the one... with an update on the frontyard

With my focus on tiling the kitchen splash back recently I completely forgot to update you on the frontyard.  It's finished - well the garden beds are.

To take you back... this is what I was starting with.

All of the material needed were ordered and delivered at once.  I did have to head back to the landscape supplier and pick up another 30 retaining wall bricks but I still have extra stepping pavers and a small pile of pebbles which will be used in the backyard so no wastage.

When it comes to tackling jobs in the yard I have one rule - to stop work between 12pm and 2pm.  I don't do well in the heat and nore does my pale freckly skin.  The usual plan is to get out early and get in a couple of hours then come inside and have lunch, maybe a nanna nap or jobs inside and then head back out for a couple of hours.  It tends to break up the day and I avoid the sun.

This job has taken me quite some time, I'd say about 8 months from start to finish and here is how it looks now.

As you can see from the colour of the grass, we are in desparate need of rain here in Queensland.

To stop the weeds from coming through the pebbles I installed black plastic.  I found a rather large piece under the house after the painter had finished.  When the grass was removed (by hand) for the path I then cut the plastic to size and put the pebbles over the top.

The occassional weed does get through but no big deal.

The area under the front steps doesn't get full sun and I wanted to add a little colour and hide the dirt.  I added some pebbles and mulch and planted 5 bromeliads and a single liropie.

I was also very lucky to be given 2 frangipani trees - removed from my parents backyard as they were getting too big for the space.  I love the location of the one below as it sits between the lounge room and bedroom windows - it is tilting a little in this photo, I might need to fix the stake.

The larger of the 2 frangipani trees stands over 3mts high so it needed a large hole dug and more support while it settled in hence the timber and cement pillars.  I think these could be taken away soon because I noticed small shoots on the tree but I might wait until after the Summer storm season.

Next job on the list for the front yards is to fill the garden beds with lots of soft foliage plants.  I want lots of green, white and purple plants cause I think these colours will really complete the cottage.  I would like to have the yesterday  today and tomorrow plant running along the cottage to hide underneath and the backyard from sight.  Nothing too big that hides the cottage.

Budget - I'll have to track down the receipt but from memory the original delivery cost around $750.

• Pebbles
• Retaining Wall Bricks
• Bricks
• Stepping Pavers

Tools:

• Wheel Barrow
• Spade/Shovel
• Black plastic
• Scissors to cut the plastic
• Spirit Level
• Rake
• Maddock
• Gloves

Supplies:

• Pavers, Retaining Wall Bricks, Pebbles, Mulch from Nuway Landscape Supplies

I still need to replace the front wire fence and was thinking a 5ft high white picket fence would look good...  one day!

Lisa xo