My Backyard Updated

Anyone that follows me knows I have a slight devotion to my backyard garden and patio area.  Each spring it's literally a miracle to watch everything come alive especially after the long winters we have here.

I trotted outside barefoot on the cool dew laden ground carrying my iPad and snapped a few photos this morning. 

I made some changes this weekend and it started here at the pathway.  This picture below here is from earlier this spring showing the arbor.

I decided I wanted the arbor moved to the end of the garden path where it enters the patio.  Unfortunately it was not to be as the width and slight curve of the path proved to be a very poor choice for it but I had another spot in mind.

Before we get to where the arbor is located now I'll show you a few things.  My planter full of impatiens is doing well.  I created this by filling it with dirt and setting my metal sphere on top and easing it into the dirt.   I reached in through the openings and planted the individual flowers.  

I have a second blog devoted to my gardening that you are welcome to visit.  The link is always on the right side of this blog.

These are a new pair of lanterns we recently installed.  I saw the idea on my blog designer and friend Linda's blog on her post about their yard as seen "here"

She had a pair of lanterns on a shepherds hook that gave me the idea to do this.  My lanterns were all white but I had Dan paint them so they'd blend into the area a bit more.

An evening shot.

Just to the right is my cement garden bench and planters.  Over the years I've planted a lot of hostas and ferns which fill in nicely each year.

This is the fountain area we created several years ago.  I surrounded the border with hostas I already had by splitting them up as shown "here" which is about how this all got started.  Each year I select a color for my annuals as a main color and this year I chose orange.  

Just to the left of the fountain is what I call my hosta hill.  The sun was rising which I love to witness.

It's hard to make out in this picture but this is where the arbor landed.

I lifted the leaves of the hosta as I set the arbor into place so it looks like it was already there a while.  I moved several plants to the left to help open this pathway up and weeded out a lot of ground cover that migrated over here from the hosta hill.

It comes apart in sections so I was able to put it in place more easily.  This top area is actually two pieces held together with the center finial.

Here's a shot I took when the sun was out the other evening.  The black object in the background is a post we set up a few years back with wind chimes hung from it.  

We're going to highlight it with a couple of small flood lights that we'll add to our low voltage light system already in place.  There are a couple of different ground covers that have been migrating over from the hosta hill that I'll have to keep groomed back. 

Looking back at the patio towards the house is a small grouping of seating.  We don't often have visitors but when we do we add more chairs and have the fire pit burning in the evenings.  The fire pit is just to the right out of camera view.  The moss grew on its own and filled in between the stones.  Dan will apply a 10% solution of bleach and water to the stones to clean and brighten them up.  

I also gave my lilac topiary a grooming this weekend.  I have to get to it quickly after it blooms before next year's buds are set.  

Back near the garage one of my planters which is near my fairy garden.  The white dove statue was just recently painted.  It was a brown shade resembling an old cast iron piece but I decided I wanted it white.   It seemed to short so I stacked some leftover brick pavers to make a stand for it.  I actually set it here to keep my hubby from going around the corner and running into the hanging basket.  He tends to move fast but not always look ahead as he's in motion!

I'm joining the following parties:

Metamorphosis Monday

Tuesday's At Our Home
Thank you Maria Elena for featuring this post "here"!