AFTER (FIRST STAGE): GARDEN

The biggest project during my "retirement" was the finishing off garden overhaul which started at the beginning of the year when I first stated pulling out the overgrown plants. Check out the before and early WIP shots here.

Once all the garden beds were emptied out, the first job we tackled was replanting the tiered garden beds with some gardenias and small hydrangeas.

The much bigger task was dealing with the rest of the area. We wanted to make the garden beds a lot narrower because the space was relatively small and I wanted to maximise the lawn. However this meant moving two very large sandstone blocks. We had a few attempts are moving these - firstly Mr B got all excited about hiring a "small bulldozer" to do the job (and some of the levelling work). But it turned out to be absolutely useless. So instead we hired a circular saw to cut the blocks into pieces which could be carried. This meant that most of the blocks could be used in a small retaining wall at the back of the lawn. We then levelled out

I am kicking myself for not taking more WIP photos - but Mr B literally didn't let me stop long enough to take photos. We got all of this done in two very long days.

After all the hard-core landscaping was done, S.P. and I planted ten white sasanqua Camellia's along the fence and filled the smaller garden beds with some more gardenias. We also planted some lillies around the base of the gum tree.

Tiered garden beds replanted with gardenias and hydraneas.

Weeping cherry transplanted from middle of lawn area.

New level lawn.

The row of sasanqua camellias against the fence. 

More lawn. 

Lillies at base of gum tree. 

New smaller garden beds along fence.

I am looking forward to seeing the plants sprout as we head into spring time and look forward to being able to take some true "After" photos once things have grown a bit.

WIP: COURTYARD (WALLS & GATES)

It was quite a team effort to get the garden walls painted - Mr B turned up at the crack of dawn with a high pressure hose and cleaned the walls (and anything else that would stand still!), S.P. and I knocked over the concrete walls one sunny Saturday which left me with the job of painting the lattice. The painful (literally) process was not helped by the fact I painted about half of the lattice dark blue / grey before deciding it looked too much like a 1980s holiday resort and started again in the same colour as the wall (Porter's French Blue). Gates were repainted with Dulux's Domino and have been treated to new hardware.

WIP: COURTYARD WALLS

Before I headed off shopping and eating my way around New York, Boston and San Fran - I had some serious painting to do.

We are jinxed. In our Old Home we inherited courtyard walls which were bright blue and purple.

We repainted these a taupe-y colour during our time there.

The New Home also deep purple walls. But LOTS more of them - as they run all the way around the back courtyard and garden. Small sample below.

After completing the plant destruction process (here), my next task is to paint the walls. The slight complication with the colour selection process is that "one day" I plan to repaint the outside of the house (it is currently a slightly pinky-cream) to a more stone / neutral colour. The garden walls don't need to be the same colour as the house (in fact they will be much darker) but they do need to be the same tone.

I have settled on Porter's Stone Paint in French Grey with Dulux's Domino for the gates (and eventually the garage too).

INSPIRATION: GREEN & WHITE GARDENS

First up. I am no gardener. My father is has a fantastic garden. My mother-in-law has two very different but both beautiful gardens. I have a lot to learn. And while the garden destruction went well (here). Growing things is a completely different kettle of fish. I do however know what I like. Lots of green and white. Neat but not too formal. I like gardenias, hydrangeas, camellias, star jasmine and my favourite - little gem magnolias. Here are some inspiration photos which capture some of the elements I like.    

A house in the neighbourhood which sold just after ours. 

Camellia's as climbers (Sunday Life)

Star jasmine as a climber (Secret Gardens ad)

Star jasmine over a rock wall (House & Garden)

Gardenias and lots of green (House and Garden)

More gardenias (House and Garden)

All green garden beds (Secret Gardens)

WIP: GARDEN

Over the last couple of months, on the fine weekends (which have been few and far between) we have been steadily ripping out the over-grown garden that we inherited with the house. Very therapeutic!

I am concious that it looks OK in these photos but in the reality was a lot of old, woody, overgrown plants which had had their day. There was a lemongrass herb which was 1.5m in diameter! Everything was also too big for what is actually a relatively small block of land.

By the end of last weekend, after days of work - all that was left was these piles of plants.

The smaller of three cotton palms was swiftly destroyed

Random bricks found throughout the garden beds

And the rest (this pile is almost 2m high)!

We have left the olives, the gum, a magnolia, some roses and a weeping cherry - but most of the rest is gone. The work plan from here is extensive and will take us many more months of replanting and re-modelling (not sure if this is the right word?) the lawn. We are going for something neater and simpler. And monochromatic of course. But given I have no track record in keeping plants alive - most important are plants which are low maintenance!

WIP: COURTYARD (POT PLANTS)

Some serious progress is being made in the courtyard and garden in the last month. Most of it involves clearing out dozens of over-grown plants. Which I might add is very therapeutic. There is some more ripping out to be done, and I am slowing starting to replant a few garden beds. It will be a long road to get it into shape.

Progress in the courtyard is somewhat quicker. My Christmas present from S.P. was pots and plants. So we headed out in the new year bought some old wine barrels from Ebay (I like their price and aged feel) and have planted some olive trees in them.

We also planted one with lots of herbs which we bought from our local markets.

Last time I was at HFOC they had piles of these old metal wash-tubs, which I planted up with some dwarf orange jasmine.

A couple of those second-hand terracotta pots which I dragged all the way from the Camberwell Markets (here) have been planted with succulents. The plaster finale was found in the back corner the garden when I was ripping out plants.

BEFORE: COURTYARD

We are making progress on the courtyard, so before we go too far a few "before" photos to remind us where we have come from. Pretty miserable.

This mustard pot with the selection of half dead plants is one of my favourite features!

It is a good sized space, but our outdoor table just looks lost.

INSPIRATION: POTTING TABLES

After spying these images of the potting table at the Hamptons home featured in Vogue Living's December Issue and an old post on Absolutely Beautiful Things about garden tables (here), I am on the search for a small table for our courtyard.

There are lots of lovely examples at places like Parterre, Architectural and Antique Elements or  Ici et La but they come with price tags that are out of the budget.

Ebay has some options such as the one below or another alternative would be to find a cast iron table base and have a custom marble top made up. I have found some potential table bases on Ebay but so far none in Sydney (and I am not sure it is worth forking out for freight on this).