The Backyard-A Work in Progress

I took these pictures of our backyard on May 3rd and already it looks so different. So much more filled in. I'll have to update the pictures later this summer but wanted to have these on record. Especially since the backyard will look mighty different next year when we have some grass put in. Chicago lots are notoriously skinny and short so we have very limited space. The previous owners did the hardscape (flagstone and brick paths) as well as the perennial garden. With some love and prayer to the almighty goddess of gardening, it may just look good someday this summer.

This is the view from our backdoor. We have a lovely deck with a beautiful pergola. The birch tree behind the deck is half dead so I think it has to come out soon. And it's pretty annoying to our neighbors, who I adore. My parents gave us the wrought iron patio set (not pictured - table and 4 chairs) that was gifted to them by my great grandparents 30 years ago. Not only is it sentimental, but its eco-friendly too! Go recycling!

This is our 123 year old garage aka the carriage house. It leans to the right and can't fit my SUV. So guess who gets to park there? Just guess. It ain't me. But it's so cute isn't it? In that shabby chic, peeling paint kind of way. The red leafed tree is a Japanese maple which right now is absolutely gorgeous. We have some forsythia as well which supposedly will have yellow blooms...still waiting. The crab apple in the back corner just bloomed white and smells like heaven.


This is a close up of the flagstone pathway and partially empty planting bed in the middle. There were tomato plants and pepper plants in the middle but they were incredibly overgrown and I have no clue how to maintain vegetable plants. So out they came. We have some herbs that came back this year and I put that planter there for the time being. But some little puppy likes to nibble on the flowers...so that is going to have to move. Eventually this space will be re-worked to include grass for the boy to play on.

A close-up of the garage. Such cute little windows, no? We have some gorgeous ferns coming in under the trees, a bleeding heart, crocuses, peonies, lilies and some other unidentifiable blooms.

Here is the view from the garage looking at the back of the house. Again, the lovely Japanese maple. Another, much more mature, crab apple tree is on the right. It's like a brothel for birds. All day they come and go and make so much noise. There is a woman three doors down that uses an air horn to frighten the birds off her trees. She scared the shit out of me last week. But she may be on to something.

There you have it. Our backyard, Spring 2008.