your backyard.... is it the way you want it??

United States
August 5, 2009 9:32am CST
We bought our fixer upper house 4 yrs ago and the people that owned the house previously never did a thing to our back yard... not one thing... it was a plain slate to start with. We have made a huge difference since then but there is still so much I want to do with it... but the money has been a problem in that area, so very slowly I have been doing things to our yard --on a budget, in between the rainy days and in between house projects.... I have not been in the back yard in about 2 weeks due to having so much running around and things I have been really focusing on inside... plus a week ago we had a couple rainy days in a row....so now working outside then. I have to get out there again...perhaps today since it will be a nice day out today... that got me thinking--yes, always a bad thing!! LOL Do you like your back yard?? Is it the way you want it?? Are you working on your yard or will you be?? Was it that way when you moved in or did you have a plain slate to start with too?
3 people like this
8 responses
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
5 Aug 09
In a way, it's good they did nothing with it. That way you can do what you want without feeling any guilt from pulling bushes or chopping down trees you don't want. When we bought our place, it was middle of winter with a foot of snow on the ground. Had no clue if any flowers were planted or anything. Once everything thawed out, I discovered the previous owners never ever picked up after their huge dog. I was out there for 3hrs. straight picking up 4 5gallon buckets of dog poop and thowing it out in the woods. Found glass bottles everywhere and other garbage. We spent the first spring/summer/fall just picking up all the crap in the yard. On a acre lot, that's alot. Our whole yard will always be a work-in-progress cause, like you, we are on a very tight budget. I finally got my King Crimson Red Maple after 7yrs. Have a huge garden next to the shed plus the original I put in when we first moved here that floods every spring. My neighbor who has horses brings me all his horse manure that accumlated over the year every spring. It's come in handy to really loosen up this clay they call soil.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Aug 09
Oh that is just gross!!! I am so sorry you had to deal with that horrible mess when the weather thawed out.... I would have been furious but I bet it looks so much better now for you!! Yes, it will be a work in progress for the next couple years for us as well --since any money we get we try to put into the house...and the yard gets only the second thought!! I have been told though --when on a budget to do the "perennial plant" shopping after labor day...when they are 75% off and you can get them in the ground for a couple months before the winter comes in... I am really trying to focus on a patio, I even went as far as buying 6 12x12 tiles every other week the first 2 summers we were here... now I have a 9x10 patio that we did ourselves... I want it bigger but that again will be on a budget and when we can get to it!! good luck with your back yard and thanks for the response.
• United States
5 Aug 09
Better yet, go dumpster-diving at Lowe's or Menard's at the end of the day. They throw out any dying plants. Very often all they need is some tlc and they come back to life and thrive. That's how I ended up with many of my perennials.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Aug 09
I never heard of that before... wow, that would be a great way to get some "great deals" on perennials....
• United States
9 Sep 09
That is so great, I wish my family and I have the time to do our back yard. We have nothing in ours. I have a one yeard old son and no where for his toys. We have alot of parties too. I know your new yard is not like what I need. But, i would love to have a niece party space, and a safe place for my son to play.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Sep 09
my kids do love it out there... we had alot of plants die off this year so I have been busy the last couple weeks pulling those out and getting things ready for the fall/winter season. thanks for the response and have a great day!
@anniefannie (1737)
• United States
6 Aug 09
my back yard is now the way i like it i have been sick this year and haven't done the work as i would have like putting in more flowers and mulch and keeping ithe grass and weeds out.i have someone mowing and weed eating but they don't do like i would.i had a clean slate when i moved here.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Aug 09
Its so nice to hear that you have it the way you want it!! I know the maintenance is not fun to keep up on but to have a place to go and sit and enjoy is so worth it!! thanks for the response and happy mylotting.
• United States
6 Aug 09
I do like my backyard. It is very big and wild. My family always want to do something with it, but we do not have enough time, so it is not perfect.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Aug 09
there is so much I want to do with my yard but time and money is not on my side!! LOL good luck with your back yard...and have a great day!! thanks for the response and happy mylotting.
• Philippines
6 Aug 09
Well not exactly. But it's not so bad either. I mean it's spacious enough and there's lots of plants and trees, It's very nature inspired. But I think it needs a little more flash to it. A good landscaping artist could really help, lol!
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Aug 09
I would love to get a landscapers help for sure... ours could definitely use some flash to it... but the money is just not there!! LOL --good luck if you get a chance to work on your yard. thanks for the response and happy mylotting!! have a great day!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
6 Aug 09
Our back yard is over grown with weeds. There are also several trees in there that need to be trimmed back and such. So in short, we really aren't happy with our back yard, but on the other hand we are because it gives us a lot of privacy. I want our backyard to be cleaned up as much as possible so the kids have a safe place to play, but maintain some of the growth to continue to have privacy. We knew that our house was going to require a lot of work when we bought it and it is coming along quite well, but budget is a problem.
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Aug 09
I know exactly what you mean... the budget makes it difficult for me to do some of the things that I want to do back there... but then finding the time to put in for working out there gets hard too sometimes. I plan to get out there today... so I hope I get alot done!! LOL thanks for the response and happy mylotting!
@Citychic (4067)
• United States
5 Aug 09
your backyard........... Interesting discussion. My backyard need a lot of help, love and attention. I know there are many things that we can do to our backyards that don't cost a lot of money. Just gotta keep an eye out for sales. I don't really go into my backyard that much due to it not looking the way that I want to see it looking. Just like you there seems to always be so much that i have to do on the inside. But this evening I'm going to take some time out to concentrate on fixing up the yard, one small area the time. Today I will get a garden started. Tomorrow who knows. We have been getting a lot of rain here too so I really haven't been out there that much. Oh yeah I need to transplant a tree if I'm expecting to see any fruit. Just another thing that needs to be done. Good luck with yours......... Happy mylot!
1 person likes this
• United States
7 Aug 09
I plan on getting out there today and getting some stuff done since we are suppose to have storms over the weekend... and today will be the nicest day this weekend to do any work outside. good luck with your yard when you get time to work on it and have a great day!! Happy mylotting and thanks for the response.
• United States
5 Aug 09
Ha! Lucky you. My backyard should be labeled a natural preserved habitat. But then again, it isn't really my backyard. The house is technically owned by my mother and her two brothers, and the agreement was that one of the brothers could live there if he took care of things. But he's not. Apparently trying to get rid of a wood pile of misc sticks and twigs that's up against the side of the house is wrong and unnatural. I haven't asked, but I'd hate to think what he'd say about the groundhogs making 8" diameter holes in the ground that you can see 7" deep. He probably thinks it's cool - has been known to let his grass grow about 2' high so the deer will nest in it. Yeah, we could probably fix things up, but why put all that effort in when 1) it's not our fault it's so bad. We're talking years of neglect. And 2) we're not planning on staying. The end result is that I'm afraid to go in our backyard.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Aug 09
oh that is bad!! I wouldnt want to put any effort in that either... and especially if you arent planning on staying... although it is sad that you dont get to use your back yard. Right now, we dont get out there much due to not being home as much and the flies and mosquitoes are so bad right now out there... that is another pain in the butt!! good luck when you do get to work in a back yard... its alot of work...but can be rewarding!! thanks for the response and happy mylotting.
1 person likes this