“She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.” Proverbs 31:16

Welcome to My Backyard Tour

Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could sit together in my home and sip tea and share our hearts? Oh, how I would love that. Since most of you cannot physically join me, I invite you to pour a cup of your favorite beverage and join me for my backyard tour. Come on in! The weather is fine and the gate is open.

At the end of the post I’ll share my favorite gardening books and a magnificent gardening tutorial! Post contains affiliate links. 

Our Big Home and Garden Search

When we began house hunting almost nine years ago, I was looking for something specific. I longed for a gathering place, a welcoming home, a spot where the entire family could come together to enjoy one another’s company, build relationships, and create memories. After much searching, we found a house plan we liked and had it built.

It’s just what I wanted: an open layout with plenty of space for mingling. I’m able to be part of the action working in the kitchen. We can extend the dining table as long as necessary to fit everyone in. An ideal space for gathering.

Our home came complete with landscaping in the front yard, but the good-sized back yard consisted of a concrete patio, and a large rectangle-with-ells covered in sod. No trees, bushes, flowers, gardening beds. Nothing.

What Do We Want From Our Backyard?

We felt overwhelmed looking out the back door at that giant expanse of Bermuda grass. We knew we wanted to make a beautiful yard, but had no idea of where to begin.

So, we began by asking questions. First, the big question: what do we want from this yard? What are the major yard goals? My main goal–always–is to have space that facilitates relationship-building and memory making. We want places to host cook-outs, open expanse to play with the grandchildren (they all lived here in those days!),  eat outdoors.  Spots to relax and rest, possibilities for teaching the grandchildren to grow some vegetables or flowers, attracting wildlife; these were all things we wanted.

Next we asked: how can we best accomplish our goals? What specific features will make this possible? For example, we knew our yard must have shade to make it useable in the Oklahoma summers, but not so many trees that we can’t throw a frisbee or play volleyball.

Backyard Divide and Conquer

Next, we divided our yard into “zones” specific to each purpose, and started working gradually. Gardening is hard work, isn’t it? Little by little! I had my heart set on a fire pit, so my hubby built me one for Mother’s Day early on. We also hired someone to make two stone patio areas.

I love this area so much, as it reminds me of childhood family camping trips and Girl Scout Camp. We made many lovely memories here before the grands all moved away, and they still talk about making S’mores with Grammy and Poppa. Success!!

The oddest things can bring back sweet memories. These tree trunk stools make me happy every time I see them. When my sister and I were little girls, we had a tree in our yard that had to be cut down. The branches were carried away to the town dump, but the large trunk of the tree was left “temporarily” lying in the yard. This tree trunk quickly became a favorite toy of ours. This was the time when 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea came out, and we had gone to see it at the Drive-In. For months (okay, years) afterward, we re-inacted the movie from our tree trunk submarine. Therefore, I was excited when we had an opportunity to have some tree trunk pieces in our yard.

I wanted a rustic feel to this garden near the fire pit, contributing to the childhood camping aura. I chose plants that need little care and tolerate drought, since this space isn’t reached as well by the sprinkler system. The Nandina and Burning Bush shrubs in this area make a spectacular show in the fall when they turn brilliant red.

Butterfly Garden

I saw a plan in a gardening book for a Butterfly Garden, and became determined to include one in our backyard. Oh, how I love this space! However, it has proven difficult, since the soil is exceptionally poor in this area. I’ve had a lot of plants die! Currently, we have a Chaste Tree, gaura flowers, daisies, Confetti Lantana, a butterfly bush, and a butterfly basin (which the doves really like!). I’m hoping to add several Milkweed plants this year, since we’re on the Monarch Migration route and these plants are crucial to the Monarch life cycle.

Look at My Herb Garden!

The backyard tour comes to the most beautiful and aromatic space in our yard. Oh, I love the herb garden! I have rosemary (3), sage (2), oregano, and lavender (3) planted here. These are all perennial in our area, which is a wonderful bonus! When we sit on the patio and the “wind goes sweeping down the plains”, the scent of rosemary perfumes the air. Of course, the added bonus is that I have fresh herbs year round for cooking.

A word to the wise: always always always grow mint in a pot! Otherwise it will take over your garden. Trust me on this. My husband built this gorgeous water feature for me from two planters, some tubing, and a motor. We can hear the sound of the trickling water even from inside the house; it is so pleasant and relaxing.

I love the ambiance of cafe lighting; it adds so much, don’t you agree?

Backyard Tour Truth in Advertising

Lest you think I’ve got a magic green thumb, please refer to exhibit A above. Our vegetable garden has been a consistent huge failure. We’ve planted squash that were so overrun by squash bugs that I fled in terror. Tomatoes have repeatedly flowered, then promptly shriveled and died. And tomato worms! Can I just say…ewwwww. Bunnies ate the lettuce. Blueberry bushes were planted twice and died both times, and I’ve had thirteen—thirteen–rose bushes die one after another, succumbing to disease.

Currently, the vegetable garden is overrun by mutant raspberry bushes which have been shamefully neglected. The garden is a work in progress.

As am I.

Gardening is so much work, especially when I have severe allergies and asthma. Frequently I can’t even step foot outside, but I continue to find pleasure in the garden even from our windows. The birds, butterflies, and bees are frequent visitors, and I am regularly awoken by chirpy birds nibbling the seeds at our feeder. What a wonderful alarm clock!

There’s something deeply satisfying about having a hand in creating beauty, in cultivating a living plant. I love time spent in the sunshine, the sweaty work of weeding, the satisfying sore muscles. It feels like meaningful, valuable work.

In the garden I do my most deep thinking. I feel awe and gratitude and thankfulness and wonder at the majesty of God and His Creation.

If you were here with me, sipping tea and chatting,  enjoying my Backyard Tour, think what a beautiful time of fellowship we could have! Thank you for joining me for this Virtual Backyard Tour, my friend.

Now, tell me about your backyard! Your favorite things to grow? What do you want from your backyard? Tell me about your favorite spot? I can’t wait to hear all about it!

Resources

How to Find Joy in the Mundane

How to Cultivate Community One Cup at a Time

Lara Casey Cultivate: Gardening 101

The above landscaping book is my favorite! It has numerous garden plans, including butterfly garden!

Obviously, it’s important to select books from your region. I can guarantee plants that grow well in Alaska are not the same plants you should select in Oklahoma! Unless you enjoy failure…

Even if you aren’t into gardening, I highly recommend a bird feeder! Owning a bird feeder has brought immeasurable joy to my life, so much so that I sent feeders and bird identification books to the grands!