Over the past 3 summers, Dave and I have spent countless hours tearing apart (and then putting back together) our entire 1-acre yard.
We knew it would be a huge project so we intentionally spread it out over 3 years. Even still, I think we both underestimated the amount of time, energy, and resources our 3 summers of landscaping would require.
BUT… we’re done!
Ok, so we’ll never actually be “done” for good… but we ARE done with all the big stuff!
Now it’s just deadheading, pulling a few weeds, and maintaining everything we’ve put into place over the last 3 summers.
And just because I love working outside, I will continue tweaking planting beds, rearranging and splitting plants, planting annuals for a little extra color, and “putzing” around outside as long as the weather allows.
Dave and I have some fun ideas to spruce up our kid’s play area, we’d like to add some plants to the area around our mailbox, we have ideas for a small berry patch next year, and I don’t think we’ll ever stop thinking about a pool 🙂
We are finally starting to fully enjoy the fruits of our labor — we play outside for hours every day, we’ve already hosted several outside gatherings this spring, and we have many more outside parties, get-togethers, bridal showers, and BBQ’s on our calendars for the rest of the summer.
Yup, I’m excited!
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Now that we essentially have our yard set up the way we want, and our planting beds arranged accordingly, the next thing on my “to do someday list” was to add a bunch of decorative elements to our landscaping.
I realize it might sound a little crazy to “decorate a landscape” but as you’ll hopefully see by the pictures below, a few decorative non-plant elements really add A LOT to the look and feel of our outdoor spaces.
Of course, I’m still not 100% finished yet (it’s always a work in progress and I move things around constantly) but I think you get the idea!
Also, our maple trees were dropping helicopter seeds like crazy when I took these pictures, so things look a little messier than I would have liked.
I have a few more places I’d like to add something unique… but I haven’t found what I’m looking for yet 🙂
I’m specifically looking for:
- An antique water pump
- A tall, skinny trellis or arbor
- A smaller old-looking wheelbarrow
- A smaller farm-style windmill or weathervane
- An adult-size rustic-looking bench
- Another chunk of wood fencing
I’ll just keep my eye out on Craigslist and hopefully I’ll find what I’m looking for this summer! In the meantime, I’m thrilled with how things are coming together right now!
I can’t wait to share more “before and after” pictures later this summer when all the flowers are blooming!
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A Few Notes:
Many of the decorative items were things I already had around the house (chairs, baskets, planters, wreaths, flags, etc.)
We built the outhouse shed 2 years ago (read about it here)
We built the larger shed this past fall and I haven’t blogged about it yet — I will eventually!
I built a few of the fence structures myself using wood we already had.
I used FAKE FLOWERS for many of the flower arrangements on our porch, in window boxes, in the watering cans, and more.
I purchased all the annuals and “real” planters from Countryside Greenhouse.
Anything I didn’t already have or make myself was purchased at local junk yards and antique stores — so I can’t tell you exactly where to get something just like mine 🙂
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Although it might look like a lot of work, I have really enjoyed spending a little extra time being creative, hunting for just the right finishing touches, and “decorating our landscape”!
Plus, I have a couple of really great helpers!
Karen Renkema says
Hi Andrea,
I just put the bunting flags for the front porch in my amazon cart. Wondering – how do you attach them to the porch structure? Command hooks?
Andrea says
Hi Karen,
We have 3 metal hooks for each flag — the hooks are screwed into the back side of our front porch “trim” and invisible from anywhere except if you are on the porch and really searching for them.
Max Jones says
I really liked the pictures you shared of your garden decor, and your little list of things you wanted to add to you yard, like windmills! My wife has been asking me to get her spoon windmills, and like you I’ve been looking on craigslist and other sites to try to find them for sale! I’ll have to keep my search going for some spoon windmills for sale and see if my wife wants anything else you have listed or shown for our home garden and flowerbeds!
Brooke McAvoy says
Your garden is so pretty! I like that it looks personal to you and your family. It is funny that you said that it is never really done, this is one of my favorite things about gardening and decorating! Do you have any tips for where I might find some windmills with a lot of character? My garden needs a little more fun and I think that a windmill would be a good idea. Thanks for sharing!
Andrea says
Thanks Brooke — we are NEVER “done”!
As for the windmill — that’s one thing I’m looking for myself, so unfortunately I don’t have any great tips. If I knew of a secret place to buy them, I would have already purchased one for our garden 🙂
Lauri says
Love everything especially the yellow table and chairs… I have been going to estate sales hoping to find things like that!
Andrea says
Thanks Lauri!
Maria says
Andrea, just love your style. Everything is just picture perfect and so inviting, yet homey and comfy. Thanks for sharing all the beautiful photos. You always seem to have such great ideas that are so inspiring yet practical and affordable.
Andrea says
Thanks Maria! My photos will never be “magazine worthy” but they will be practical and do-able for someone who actually lives in their home!
Annette Robinson says
Andrea, it looks fabulous! I love the way you incorporate ‘country ‘ decor into your home and garden. It is always well placed and just adds so much charm!
Andrea says
Thanks Annette!
Deborah says
It’s all so pretty!
I really like your yellow table and chairs.
And you have adorable helpers!
Our outside work is still a work in progress. It’s fun to take time and find what you want or use things that you have.
Chris says
I love everything, especially the bistro table and chairs! I too like to “decorate” my yard and my prevoius home I used alot of drift wood, huge rocks, bird houses and feeders. My new home I haven’t figured out my theme yet.
I envision a couple of adirondack chairs for you and Dave to sit back and enjoy the peaceful beautiful views you’ve created!
Andrea says
We have a couple bird houses… but I’d like to get more! We also do have a whole stack of red adirondack chairs (plastic, not wood) that we use ALL the time when we have company over or when the kids are playing outside.
Chris says
Mine are red too, which is my second favorite color! There were always nesters in the birdhouses which was fun.
Jenny C. says
Andrea! I LOVE everything you’ve done. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures 🙂 You have such a great knack for making things look so nice.
Andrea says
Thanks Jenny. It has taken me several years of LOTS of practice, but I can tell I’m getting a lot better at knowing what will eventually look good in certain areas in our yard and what I will like best.
Janice says
Oh you’re good! I love, love your landscape decor. I look forward to your blog post on that newly built shed.
Andrea says
Yes… I’m excited to write the post. I just need to take a bazillion pictures to show everything!
janet says
SO beautiful! Such great inspiration… though our house and garden are a totally different style, this has made me start to think about what kinds of non-plant decor I could add to my garden. Love your blog!
Andrea says
Thanks so much Janet!
Debbie says
Your outdoor decor is the perfect farmhouse style! You have a big area to play with so that definitely looks like fun! I was just going to ask if the flowers on the window box are real or not and glad you said it wasn’t. I want my husband to add a window box on our shed but wasn’t sure if I want to go out and manually water it during the summer. Fake flowers might just do the trick as long as it doesn’t look fake. Your fake flowers look real! Can you share where you buy those?
Andrea says
Thanks Debbie!
Yes the Red Geraniums in the window box are fake (but they are very convincing from a distance!) I got them from Michael’s when they have 50% off all silk floral 2 weeks ago!
Debbie says
Thanks! I’ll be adding that to my shopping/to do list.
Jennifer says
All so beautiful and well thought out. We spend a lot of time outside, too, so I love to make our porches and yard cute and homey.
Andrea says
Thanks Jennifer. We still want to get some nicer furniture for the front porch (like some nice rocking chairs or comfy wicker set) but haven’t been willing to splurge on anything yet since we can’t find exactly what we want.
It’s always a work in progress but “cute and homey” are definitely what I’m going for!
Emily says
Love it! This is exactly what I desire for our old farmhouse! 🙂 I always love your posts about your landscaping projects. Very inspiring! We’ve neglected our landscaping the past two summers as we had a pole barn built, plus the chickens were free ranging and destroying our garden. Looking forward to a better yield this year (we’re already getting strawberries) and getting the landscaping spruced up. I will definitely be referring back to your posts!
Andrea says
Thanks Emily!
And guess what, Dave and I are talking about making a small berry patch this fall! We’re hoping to have strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries — so maybe in a couple more years, we’ll be picking berries too!
Good luck with your landscaping projects — it all takes time (so much time) but we enjoy our yard so much that it’s worth all the time and effort.
Mandy says
Really beautiful! I especially love the “farmhouse” sign.
Andrea says
Thanks, that’s one of my favorite finds too!
Pamela says
Could you please explain how to go about attaching things to the exterior of the house? Like onto siding or brick? Thanks!
Your house looks fantastic!!!
Andrea says
Hi Pamela, I have no experience drilling into brick, but I literally just screw all my stuff right into the siding.
I’m not sure if there is a “right way” but I do it exactly the same as if it were inside — I drill a small hole first, then drive in the screw. Nothing complicated or difficult at all (but like I said, I’ve never done brick before)!
Pamela says
Thank you so much! Really helpful!
One last question… We don’t enjoy the outside very much because of mosquitos. Any tips on how to keep those at bay? I don’t think citronella candles work very well. And I hate the feeling (and smell!) of bug spray on my skin. Do you know of any plants that keep mosquitoes at bay? Or yard sprays or fertilizers that work?
Andrea says
Sorry, I’ve got no magical solutions for mosquitos except the spray. A couple things you COULD try to help would be eliminating any standing water, using large box fans outside (they prefer stagnant air) or paying to have your yard “fogged” to prevent bugs.
You could try Googling “plants that repel mosquitos”, but I don’t know of any off hand.
Pam B says
We have great luck with lavender keeping the mosquitos at bay. It smells great too! We keep a few small containers around our deck. When it overgrows too much, I clip some and put it in satchels to put in drawers after it dries out.
Andrea says
Pamela, I just came across this article today (about how to keep bugs away from your yard!) I thought you might be interested! http://www.wzzm13.com/news/nation-now/9-plants-that-bug-bugs-including-mosquitoes/231659293
Pamela says
Thank you very much, Andrea! Going to read the article right now…!
Lynn says
Beautiful! Your house is a spectacular showcase! 🙂
Lydia Senn says
Love it. This has definitely inspired me. We have done so much yard work this year and I would love to spruce the place up with some decor.
Andrea says
Thanks Lydia!
I was honestly amazed how much better our landscaping instantly looked once I added several non-plant elements. It was such a quick (and relatively inexpensive) way to add more color, detail, and interest to many areas of our garden! Good luck with your yard!!
Susan says
SO BEAUTIFUL!! I really love your style.
One question is how you go about searching Craigslist for those type of items?
Andrea says
Thanks so much Susan!
Sometimes, I search for specific items (like “picket fence” or “antique plow”) but most of the time, I just search for my local city and select “garden” and “antiques” as the 2 categories. That way, everything I see is super local and I know I won’t have to drive more than a couple minutes to pick something up.
Our area is full of farms and old homes though — so it might be easier for me to find older things in my area than in other areas. This method has worked really well for me so far though!
Paulette Smith says
Girl, you two have WORKED!!! Your property looks amazing and I love the decorative touches. Of course, your little helpers are adorable, as always!
Andrea says
Thanks Paulette! Yeah, we’ve put in a lot of hours and I feel like this is the very first year where we are truly able to kick back and enjoy it all. I can’t wait to see how big everything gets this year!
And yes, the kiddos are pretty cute 🙂
Lee Cockrum says
Looks great!! Will stuff stay out all year round, or will you put it away in one of the out buildings for the winter?
Andrea says
Thanks Lee!
I’m thinking some of the items will stay out year-round (like the farmhouse sign and some of the fencing) but the planters will definitely come inside for the winter (most likely stored in our shed).