhoda! I am so happy for you!! What an amazing journey your house has been on. If houses could talk, just imagine what this one would say–from “Oh, thank you, Lord, someone is going to love me again” on the day that you bought it; then “I’m feeling so much better now” on the day you moved in; to “Just look at me now!” today!!
As I’ve said before, it’s truly a privilege to watch as you go on this journey. All these good things are gifts from God to YOU, a truly deserving woman. Your hard work coupled with God’s many blessings have created a truly beautiful home. I am proud for you and proud of you!!
Beautiful. I just recently found your website & already have found some great ideas to decorate my home & yard. Thanks for the ideas & may God continue to bless you and your family.
Rhoda,
I am super happy for you, everything looks great. I can only imagine what it will look like in a couple of years after everything grows a bit. I adore boxwoods and love how they line your sidewalk.
They can come to my house next if they like, I would love a landscape makeover.
Wonderful! So happy for you! Love your uplifting blog!
Rhoda, everything is just lovely…So excited for you! Cass, I really appreciate that great tip!
Truly beautiful! I envy your southern climate that lets you plant agapanthus unprotected, and your acitd soil for the lovely azaleas. The chiney solution is especially nice; the trllis was an amazing find. You did forget some views, however. I really want to see it from INSIDE the house. What do YOU see from the front door and different windows? It must make your heart sing to look out in the morning an see this beauty. congratulations!.
I really like the floating fireplace solution. Such a beautiful yard, and our afternoon thunderstorms are giving it all a good watering.
You get my vote for “Yard of the Month!!”
Rhoda, it looks amazing!!!! What a transformation! I’m sure it brightens your mood every time you look out a window and see that gorgeous garden and it will only get more beautiful with time. I have one suggestion to spruce things up a bit more and that would be to pressure wash your front walk. It would brighten it up and look practically new, Enjoy your beautiful yard … you deserve it!!!
Magnifient Rhoda…you must be so over the moon happy!!!…
Just beautiful Rhoda!! Love all your plant selections and what I love most is the pine straw! There’s just something about pine straw that is so “Southern!” Can’t wait to see once it starts filling in! I agree you need to be the yard of the month! 🙂 Kathy
Just fabulous, Rhoda! I’m going to look for that evergreen vine because I’d like to disguise the compost bin in our garden. You are an inspiration to me and so many others. Just goes to show that you can’t keep a good woman down!
Your yard is beautiful. I have never heard of those vines before. I had a real problem with ivy taking over in my front yard so I am wary of any vines. Unfortunately we have more shade in the front so we are limited to what we can grow. Our Hydrangeas are just getting green (I am in CT) and I can’t wait for them to bloom, they are my favorite too. Isn’t it nice when you have someone help you who really know what they are doing. I’m so glad they helped.
~Rhoda~
What a beautiful yard, isn’t it amazing what a little TLC will do !!
Again just so very happy for you Rhoda 🙂
ANd enjoy your Sunday with your daddy on Father’s Day,
Joys of Jesus .
Paula
IN
p.s. thank you for the info on the Preen !!
You have done an amazing job transforming the front of your house into something special. It looks wonderful.
What a difference! Now you just have to add water and LOVE!
So happy for you girlfriend.
Hugs,
Kat