Around The Yard | Early Spring

When we returned home a week ago I was so excited to see so many things happening in our yard. I love being a witness to the changing season - it's especially fun for me this year as it's our first transition from winter to spring in this house.

One of the coolest things are these blooming white trees that line the streets coming up to our house. It's almost shocking to me to look out and see all this white.

These are all over the place in our front yard.

Also a large bush in our front yard.

Around back there's all sorts of things popping up - including lots and lots of weeds. That whole area right next to the house (between the house and the patio) is looking for some great shade plants - just a bit of morning sun right there.

The next project to be tackled is two vegetable beds that are going to go in this side area. We're not sure if the current set-up was used for a bed or for compost. I've got two new raised beds waiting to be laid in this spot. Hoping that will happen this week or next.

On the other side of the yard we had a new pergola built. The old one was barely holding the overgrown (but oh so awesome wisteria). We pruned the wisteria way back and it now has a much more stable structure on which to grow. The view in the photo above is looking into the right side yard.

Here's the view when standing in the right side yard looking back towards the house.

If I remember right these buds are the beginning of maple leaves.

And this, these are lilac buds. I'm so excited to see what color this giant lilac will be when it blooms.

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38 thoughts

  1. Rina Abbott-Jard says…
    04/05/2011

    Beautiful - thanks for sharing Ali. Today greeted me with a rainbow going in to work in the city in the morning and another rainbow leading me home in the afternoon. We are in opposite seasons here in Australia and also very thankful for our planet.

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  2. Jen L says…
    04/05/2011

    Your Liriope are gorgeous! Ours haven't come up yet but our Lilac is in full bloom and smells so wonderful. We're planning on spending next week working out in the flower beds in front of the house. All 50+ feet of them!

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  3. Helen Shields says…
    04/05/2011

    I love the excitement of finding out what is in your garden and planning what you can do. Your veg bed area made me immediately think of my old potager with a low yew hedge, lavendar borders and a cross path in the middle. Such fun. The blue flowers are grape hyacinths and you can get them in lavendar, pink and white. If you cut them in big bunchs and bring them into the house they give off a wonderful fragrance.

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  4. dawn says…
    04/05/2011

    I'm so excited for you enjoying this first spring and nature's beauty in your own yard. I love those white trees you have on your street. My lilac trees are just starting to bud but that's about all we have for now. How fun for you to come home to all this new color and growth in your yard. I wish spring would hurry up to my area. Thanks so much for sharing this Ali.

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  5. Susan Anderson says…
    04/05/2011

    I too get a new garden space to work with this year. I've been studying the light all winter and now into spring to see where full sun and shade plants need to go. I can't wait to get digging but it will have to wait a few more weeks until our "spring" arrives.

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  6. Denise says…
    04/05/2011

    It must be awsome to see all that green, and Spring happening! I'm still waiting... we still have snow!!! Can't wait for green!

    Reply 0 Replies
  7. Alida says…
    04/05/2011

    I've been away from my puter for a while, what a feast to go through your blog again! Spring is beautiful there by you.

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  8. Nicky from Canada says…
    04/05/2011

    How amazing and so wonderful to see. I love your new yard - you will loved raised gardens, we put ours in last year and it is so much easier to maintain.
    We got 20cm of snow on the weekend so we are not enjoying any buds as of yet - oh May please arrive soon.

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  9. Julia says…
    04/05/2011

    You got awesome shrubs and trees in your garden and beautiful flowers! Isn't it lovely to see that they are there to greet you - the new owners of the house. Have fun discovering more lovely plants in your garden. Spring has just started!

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  10. Ellen S. says…
    04/05/2011

    Thanks for the beautiful pictures. It's still a little early for spring plants here in Michigan but it won't be long. Seeing the pictures of your yard are just what I needed today.

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  11. Sally says…
    04/05/2011

    Ali,
    I love the pictures of your yard. This is my favorite time of year to take pictures outdoors -- things change so much from day to day. We have lived in our house 10+ years, and I STILL love to see what's going to pop up each year! This year, birds made a nest in the wreath on our front porch -- and there is already an egg there. One more thing to WATCH this spring! I love the blue muscari in your yard. I just bought a little pot of them at the grocery store the other day, and am watching & taking pictures of their progress daily. Someday soon, they'll get planted in the garden, and I'll get to watch them for years to come!

    Happy Spring! =) ~Sally

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  12. Susie Leggett says…
    04/05/2011

    Wow Ali, so excited for you as you enjoy the reveal of your 'new to you' yard and gardens this spring. Should be lots of fun making this space your own by creating new vegetable gardens and choosing new plants. One of my favorite shade perennials is sweet woodruff. It is an awesome evergreen ground cover with delicate white flowers in late spring. I've got it planted among ferns and hostas in several beds and it is wonderful. It would fill in that strip next to your house nicely.

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  13. Tamara says…
    04/05/2011

    that wisteria is going to be gorgeous on the new pergola! this time of year is always so much fun in the yard...the planning and anticipation. :)

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  14. Becky H says…
    04/05/2011

    Ali, It looks like your White flowered tree is a Bradford Pear like we have here in Va. Beach. I love every Spring when they bloom and I am sad to see the first big rain take all the white blooms down. Our trees here are now all green and fresh looking. I love the signs of regrowth and renewal that Spring brings. But definitely not the allergies. Thanks for sharing the wonderful pictures.

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  15. Debbie S. says…
    04/05/2011

    WOW...you've got a lot of great plants there and all that room for your veggies! That's so exciting...I hope you have fun with it. I don't have room for a vegetable garden, so I am sticking to an herb garden and four tomato plants. Are you planning on planting any herbs? Love cooking with fresh herbs in the summer...

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  16. Rebekah Pontow says…
    04/05/2011

    We have many of the same plants growing in our yard, but due to a higher elevation mine are not yet as developed. But, I have 2 large lilac trees that are blooming and a hydrangea tree that I'm excited to see bloom again this year!

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  17. JillT says…
    04/05/2011

    Kudos to the previous owners. . .you inherited some wonderful landscaping. What fun experiencing spring start to finish this year!

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  18. heidig says…
    04/05/2011

    I love spring when you can finally see the buds just coming out.

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  19. Cynthia says…
    04/05/2011

    Wow. I love plants but have never been a yard person. I can feel your excitement here, and it inspires me to take a walk around my yard as well. It's been so neglected, it's pretty sad. It's hard to know where to start.

    Reply 0 Replies
  20. Anna Aspnes says…
    04/05/2011

    Looks wet Ali! Much like England :)

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  21. Deb J says…
    04/05/2011

    Looks like you have the beginnings of some great garden areas there. Love all of those blooms you are seeing. That's one thing I miss about former homes is all the spring and summer blooms. I hope to do something about that here soon.

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  22. Jolynn Kress says…
    04/05/2011

    The walk thru your yard makes me want to take some pics of my yard this weekend. I've noticed new things popping up, but haven't had time to slow down and enjoy them. I did a raised bed of flowers in the Fall that is bringing up all kinds of color now. Thanks for sharing and providing inspiration as always.

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  23. cinback says…
    04/05/2011

    You have a very nice yard! When we moved into our house, all of the trees were in bad shape and in bad locations. We spent the next couple of years cutting down, removing or replacing almost everything that existed in our yard. Now, 10 years later, we are starting to see the fruits of our labours. We have some nice, healthy trees and flourishing annuals. I am envious of your wisteria. I don't believe I could grow one of those here in Canada - our winters are too cold!

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  24. amberca says…
    04/05/2011

    Love these views of your yard!! I am also experiencing my new spring yard for the first time and have all kinds of grand plans for it. Especially some raised beds for veggie plants.

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  25. karen says…
    04/05/2011

    water.... I'm in AZ and it is dry and dusty. I envy moisture at this moment.

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