Designing Austin

{hooray - backyard is complete} I should write an Ode to...

Mon, 28 May 2012 19:28:42 -0500

{hooray - backyard is complete}

I should write an Ode to Craigslist. This definitely wouldn’t have happened without that website. CL, I owe you one.

I didn’t finish the project for my initial deadline (December 15th), but I am pumped that it is finished. I’d previously mentioned that I might add terraced beds, but I think I’ll just enjoy it as is for now.

These pictures don’t really do it justice. Walking out onto the patio in the morning is such a peaceful experience! Hooray for months of hard work finally paying off!

{our original backyard - 5 years ago} We finally finished the...

Mon, 28 May 2012 18:58:43 -0500

The original shed, before we painted it

I'm not sure the new color scheme helped

View of the back patio

Back of the house

View through the chain link fence

{our original backyard - 5 years ago}

We finally finished the backyard project this weekend. So before posting the final pictures, I thought I’d take a trip down memory lane. This is what our backyard looked like when we first moved in. Yikes.

It was completely overgrown with “trash trees,” or invasives that shoot up really quickly, kill off the naturally growing habitat, and then die. (ahem, paper mulberry, I’m looking at you.)

Jonathon spent most of our first year in the house cutting down the invasives and clearing out the brush.

I honestly forgot that the yard used to look this bad! It was a jungle back there! Update coming soon!

{a video to inspire}

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:02:41 -0500

{a video to inspire}

{a video to inspire}

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:00:05 -0500

{a video to inspire}

{death by transplant} I hate to say it, but the salvia and...

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:05:06 -0500

{death by transplant}

I hate to say it, but the salvia and rosemary did not make the transplant to the backyard. This picture of the rosemary was taken about a week ago, and that poor plant finally gave out a few days ago.

Note to self: Don’t split rosemary again without reading something about it first.

The salvia was a straight transplant, no splitting. All the blooms have fallen (even though their counterparts in the front yard are still thriving) and the plant is turning more grey with each day. I haven’t pulled it yet, but if it doesn’t cheer up, I’ll pluck it over the weekend.

{spring blooms} The first blooms from my Ladybird Wildflower...

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:00:05 -0500

{spring blooms}

The first blooms from my Ladybird Wildflower Center fall purchases. I didn’t get much done in the garden over the weekend, but I love seeing these guys from the kitchen in the morning.

{survivor} So, of all my propagated plants, there was one...

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:10:05 -0500

{survivor}

So, of all my propagated plants, there was one species that was the lone survivor - the Mexican Flame Vine. All the propagates survived the greenhouse phase, but a few weeks after they’d been moved to individual pots, they just started dying off.

I have several pots of the Flame Vines and I’m hoping to find a fun corner of the yard and let them run wild. For now, though, I’ll let them get a little stronger in their pot homes.

However, I haven’t totally given up on the Passion Vine propagates (which are so much prettier than the Flame Vines). They are mostly dead, but I’ve got my fingers crossed that they may make a comeback.

{Retaining Wall: From Zero to Hero} After finishing the patio...

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:02:06 -0600

{Retaining Wall: From Zero to Hero}

After finishing the patio extension, I basically left it untouched for three months. Until last weekend, that is.

Tons of weird grasses started growing, so I started out by weeding along the side of the retaining wall where I wanted to plant my flower bed. Naturally, this meant I couldn’t stop working until a bed was planted, so the rest of the weekend went something like this:

I dug out the flower bed
I removed the limestone wall
I built a brick retaining wall (using the free bricks I’d scored from Craigslist in the fall)
I built a smaller brick retaining wall, two inches from the edge of the patio (this will become a drainage solution, which I’ll go into some other time)
I added compost and organic topsoil to the bed (also scored on CL)
I *finally* planted some of the plants I purchased in the fall, along with a few plants from the front of the house (which I split)

So far, everything has survived the transplant. My plan is to water and coddle them a bunch over the next couple of weeks, and then slowly reduce the watering schedule and see how they do. Fingers crossed!

Also, the rosemary is totally taking over the bed. Once it acclimates, I’ll be cutting it back a bunch.

{gratuitous tuesday birdbath} It’s the little things.

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:03:06 -0600

{gratuitous tuesday birdbath}

It’s the little things.

{patio extension: finished} As promised, here are some photos I...

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:02:06 -0600

{patio extension: finished}

As promised, here are some photos I snapped at the beginning of last weekend, highlighting the new patio extension. You can see, it wraps around the back of the house, which keeps the grill tucked out of the way.

I did a lot of work over the weekend! More updates coming soon!

(Yes, that is a giant bottle of Round Up. Please don’t judge me. :) )

so.... hello!

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:02:06 -0600

It has been a ridiculously long time since I’ve posted. Right after I finished laying down the patio extension, I was offered a new job and started only a few days later.

So here we are, only three months later.

The patio extension is complete, which means I nearly almost made my goal for Amanda’s backyard, phase 2. If you remember, my goal was to lay the patio extension, lay sod, create a path around the sod, and plant natives in the two beds - all by December 15th.

I got close, my friends. Everything but the planting was completed by December 15th, but I guess you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Since I started the new job, my schedule has been all wonky and the weather hasn’t been cooperating (but I am definitely not complaining about the rain - we’ve needed it!). So progress will be slower. I think my anthem these days is taken directly from the Matthew Wilder song from the 80s, “Ain’t nothin’ gonna to break my stride. Nobody’s gonna slow me down. Oh-no! I got to keep on movin’.”

And in case you’re curious, the new job is great. I’m working for a local nonprofit amidst a really committed group of bright and passionate individuals. It’s definitely one of my favorite things that came out of 2011.

Here’s to a joyful and productive 2012!

ps - I don’t have a photo of the finished patio, but I swear, it’s actually completed. I will share as soon as I have pictures.

{installing the patio extension} After many trips to...

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:20:42 -0500

{installing the patio extension}

After many trips to Lowe’s for advice and lots of deliberation, I started on the patio extension last night. Here’s how it went down:

I laid down the landscape fabric, nailing it in place with pins
I laid down the sand
I evened-out the sand with a 2”x4”. I placed a level on the 2x4, to make sure there was a slight slope away from the house. (tedious.)
I lightly misted the sand with water
I started laying down the pavers

I have only about 1/4 of the pavers laid and am hoping to make some major progress tonight. Sorry about the shadows in the pictures, I just couldn’t wait to share them with you so I ended up snapping them in mid-day light.

{prop, phase 2} I actually squealed yesterday when I checked on...

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:32:46 -0500

it grew ROOTS!

props in sand

replanted Mexican Flame Vine

{prop, phase 2}

I actually squealed yesterday when I checked on my propagated plants and found ROOTS! No way! It actually works!

As it turns out, the salvia, hibiscus, and passion vine aren’t quite ready (as in, they’re alive with root balls, but no actual roots are branching out yet). But! Hooray for the Mexican Flame Vine, because those puppies are ready for pots!

I also thought I’d update you on the plants I purchased at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s fall plant sale:

silver ponyfoot
turk’s cap
damaniata
lantana
chile petin
cenizo
scarlet pea
blackfoot daisy
prairie verbena
rock rose

Little E picked out two of her own too:

ruellia
barbed wire cactus

So far, they’re all still alive. Woo hoo!

{busy bee} I can’t believe I haven’t written in two...

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:00:05 -0500

{busy bee}

I can’t believe I haven’t written in two weeks! I’ve been working on the ~~not so~~ free garden a bunch, but have totally been lacking in updates. My bad!

Since I last wrote, I’ve:

Added limestone edging around the zoysia turf
Acquired pavers (not free, but heavily discounted)
Acquired a carload of free organic topsoil
Plucked about a million mushrooms out of the turf (this is what happens when you plant on top of a giant pile of horse manure
Bought landscape fabric ($40) and polymeric sand ($20)
Visited the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s fall Texas plant sale (Yes, I totally bought-up some cute plants.)
Finished digging my 33 34 foot trench
Read and researched A TON about laying a paver patio

And believe it or not, I’m ready to lay the patio this week. I already have a busy week ahead, but I’m hoping to have it all finished by Sunday night. Updates coming!

{getting ambitious} I’ve been surprised at how quickly...

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:07:00 -0500

{getting ambitious}

I’ve been surprised at how quickly I’ve been able to move forward with my plans, and the ideas just keep coming! This is a mockup of how I’d like the final yard to look. Ambitious, I know.

I actually think that completing the hardscaping won’t be too difficult. It’s the plants that I’m concerned about. I have found virtually no free plants on Craigslist. And propagating is going to take for-e-ver. Any ideas are welcome!

{limestone} I’ve spent the last couple of weeks acquiring...

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:13:06 -0500

{limestone}

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks acquiring a bunch of material for the yard. Each day is a new adventure, wherein I never know how/where/when my agenda might get sidetracked. The upside of this, of course, is that I don’t need to acquire much more!

So far, I’ve gotten:

zoysia grass
bricks (I don’t have quite enough for the patio extension. I can use bricks instead of pavers, right?)
limestone (for landscaping borders around beds, etc)
wood (for building a trellis)
sand
compost

I really won’t be able to move forward on the patio extension without landscape fabric. I’ve decided to set a time limit of November 1st. If I don’t find it before then, I’m going out and buying it. Wish me luck!

{climbing vines} I found this awesome climbing plant just a few...

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:16:00 -0500

{climbing vines}

I found this awesome climbing plant just a few miles from my house. I love the bright, spindly, purple flowers. Does anyone know what it is?

Also, I’m having second thoughts on the whole propagation scene. I’m not giving up on it, per se, but I’m starting to think that it’ll be at least a year or two before my little plants turn into something worth looking at. Am I patient enough for this? Does anyone have any tips?

*UPDATE: I just learned this is called a Passion Vine. It’s low water and attracts butterflies! (Thanks Chris!)

{propagation: phase 1} Over the weekend, I started on my...

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:58:00 -0500

{propagation: phase 1}

Over the weekend, I started on my propagation. Unfortunately, about halfway through the project, I stepped on something sharp and got a crazy puncture wound in my foot. I am fine, but I don’t have photos of my last step or two. (And don’t worry, I already got a tetanus shot earlier this year.)

I started with my penstemon sage/salvia/whatever-it-is. Being careful to use clean garden scissors (some recommend dipping the scissors in diluted bleach), I took cuttings from the plant at a 45 degree angle.
I filled the bottom 1/5 of my pots with small rocks. I filled them up the rest of the way with sand. Then I watered each pot thoroughly. (Some places recommend you mix one-part sand with one-part peat. Other places don’t mention the peat. I skipped it.)
I used a pencil to poke holes about 1-inch apart in the pots.
I pulled off all the bottom leaves of each cutting. I also cut off any flowers and buds from the top. (I left leaves on the top 1/4 of the cutting.
I dipped the bottom in of the cuttings in rooting hormone and planted them in the pencil holes.
I gently pressed the sand around the cutting and used the misting setting on my hose to rewet the sand.
I wrapped the pot in a white plastic bag, making sure to stick a few pencils around the edges of the pots to prop the bag up and prevent it from touching the cuttings.
I added some water to the bottom of the plastic bag before sealing it. Apparently, this helps retain humidity, creating a greenhouse-like environment.
The mini-greenhouses are stored in shade. I’ll open the bag in 3-5 days to make sure there’s enough moisture. Roots should form in 10 days - 3 weeks. (Though some plants take much longer.)

{before: top row, currently: bottom row} Sometimes, it has to...

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:11:05 -0500

{before: top row, currently: bottom row}

Sometimes, it has to get a little worse before it gets better. :) The backyard is looking like some kind of quarry lately, with all the rocks, sand, and bricks I’ve been collecting. But there’s definitely some forward momentum. The more I work, the more I want to work!

I also thought I’d include a tally of dollars spent so far:

Giant Tarp to compost horse manure - $40
Top soil for sod - $32
Rooting hormone (I broke down because I’m impatient) - $5
Tiller rental - $17 (Discounted, because it didn’t really work)
Metal rake - $9 (I don’t think this one counts, because it’s a tool every gardener should have anyway, but I’m trying to keep myself honest)

TOTAL: $103! Not bad!

{Sorry about all the picture shadows, I don’t always have the patience to find the right time of day. I’ll keep posting shots of progress that will hopefully be a little clearer.}

{favorite summer salad} This is my absolute favorite right now -...

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:05:06 -0500

{favorite summer salad}

This is my absolute favorite right now - tangy and crunchy. You can throw in any veggies that you already have on hand, but I used lettuce, tomato, radish, artichoke hearts, and mushrooms. Top with lentils, crumbled feta, and homemade dressing:

1 part fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 part cold water
2 parts olive oil
dollap of dijon mustard
pinch of salt and pepper

Shake and enjoy!

{What is it about artichokes? I’m always pumped when they’re on my plate.}