Being out in Front!

This first house belongs

to my sister Dori.

She was never interested in yard

work.  Her husband kept it mowed

and trimmed and nothing else much was done to it.

AND THEN, one day, she

asked me what could be done

with the front of her house.

I wish I had pictures.

It wasn't that pretty of a sight.

But both her and her husband, Mike,

were willing to get their hands dirty.

Literally.

And so we went from a house with  little detail to this!

Isn't  it beautiful?!

Shame on me for not having before pictures!

They had kept it in good condition before

but it didn't have much personality.

There were basement windows

that didn't need to be seen

and pipes and what-not

snaking their ways across

the front of the house.

Things that weren't going to be changed

and yet didn't look good.

So we hid them behind a great lattice

fence and planted plants growing on it and a flowerbed in front of it.

New pillars, front door and white trim

was added.

Cobblestone- lined sidewalk was installed as well

as a parking pad with a cobblestone

header and lights.

A sweet trellis greets visitors at the beginning of the sidewalk.

Trees that once had dead grass around them are now lined with borders and  rock.

A chain link fence came down

and opened the yard up to the neighbors who now come by to tell

them how wonderful it looks.

They, Dori and her husband Mike,

did the work.

I just laid out a plan.

And Dori?  a girl that once hated yard work is now known to be out in her yard often. 

 Loving it. 

Proud of it.

And they should be.  It looks amazing.

Next, we will look at another of my

sister's yards.  

This is Joni.  (I would tell you

that she is my older sister but

she hates when I do that!)

Joni is the sister that can grow plants like no other!  

We rely on her for help with knowing what to plant, where.

Again, I was asked to help with the layout and the hard scape ideas.

Before they had the typical sidewalk

that went to the front door from the driveway.

That was changed to a sidewalk coming from the sidewalk 

along the road

(where we all park when visiting).

The front walk is lined with a stamped concrete that looks like brick.

From the driveway there are now stepping stones for those that park in the driveway.

 A retaining wall out of sandstone midway in the yard was added to have a tiered effect instead of a boring front slope!

 The railing on her small front porch was removed, a new post put in and the porch area itself enlarged.

It is a wonderful place to sit, relax
and watch the neighborhood.
I know, I've been there!

Keith,  her husband, and Joni did a lot of the work here.  I didn't lift a finger other than to hold a pencil and draw out plans.

Didn't they do an amazing job?!

I'll show you her backyard sometime soon.

It's something to see!

I'm so proud of both of these sisters. 

 They, along with their husbands, have worked hard.

And it shows.  

And they both are reaping the rewards of a yard they want to come home to.