The essence of most of my posts have been about my garden. The only attribute the yard had when we purchased our home was potential for a garden. We saw beyond the mounds of pine straw, gravel, odd bricks, pieces of cement, weeds and random plants, and had a vision of what the yard could become.
My husband and I began yard cleanup in October. He removed a white fence that enclosed the patio, dug up weeds and overgrown Sago palms and unearthed an assortment of hardscape materials. We hired a tree company to remove 6 huge pine trees in the backyard and 6 overgrown Washingtonia Palm trees in the front.
We decided to work with a landscape company to remove the rest of the unwanted debris, grade the land and create walkways. In January 2016 I contacted the landscape company and the work began in May.
When we moved here in September I began reading garden books for the Southeast region and made lists of plants I liked. My planting zone here is 8; I was happy to discover some of the same plants I grew in zone 6 will grow here.

Before: The front of the house was hidden by overgrown plants.

Before: We removed all of the shrubs in the front and added a few of them to the backyard.

After: A brick walkway now replaces the cement walkway, 9ft trellises hold salmon colored roses and purple clematis.

After: Purple spikes of Russian sage, one of my favorites, in my new perennial garden.

Before: In the backyard, overgrown Sago palms and picket fences were removed.

Before: Pine straw used as mulch gets messy and its hard to remove leaves.

Before: We love the large leafed shrub called: Fatsia, it is grown for its beautiful tropical foliage.

After: New Zoysia sod was added. I planted a Limelight hydrangea, divided irises that were in the front yard and planted them in in the backyard.

Before: We were lucky to inherit 5 Camellia bushes that gift us with flowers in winter.

After: The walkway ends in a circle, the perfect place for our birdbath, Japanese Boxwood and ‘Popcorn’ drift roses. We added shredded pine mulch and a new 6ft privacy fence.
A garden does not happen, it evolves. The land and plants are nurtured and it develops over time. That’s the joy of gardening: Constant change.
xxoo
Hard to believe you accomplished all that in less than a year! Brava! Ellen and Bravo! Jim. 😎🌻
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Thank you Kim! It is hard to believe; now we can enjoy it. 🙂
xoxo
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Amazing, so so beautiful It looks like it should be in a magazine . I’m glad to see you and Jim are doing well. We miss you here in CT. ❤️
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Thank you Beth! I am glad we now have a cohesive yard to add plants to.
I miss you and my hair misses you! 🙂
xoxo
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Toby, your new home is beautiful. The new gardens are breathtaking. WOW!!! Absolutely magnificent. Miss not seeing you at Jazzercise. Are you jazzerciseing? Hope you are very happy there. 😘😘
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Hi Elaine,
Yes, finally after all the reading, and planning, the gardens are taking shape. How are your gardens?
No, I am not going to jazzercise, just to a gym nearby.
xoxo
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Great job Ted! You did it! Love t
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Thank you for all your encouragement along the way!
xoxo
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Beautiful, HGTV here comes the Andrews. Thanks for sharing. B&J
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Thank you! It’s the process I love, even if it drove me bananas. 🙂
xoxo
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What a transformation!! We loved looking at the before and after pictures.
Love from the Pardo’s
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I wanted to show the change that took place, and decided before and after shots would be best.
I’m glad you like the transformation.
xoxo
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OMG everything is just spectacular. You have such talent!!!! Have Taylor this week and her birthday party here on Monday awa running around for the WGC because of aphids!!! Yikes!! I will get back to you right after the 4th. Love you! You are a genius you know. You put every garden i have ever seen to shame. You should be soo proud of all you’ve accomplished. >
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Thank you and good luck with the party!
xoxo
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Wow! Toby your yard looks absolutely beautiful and so very peaceful. Your own little piece of heaven. I am so very happy for you ad Jim. Love, Eileen
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Thank you Eileen!
It is peaceful and we’re enjoying the change.
xoxo
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Oh, Ellen!!! Everything looks simply LOVELY!!! I am so ridiculously happy for you right now, my dear friend!! Thank you so much for sharing these marvelous before and after photos! Garden blessings and love~ xoxoxo
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Thank you Amy! I appreciate all the support you gave me while I was dreaming about and planning the gardens.
Blessings and love to you my friend,
xoxo
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Ellen, what a transformation! Your hard work is looking great. I too love Russian sage. The Fatsia is really interesting looking.
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Thank you Mimi! It is nice to see the transformation. Yay!
I love the Fatsia shrub, it’s a lovely specimen plant.
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I love before and after scenes. What you’ve accomplished is truly transformational!
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Thank you Joann!
Removing all the unwanted trees and plants helped us see the potential. Now I can layer in more perennials. 🙂
You can never have too many plants! haha
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Toby, it is so beautiful!! You did an amazing job designing your yard! I love it!! xoxox
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Thank you Beth!
Finally! Now my dear friend, you won’t have to read any more of my emails that say, “I’m in garden mourning.” 🙂
xoxo
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Toby your garden is soooo beautiful! I’m not surprised…you have such a joyous talent! I bet you and Jim are enjoying the weather. Thanks for sharing before & after photos.
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Hi Sandy,
Thank you! Jim and I enjoyed not having snow this past winter, now it’s hot and steamy. Enjoying the AC.
Hope you and Chuck are having a good summer!
xoxo
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