Clearcutting

Part of what endeared me to our house, in all its dilapidated glory, was the lush, overgrown backyard and the mature vegetation. Yet, with the drainage problems we've run into, we find that we've systematically decimated all living things on the property. Literally the only things left that were here are the glorious french hydrangea and two of the plum trees in the back yard and the tulip tree in the front yard.

Well, and who wanted a 20' tall (and wide) fig tree anyway?

With the nice weather this week, Doug was able to remove the four 45-year-old rhododendrons from the front yard and all- I dunno, 20?- arborvitae from the property line. The arborvitae had not been well-tended, and really were a fire hazard, but also were in the way of a new field drain we need to install between the property lines. My step-dad was an invaluable help since his truck wench literally just pulled the arborvitae from the ground like weeds. We (and by "we," I mean Doug) definitely expected to do a lot of digging and it was such a gratifying feeling to see the first one pluck out of the ground like nothin'.

I like before-and-afters, so here is the backyard before we moved in. Hazelnut trees, plum trees, overgrown ivy, roses, hostas, rhododendron, and arborvitae.


The obscenely large fig tree in the corner, sad fence, overgrown camilla.


Scraggy rhodies



Badly placed bush, and a a lot of ivy growing over heather and some kind of evergreen bush, trying to take over the street lamp.


Here Doug has cut the top-heavy parts off the arborvitae on our side of the property line and we've scraped up all the grass in the back yard into one unwieldy pile that the kids loved.


A little smoother.


New, lush, green grass!! Cut back the arborvitae on our side to make room for the new fence. Dense over- and undergrowth cut away from side property line. New herb/strawberry box. Beginnings of a planting berm in the back, along fence.


The arborvitae cut down by 2/3 in the front yard.


Most of the front bushes already removed, rhodies during operation, the trench to replace gutter pipes.


Rhodies OUT! Except one that stubbornly refused to go and broke Larry's wench cable.







All the arborvitae and rhodies removed.


Overgrown ivy and bushes removed, temporary tulip plantings, refurbished light post





Line of dirt where the arborvitae hedge was, sexy tarp covering Doug's gutter/ crawl-space work


We frequently admire our work at the end of a productive week like this and quote the Money Pit, "Home, crap, home," since it still looks like we are testing missiles in the front yard. It's kind of nice in a way to be able to start from scratch and make everything just the way we want it, but it is so much work and slow progressing! I have to keep picturing in my head how it will all look someday to keep my sanity.