Operation Front Entry

 From THIS                                  To                                  THIS

When we bought our house we saw A LOT of potential, but it was going to take work.  I have no problem with work, as a matter of fact growing up my parents used to punish my siblings and I with manual labor....until they found out that some of us weirdo's actually enjoyed it.  Funny story in fact: When I was twelve I got caught smoking....*gasp* Yes I know, I wasn't always so pure and wonderful.  So my dad, being a construction family, made me move a massive pile of tangled and snarled 2X4's and 4X4's....twice....why twice...because the first time I had an attitude.  I know side note....but that evolved into "Crystal, go chop some wood...." To which I happily obliged.  Ask me to wash dishes...I'd rather stick hot pokers in my eyes.

     So that brings me to our new home.  It was foreclosure....left unmaintained for a good year or so.  It was still in good condition...we didn't want a fixer just a few acres with room for my unruly brood of children to roam.  This was the front entry when we bought it.

And this is AFTER we raked it out and I took out the hideous brick arches.  I wish I had taken a picture before.  I love how this dips into the house, so to speak.  It sits between the garage and front entry of the house.  That is the kitchen window you see there straight ahead.  I pictured herb garden, flowers, roses...anything but this.....

It sat this way for some time...about a month.  It was Mother's Day weekend, and I went to do some errands, alone mind you.....a rare treat.  I came home to this.

 

Wow....Husband works fast!  This was my Mother's Day present.  My husband shows love through works...like putting in Mommy's garden, or washing my car....things like that.  He's not a romantic, but I know he loves me.

That quickly evolved into this:

Wow! And the best part...all for around $200.00.  Sounds like a lot, but imagine if you hired someone to do that for you....you'd pay:

Manual Labor

Materials

Mark up on the Materials 

(Did I mention I grew up in a construction family...I know these things)

This is the other half

That is my awesome Mom mobile...it's not fancy but it gets the job done!  And the Kitty....That is Lucky the Cat.  Her full name is "Lucky to be Alive," but Lucky is much easier. (That is yet another interesting childhood story)

 

 We ALMOST went with white rock and now I am thankful the woman at the materials lot messed up our order...this color is "Champagne." White would have been to stark, and I think I would have gotten sick of it real quick.  This has beautiful hues of pink and beige, especially when it's wet.

I used Slate stones that I found around the property to edge the garden, and those are slate stepping stones found at our local Lowe's on sale.

Total Materials to do this:

 1 Ton Rock around $100

1 Ton Bark (We did the front of the house as well)

7 Stepping stones

Plastic ground cover

All told around $200-$250

Not bad!

Now to plant to my hearts content! I'm thinking hydrangea...peonies.....herbs......