year, but when we get together, a gardening project always happens! After buying her own home, Meg launched into gardening and has transformed her yard on a budget. Check out her post to see!

http://ourfairfieldhomeandgarden.com/how-my-...

#Gardening

#BeforeandAfter

painting and new garage doors, but we are hiring those done. Even though I'm a good painter and have painted houses before , inside and out, my ladder days are over!

For me, the most rewarding changes have been accomplished in the landscape. My best friend teased the daylights out of me when we bought a house with "tortured shrubbery" (clipped into box and spiral shapes). But it was a half acre after a tiny lot and, even though two-thirds of it was covered in ivy and pachysandra, I knew there was a wonderful garden waiting to happen. And, there was a garden shed and an extra garage on the back of the house to store all my garden tools, pots and whatnot!

See and read some more at http://ourfairfieldhomeandgarden.com/5-years... and on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/barbrosen/our-fairfield...

#BeforeandAfter

#Gardening

vexing problem, sometimes it's the blank slate of a new yard. To show you such issues are not insurmountable, I am starting this thread where Hometalk members can show before and after photos from their gardens, and I'll break the ice with two pairs of photos from my own backyard. As the before photos (taken almost exactly three years ago) show, when I bought this neglected little house, the"yard" was nothing but sand and weeds. Today, happily, things look rather different. So start uploading, and let's show folks what can be done!

#beforeandafter

waterfall and stream. The word "pondless" means that the reservoir for the water is underground where it is safe. The 4' high by 8' wide waterfall spills into a large landing area, and then travels down a narrow stream, around side of a lounging patio, and disappears behind evergreens into our pondless reservoir. This water feature gets winterized in December and starts up again in March. Every spring we come in to spruce up the plantings, adding perennials, annuals and mulch. www.deckandpatio.com

only be adding soil to the low spots which will help redirect the water, but I will create a beautiful space where I would much rather spend my time with the flowers and plants than cutting the grass :) Huge undertaking, but I am psyched up for it!

So far, I have used some "lasagna gardening" techniques- covered all of the grass (and weeds!) with newspaper, cardboard or paper yard refuse bags. Second step, top that with garden soil mix. I am waiting until I'm sure there are no more frost advisories before I start to plant my flowers and vines. I've started collecting the seedlings I'm going to plant as well as growing some from seeds. (I've got an ENTIRE back yard to fill with flowers!!!) I've been planning my secret garden layout and I can't wait until I can actually start planting my flowers! Wish me luck!