Eight years in a city garden, cont'd.
Part 3: Before and after the transformation.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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Do you have any questions about how to transform your yard?
Congratulations on a stunning transformation. I’m sure the garden ensured the sale of your home and that the new owners will enjoy it immensely. I look forward to your next garden transformation.