Yard Makeover: Starting Point and Plan

So my obsession courante isn’t actually just about a fountain; we’ve been making some major plans for our outdoor spaces.  Perhaps it’s a result of too much HGTV, but we’re doing a Total Yard Makeover!

Yes, we’ve let the yard go a bit in recent years.  The current “footprint” is an awkward one; we knew that eventually we’d rework the space in a big way, and that day is here. 

What we’re starting with:

This is the view from the street.  That elm tree in the front yard is one of my favorite things about our house.  The problem with our current layout is that our front yard is basically inaccessible from the house; one has to go out via the driveway to the sidewalk to get to the front lawn, and there’s really nowhere one can sit in the shade of the elm unless some folding chairs are set up on the grass. So this space with great park views, an afternoon breeze and shade is underutilized.

(Look at this gorgeous canopy!  Having grown up in Northern California, I feel most at home when surrounded by trees.)

View from the driveway.  These poor azaleas have seen better days.  Note the ugly sprinkler heads.

The front porch is too narrow to do much of anything but walk through.  There’s an old concrete bench there, but it’s not comfortable to sit on for any length of time.
A long concrete driveway (buckled and cracked) leads to the backyard.  That metal frame on the other side of the gate is for a shade canopy we put up every summer, in a somewhat futile attempt to keep the space cooler in summer and fall.
Inside the gate, the driveway area in front of the garage has become the dog-and-kid play area, except during warmer days, when it’s like an oven out here (seriously!) even with a canopy.  The architect says the expanse of concrete is what raises the temperature so much.  The pavement just reflects and radiates heat.
Looking back toward the house from the driveway, you can see that the old wooden trellis is rotting and falling apart.  The gas grill is in an inconvenient place…
…right outside the master bedroom and in a narrow walkway between one part of the yard and another. When we entertain, this area gets very congested, not a good thing in close proximity to flames and hot surfaces.
This very back part of the yard framed by the house and detached garage has some mature trees and is actually very pleasant, which is why le monsieur sets up his hammock back here in the summer.  But otherwise this space just really isn’t utilized as much as it could be.

These Tasmanian Tree Ferns planted throughout the front and back are messy and  have outgrown the space.  Fortunately, they will be transplanted in a new home at another site the architect is working on.
So here’s the plan:
Front yard: 
1.  Remove grass, beds along front of house.  Knock down the railing on the front porch, and extend out with a deck, benches around the front and sides. 
2. Redo irrigation system, add lighting and more drought resistant plantings.  We’re doing our best to evoke a bit of Provence, so lavender will be a prominent element.
3.  Add a gravel front path from sidewalk to deck, and a round gravel sitting area under the tree (will have two rounded wooden benches to fit the space).
Backyard:
1.  Remove concrete in area in front of garage.  This will be replaced with drivable grass, and should reduce the temperature in this area substantially.
2.  Demolish and rebuild the old trellis.  Add lighting, an overhead fan and a misting system to also help cool the yard.  Both the deck and trellis will be built from a type of “lumber” made from recycled materials, and while it looks like wood is much longer lasting and lower maintenance.  Add two or three steel cables from the trellis across the driveway to the fence.  This can accommodate some lighting, and we’ll also plant flowering vines that can grow up and along the cabling to add some overhead greenery.
3.  Remove the grass in the very back area of the yard.  Add gravel walkways, a seating area with lighting, a fountain area and an area for le monsieur’s hammock (and permanent posts to hang it).  More drought resistant plantings.
4.  In keeping with our “pretend we’re in Provence” theme, we’re going to add some potted citrus trees against the fence that separates our yard from our neighbors to provide some privacy as well as fruit.
5.  The gas grill will be moved against the back wall of the kitchen, and we’ll add an outdoor baker’s table for additional food prep and serving space.
Here’s the fun(?) part; our goal is to have all of this done and ready for our annual July 4th bash! 
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34 Comments

  1. oh yeah – that patio is one big heat sink. I have much the same issue here in upstate NY with my deck – totally unuseable in the summer, so we put up a pergola and I’m making shades for it.

  2. I LOVE this! Your house is so beautiful and quaint.

    I wish I could have citrus trees like when I used to live in CA, but MD is not really conducive…maybe I will build a greenhouse…

    You are inspiring!

  3. How exciting! It’s going to be just gorgeous — there’s nothing better than “green rooms” that you can really live in!

    If I weren’t going to be broiling in Madrid on El Cuatro de Julio with Don Pantalones, I’d seriously be making plans to crash your bash!

  4. A clever, comprehensive plan — Your yard will be fabulous. And to have the transformation so dramatically quickly — wow! I can’t wait to see the “After” pics.

  5. Oh my, can’t wait to see this remodel unfold. Your pans look divine and I’m happy to see that you’re getting a fountain. Looking forward to the gorgeous reveal, and hoping for a few updates along the way. Good luck with the chaos phase. 🙂

  6. Wow, Pseu, I’m having major yard envy! I just planted my window boxes and would like to do more, but there’s only so much possible green space in an apartment, even with our terrace (I don’t remember if I showed it to you when you were here). So I’ll vicariously enjoy your yard makeover. Please post pics of the progress!

    Bisous,

    Karen in Paris

  7. I can’t wait to see what this looks like. Is that a Chinese Evergreen Elm? One of my favorite trees. And sitting out front, with the family, on a summer evening? Or morning? Or afternoon? I can’t wait to see what this looks like. I get joy every single day from the yard – just thing of this as a serious investment in mental health. Not that you need them, but some extra endorphins can be nice.

  8. This sounds divine, and any time you want to adopt a daughter, you just let me know!

    I love the idea of brining Provence here! We’ve picked up some La Rochere glasses for our home, and The Rosetta Stone so that G can learn for a future trip!

  9. The great thing about CA is that everything grows so fast. Your yard will look better very quickly. My mother-in-law had a wonderful garden in Pasadena. It was even in a book–Desert Gardens pub by, I think, Rizzoli. She gradually went more and more native in her plants.

  10. I can’t wait to see it. Did I see beautiful mountains in the back drop? I love hgtv, but I never would have the great creative ideas they come up with. I know you will enjoy this.

  11. It is going to be a breath of French air! So exciting!!! I can’t wait to see the ‘after’.
    xxoo

  12. So lush and yet practical (the new version). Your house is charming and will now be shown to its advantage. Cannot wait to see it. La Rochere bee glasses are our house glass.

  13. Is this all going to happen without you having to take part in the makeover? If so, congratulations! All makeovers tend to be stressing. It is great that the deadline is set for as soon as July already. I´ll be checking how the process is moving on: )

  14. Good luck!! Your yard looks like so many West side yards I’ve seen – and with wonderful designs like the one you are embarking on, they have ended up beautiful!

    Do show us the “after” photos.

  15. Also – do consider planting some native California plants along with your mediterraneans – they are so beautiful and drought tolerant. The city of Santa Monica has a demo garden near SMC that you could look at.

  16. Oh, how inspiring. It will be so much more inviting and lush! I have a courtyard full of citrus and lavender (and about a dozen other herbs) and it gives me so much pleasure. I have no doubt that you can do it by the 4th of July – spring is a great time to be getting it in, and I’m sure it will thrive!

  17. What a brilliant plan! Did you know that lavender needs to be cut back each year, but if you cut back into bare wood, it won’t sprout again? Just give it a nice trim. It will probably grow more slowly in your hot summers than it does here in Christchurch, NZ, and won’t get as leggy as mine always did. I don’t grow it any more.

    I totally love your wonderful elm tree! How marvellous to be able to include it in your plan.

  18. Oh that looks like it is going to be fabulous, and good to eliminate the big heat collector in the back yard. We have the same issues here in upstate New York but our season is much shorter.

    I’m eagerly awaiting the finished plans for our own outdoor makeover.

  19. Kalee – thanks, we’re very excited about this transformation. I’ve found another way to bring some France to the yard, more on that later!

    Toby Wollin – it’s just amazing how much heat is thrown off. Good luck with the pergola!

    Shar – thanks so much! Our house was built in 1941, and I love the lath-and-plaster curved walls!

    Rubiatonta – thanks! I’ll bet there will be plenty of bashes to crash where you’re headed. Next year, if you’re around, you’re welcome to crash!

    Frugal Scholar – I think we’ll be using a combination of natives and other drought-resistors. (Gotta have my lavender and rosemary!)

    Miss Janey – yard makeovers are totally the best! Thanks!

  20. materfamilias – thanks! We’re so excited about this, and glad we’re going “all in.” A lot of this should go fairly quickly, so hopefully we’ll have some progress to show soon. They’ve already begun removal of the existing grass and plants.

    LBR – oh yes, and I’m finding a few more ways to make it “un peu francais.”

    dana – actually we think we’ll have it done by then. No foolin! A lot of it apparently goes very quickly, what will take the longest (and have to be done last) is the drivable grass in the driveway area.

    hostess of the humble bungalow – I should have some “progress” pics up by next week.

    Kathy – thanks, and me too on the lavender.

    metscan – other than making decisions and writing checks, *most* of the work is being done by others. I may want to get out there and help plant. 😉

  21. SMR – thanks, and we’re definitely in for some chaos. I’m really looking forward to having a nice fountain too!

    Karen in Paris – Hi!!! How are you??? Yes, I remember your terrace. Your whole apartment, in fact, which is so fabulous!

    LPC – thank you. The elms along the street are Chinese evergreens but ours is deciduous. And yes, I’ll take those garden-induced endorphins, thanks.

    Semi-Expat – thanks, and I’ll post some progress pics as we go. Enjoying your pictures and posts from England so much!!

    Julianne – no mountains where we are, at least not that you can see. There are mountains, just 20 miles away. We could never have come up with some of these great ideas, which is why we corraled an expert. 🙂

    Duchesse – thank you! I can hardly wait to see it planted.

  22. tiffany – thanks! I’m so looking forward to really being able to enjoy the yard. It’s just criminal not to when one lives in a climate like this.

    Charlotte – thanks so much! We’re really excited about this. And thanks for that link…gorgeous!

    Aunt Snow – thanks, I promise I will show some progress and after photos. And I believe we do have some natives going in as well.

    Marieanne – thanks! I’m looking forward to sharing the “after” photos!

    Kay – thanks for the tip on the lavender! You live in Christchurch? My MIL was just visiting there a couple of weeks ago and had a marvellous time.

  23. Make Do Style – thanks, can’t wait to show them!

    Faux Fuschia – the tree ferns are going to another good home where they’ll be much wanted and loved. Unfortunately the green grass takes a lot of water to keep it that way and we don’t get a lot of rainfall here.

    Belle – we’re so looking forward to having more parties al fresco. And yes, you’re invited!

    Mardel – ooh, are you relandscaping too? I’m so enjoying seeing yard before-and-afters these days. Not going to miss that heat-generating concrete!

  24. Your plans are amazing! I love the plantings of lavendar and potted citrus trees. Bunches of fragrant herbs would also add a provencal touch. Can’t wait to watch the progress.