Yard Work

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When I bought The Bungalow, the backyard was a mess.

The yard was full of towering “volunteer” trees, so the lawn below got very little light. Bare spots in the lawn were everywhere, and muddy areas were common after a rain shower. Clearing out all those unwanted, problem trees was, quite obviously, step one.

Next, there was a chain-link fence - a very old one. It was rusted out and falling down. The gate to the alley was missing. And, on top of that, some of those “volunteers” had sprouted up along the fence line, and their large branches had twisted and/or knocked down parts of the fencing. It was bad!

Friends who saw the backyard before I bought The Bungalow were not impressed; all thought the tasks ahead were too much to take on. They just couldn’t see, as I did, what the backyard could be!

As it turned out, I was able to obtain recommendations for the help I needed right away, and all phases of the backyard project were addressed and completed quickly.

On Day One, 13 giant “volunteers” were removed, and the remaining trees (six very tall palm trees and the one camphor tree) were professionally trimmed.

On Day Two, Southwestern Fence Company crew showed up to remove and haul away that tacky old chain-link fence.

On Day Three, the posts were set for a beautiful 6.5” cedar fence.

On Day Four and Five, the fence went up all around the yard, and two gates were installed.

On Day Six, automatic, dusk to dawn lights were installed.

At the end of Day Six, I sat outside with friends, wine glasses in hand, toasting my newly improved backyard. Before nightfall, I was making plans to go shopping for outdoor furniture first thing the next day.

A week later, Tom’s Thumb Nursery’s landscaping team showed up to create three large flowerbeds around the palm trees - and to present the professional landscaping plan I requested.

At some point, tropical flowers and other plants will make themselves at home in my backyard. But, for now, I think it’s pretty - just the way it is right now - just as I envisioned it all along!