Lattice! Shade! Cushions! Color! Flowers!

Project "make the backyard an enjoyable relaxing place to be" is shaping up. We left off a couple weeks ago with a long to-do list, the flower pots half planted and a few new things for the deck (new umbrella, new seat cushions, new rail planters, hanging baskets).

Since then we've been tearing through the to-do list. Mulch was ordered and delivered, I've started spreading it but have a long way to go. I built two obelisks for the garden. We bought lattice/trellis pieces from Home Depot and cut them to a manageable size for the pergola shade project. Staining them was a huge pain (so many sides and edges), but we had gorgeous weather last week and I dove in. I'm so glad to have them done - it provides lovely shade. You can see it up above the pergola in the second photo.

The cushions for the patio chairs that were on order arrived. We also finally got outdoor curtains. Before we were using old indoor ones and I would hang them when we were using them, then take them down and wash them when we weren't. But finally we have aqua curtains to provide much needed morning shade on hot days and can just leave them out.

My dad gifted me with a honeysuckle vine for my obelisk. I'm so excited about it! It's hard to see in the pictures but it will grow about 8 feet tall and this particular variety has sweet smelling blooms all summer that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The sweet pea vines were having trouble growing up the obelisk but will provide nice ground cover.

Plus our yard - all the work we did last fall is already showing up and paying off. The additional daffodil bulbs, the tulips are just gorgeous pops of color. The spring plants are coming up and starting to fill in and bringing in green. The trees are blooming and it's just SO pretty back here. The grass is green, the weather has been beautiful and there's no place I'd rather be.

 

 
I finished planting the flower pots and we have extra ones this year. Two new ones where the porch meets the driveway, the hanging baskets, the deck pots and two large ones by the gate. I love having all this extra color.

Next up:

• The under-deck area next to the patio - cut and stain the lattice pieces to wall off the under-deck area next to the patio and make it feel more like an outdoor room. (You can see it unstained and uncut in the patio photos at the top of the post)
• Mulching, mulching and more mulching
• Plant the raised bed garden (this weekend... late spring means late planting)
• Weed the raised bed garden stone paths
• Do the painting/maintenance on the front porch