My home was built in 1926, and the yard that it sits on is a typical backyard. Nothing special, and not very big. Including the garage, it is about 3000 square feet of outside earth space.
What I realize now is that nothing much has been done with outside yard space. It has been managed, and beautification has been limited to a few flowers here and there.
If this was an art project, my goal would be to make this south city yard a place of serenity that I would want to live in whenever I can. Homebuyers over the years have thought little of this space. Its a place to barbecue, a place that requires upkeep, and perhaps a place to hang out on the front porch or back deck. But not much else. Perhaps this is because the home itself is a starter home. With its one bath 1.5 story assessment, who wants to mess with the yard all that much? Myself included, I envision myself moving on some day. No one wants to spend a lot of money renovating this space. I only cut the tree (pictured above) down in the backyard when it became a danger to myself and the neighbor. Otherwise, I would have left that dying silver maple to the next owner to deal with.
But what about the present? This is my life... why am I living like I'm waiting for something else? If this is the space that I live in now, and I am hanging out on the back deck, shouldn't I want to make it a place of beauty to enjoy? This could be the last view I ever get (there are no guarantees), so why not make it a good one?Practically however, I don't have the cash to spend on it. So now the creative side has a MISSION: to make the yard an enjoyable and lovely experience on a dime.
