It has been just over a year since we moved in.  This past week was the Old West End Festival.  A chance to show off our great, eclectic neighborhood.  We had been here less than a week when festival came around last year and while we might not have had the worst yard in the neighborhood, it was probably  in the top ten.  We worked very hard to make some big improvements before this festival weekend.  I am sure most of the neighbors have been able to calculate the extent of work that has gone on inside the house (based on the contractor trucks in the driveway) and I am sure they appreciate all the effort that no one will ever see but we wanted to put some effort into the yard that would be very much on display to the thousands of guests visiting.  Our house and lot is very visible in the neighborhood and I would guess this house is probably the most recognized.

Here are some pictures of the yard now.  You’ll have to look back at the posts from Spring Has Sprung…? and The Neglected Garden to really appreciate the difference.

Front door

Front door

New Red Bud Shrub next to the sunroom

Cleared out front bed

Front Bed

Front steps near the street with the beginnings of what will be a bew boxwood hedge

Side yard

Side yard

Side yard

Used the old drain for planter box holders

side yard

pots on the old drain spouts

New additions to the side bed

Ne willow tree

Side bed

Youngest daughter’s purple flower bed

Driveway entrance

Garage pots and hanging baskets

Gargae-Still ugly but the plats look nice!

Hosta garden

Hosta

Gifts from my Mom’s garden

Also from my Mom’s garden

Hosta bed

Youngest sone and some friends arranged the sidewalk pieces into a patio

Probably not the permenant location but looks nice for now.

Evil mulberry tree that must go!

Dead tree should go too.

Garage hanging baskets

Big pots in front of the garage

I thought both the mandevilla vines were going to be red.

Pots on the steps next to the purple garden.

The purple plants.

The giant dahlia was supposed to be purple…

The purple plants.

The purple plants.

The purple plants.

The purple plants.

The purple plants.

Took Out the lillies of the valley and planted vegetables.

The very happy herb pot.

Next to the hot tub

Leftover impatients.

The vegetables.

Back porch

Pack steps

Iris that are very pretty and need a new home.

Porch swing.