Eight years in a city garden, cont'd.

Part 3: Before and after the transformation.

Jul 02, 2025

This is part 3. Here are links to parts 1 and 2.

In a comment on part 1 in this series, one of you readers mentioned being a fan of before-and-after garden makeovers, so I thought it would be fun to show you the difference between when we began our major project back in 2017 and how it looks now, as we turn it over to new owners.

One of the most striking differences is the “secret garden” vibe we created versus the exposure we experienced in the beginning, as such a rare, large plot in a city neighborhood. Many people say it’s the biggest yard in this whole area of St. Louis, so it was worth the trouble to create a tree grove, which will offer even more privacy to the new caretakers as these junipers plus a Shumard oak and black-gum tree continue to mature.

'Taylor' junipers, before and after in the same location, planted in a dry, rocky area (the gravel drive to what used to be a garage) where this species thrives.

Here’s another comparison, from the back of the property.

Speaking of screening the apartment building and lot next door, check out the dramatic difference between then and now.

Whereas in the beginning, the yard was dysfunctional and very exposed, now it’s filled with secluded nooks.

Remember that little hydrangea, one of the first of more than 100 native species we planted? She’s a beast now.

Here’s a triptych to demonstrate the progression from 2017 to 2020 to 2025.

On the left, laying sheet mulch. In the middle, you can see the start of a hugelkultur herb mound. Mature plantings on the right.

A touchstone over the past eight years has been for me to stand on the back porch and gaze down the middle sidewalk path, a relic from who knows how long ago in this 121-year-old garden’s history. Here’s another triptych to show the beginning, middle, and end, or at least the end for us, but the beginning for the new owners!

We started out with mowed weeds and fat circles of exotic ornamentals, tried out a squash tunnel in 2020, and ended up with a lovely natural arch between plum and apple trees.

It’s been heart wrenching to leave a garden I’ve toiled over, loved, and lived in for longer than any other place in my fifty-plus, very nomadic years. I spent some time saying goodbye to the flowers, shrubs, and trees I’ve tended, stroking the fuzzy little leaves of the lamb’s ear and drinking in all the colorful blooms. I offered some parting words to the now eighth generation of rabbits who’ve lived with us in mutual tolerance and quiet curiosity. I can say goodbye, so long, farewell, but the truth is, this garden will always remain in my heart.