Gametes In Love

We had our back-yard redone. We’d been talking about it for awhile, but since it wasn’t an indoor space we needed to address, it was never high on our priority list until the rest of the interior stuff was done. However, since the space within the walls is finally where we want it to be, I started eyeing the forest of gloomy bushes in the back of our house. The boys are getting bigger, and I’d love for them to be able to play outside on our own property.

When S and I talked about the back-yard this January, we had agreed, that our goal was to meet with a few landscape architects and come up with a design for the yard by April.  And then gather up the cash we’d need to make it happen. I’ll spare you the long story, but we got lucky and met our landscape guy at a Home & Garden show. Initially he came to bid on doing the stamped concrete work, but we then found out he can do it all, and since we totally clicked, he had a great portfolio and a price that couldn’t be beat, he was hired… and we decided we actually DO the yard, and not just the design.

So here is the before:

Dark, overgrown and you could’ve used some of the dips as barricade trenches in a battle.

And here is the after:

Different huh? We likey!

My favorite feature is the chalkboard wall S put together. You can see it at the edge of the far wall in the overhead shot. I’ll let S write a post on that one separately though, since it’s totally his baby.

And look. We apparently have a view. Who knew?

Next up? Furniture. But that will have to wait until after we recover from Uncle Sam’s extended arm this tax season. Meanwhile, G is loving running back and forth on the deck unobstructed by chairs and tables. He’ll be a sad boy once the furniture comes in.