We did it! Over the course of two nice long Clara naps (and with a little help from a friend) we managed to open up our front yard in what we like to call “Phase Two Of Ten Million” when it comes to slowly transforming our front yard. Why so many phases? Well it started out looking like this:
Much like our first house’s yard, we figure it’ll take a few years of tweaks to get it where we want it, so this phase was just about clearing things out for a you-can-actually-see-the-house-now effect (Phase One was limbing up the magnolia). In short: we dug up/transplanted/removed a ton of bushes (with the help of a friend of ours who took home some boxwoods in exchange for helping us get a bunch of them up). This post is full of photos, so I’ll let them do the talking. Without further ado, here are the before and afters (we tried to take photos from the same angle for comparison). First there’s the AFTER to the before above (don’t mind the black feather wreath out there on the door for Halloween):
Here’s another BEFORE for ya from the driveway:
And another AFTER from the same angle (a little further away):
Another BEFORE:
And the AFTER:
Here’s a side-angle BEFORE:
And an AFTER from the same POV:
Another BEFORE facing more towards the street:
And the accompanying AFTER:
Here’s a BEFORE from the other side (the bushes used to completely stop the eye so our yard felt way smaller):
And here’s the AFTER from the same angle:
Yet another BEFORE:
And another AFTER:
Here’s how it looked from the front porch BEFORE:
And AFTER:
The only drawback? I got me a blister. So in that aspect it was exactly like Phase One (seen here). Totally worth it though. No pain, no gain.
As for where we put the bushes that we transplanted, we just dug them up…
… and planted them in the naturalized parts of our side and back yard (and our friend who helped us dig made off with the rest of the healthy ones). Sadly some of the bushes were dead…
… so those just got removed with a sawzall (aka this reciprocating saw by Skill). Which was probably more fun to use than it should have been (it was actually our first time sawzalling, so we took turns and grinned like fools the whole time). And you know we loved the fact that this big curb appeal makeover was f-r-e-e (well, I guess it cost us a few boxwoods in return for some helpful friend labor, but it was foliage well spent).
As for our future lawn plans, we’re definitely just getting started out there – so there are a lot more phases on the over-the-next-few-years agenda. We’ve got plans to:
- dig out some ivy/monkey grass
- lay down some grass seed in certain areas
- layer in some low maintenance native (and less vinyl fence-like) plantings to soften things up around certain areas of the perimeter
- landscape around the front of the house (there are hardly any plants on either side of the porch – so it’s just sort of a mud pit in those areas)
- do a million other things that are slipping my mind at the moment (one big one: convert the carport to a garage)
So this step was just about clearing things out to make way for some less house-obscuring choices and opening things up to let the eye travel a bit further in certain places. Feels nice to let the house breathe a little. And the neighbors have all been saying such sweet things about the change. Whew! Has anyone else been up to a few exterior tweaks? Do you do them during baby naps with the monitor outside on full blast so you can run in at a moment’s notice? Do you hold your breath until the neighbors approve? We totally do.
Psst- We’re over on BabyCenter talking about a Halloween surprise that we discovered on Sunday night. Let’s just say Clara’s in love. Here’s the story.
Meghan says
Oh my gosh, it looks soooo great! What a HUGE transformation!
katie k says
that is amazing!! i kept thinking the first “after” picture was your old house – because it looked SO incredibly different than the first. WOW.
Lauren says
WOW! Awesome job!!!
Demi says
What’s up with the later than usual posting 2 days in a row? You guys so busy with the kitchen?! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, maybe there’s a delay on your end? Or you’re using Facebook (which sometimes has a delay)? This post was up before 10am as usual!
xo,
s
Lindsay says
Mine has not been showing up until about 10:45 or 11 the past couple days when I go straight to younghouselove.com. I’ve actually seen on facebook that the posts were up and had to follow the links there to get to the posts. Weird. Glad to know I haven’t been the only one though!
YoungHouseLove says
So weird! It sounds like a cache-ing thing. If you empty your browser’s cache it should pop right up!
xo,
s
Brigid says
When I type in your site address around the normal posting times, the oldest post is usually still up. But if I hit ‘refresh’ or your ‘home’ tab a couple times – the new post will come up (usually with about 50 comments already posted). It takes a while to show up in Google Reader too.
Not sure of the change, but as long as I can get my YHL fix (even if it is a little delayed) I’m happy!
YoungHouseLove says
So strange! We didn’t change anything on our end – so sorry for the glitch!
xo,
s
Jen says
Wow – what a huge improvement that made! We need to do the same thing with our yard — and its definitely going to take several phases to get it looking good but just tearing out the old overgrown bushes should help a lot.
Tabitha says
that was SO MANY “before” and “after”s! you guys really got carried away ;)
Beth M. says
WOW!!!! You guys are amazing! Really. So impressive. It already looks like grass is growing where you removed plants. How is that!? You guys are good!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- that’s just ground cover that conveniently looks green in the pics (there was ivy and monkey grass under a bunch of stuff that we dug out).
xo,
s
alg says
Neighbor kudos are the best! I don’t know what it is, but they just make you walk taller, huh?
It looks fantastic, btw :) Curb appeal WIN!
Are you noticing that you get more light inside now? Just wonderin’…
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! In the dining room and office we have a much nicer view and see more light instead of dark green leaves when we look outside!
xo,
s
Alanna says
you’re lucky to have gotten positive feedback from your neighbors. we had some boxwoods at our house when we moved in that hadn’t been trimmed in at least 25 years according to a neighbor. they were so bad that they were growing over the windows and starting to block the sidewalk to the front door. we did some MAJOR trimming a few years ago (basically cut them back to twigs) and were told by one neighbor that we were “ruining the neihborhood.” thankfully the shrubs all grew back in and unlike the previous owners we’ve been sure to keep them trimmed back nicely.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw man, that stinks! I’m so glad they grew back and looked great! We can totally relate to having to cut back super giant bushes that were planted decades ago! They can definitely get out of control…
xo,
s
Janelle says
Oh my gosh, it looks soooooooo much better!!
Sarah Mc says
LOVE,LOVE,LOVE! The front yard was always my least favorite part of your house so I’m definitely glad to see you made some progress on that. It’s definitely more inviting and your yellow door finally gets its big debut!
Natalie says
O.M.G! HUGE difference! I cannot believe it!! Did you guys take a tally of how many bushes that was?? You know we’re all about numbers. 3 long naps = approximately 6 hours – so how many bushes = minutes per bush dig up??
YoungHouseLove says
We think it was around 26 bushes! It was slow going at first but we hit our groove on the second day!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
Looks awesome!! What a great feeling to have that done!
Daria says
Even though I’m a big fan of having lots of trees/bushes, mainly for environmental reasons, I think it looks much better now! Finally, your cute house can be seen, and with the plans you have for the front yard I am sure it will look great once it’s all done!
Tanja says
Hi Guys, that’s an amazing transformation – I LOVE IT! It looks so much more open and fresh. Way to go.
Libby says
Besides the awesome improvements, the only thing I could think of was that I feel like I am getting an eye exam at the eye doctors. Which one is better, before or after? After. Ok, how about this one, before…or after? After. Again, before…or after? Ummm about the same. Ok let’s try this one, before or after? etc… :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- you passed the test!
xo,
s
Allison says
Haha! I thought the same thing about the eye doctor!
Jacquelyn says
Guys! This looks INCREDIBLE!!! Great job!!
Alla says
It does look more open. I guess coming from a congested city, (LA) where houses are right next to each other and large private yards are few and far between, I just don’t get why someone would want to get rid of the natural greenery and “fences” that make a property more secluded and private. As I’m currently shopping for a house, I seek out the ones that are hidden from the road by greenery, not exposed. To each their own thou. I love the rest of your guys’ projects so keep it coming!
YoungHouseLove says
We just close the blinds for privacy whenever we want it (which isn’t very often since at night we do most of our living in the back of the house- since the living room, bedroom, and even the kitchen aren’t in the front).
xo,
s
Briel K. says
Wow! It looks great! Visually, it’s like the difference between feeling claustrophobic and being able to take a nice deep breath.
susan says
It looks much better. From a security standpoint a big improvement. No one is going to be able to sneak into your house without being seen! Another added bonus is that your Christmas decorations and lights will ‘Pop’ without all the added shrubs around the house and yard.
Julie says
This looks great! What a difference!
Penny says
Your yard looks wonderful! If you’re ever feeling rednecky and want to remove more bushes, you can always do what we did at our old house: borrow a pickup truck, hook chains around the bushes, attach chains to truck and yank the suckers out. Oh the sight of that truck dragging those sorry bushes down the street to our yard trash pile. Our neighbors were impressed. Sure there were tire tracks in the yard at first, but the grass eventually grew back. South Georgia represent!!
YoungHouseLove says
We’ve heard that method is really fun!
xo,
s
Amy says
What a fantastic transformation! Your home looks so much more welcoming now. Nice work!
Clare says
Looks SO much better! What a difference that made!
Amber says
Love it! Makes a huge difference!
Ashley says
Woah, what a difference!
We have some landscaping in our future, too, but it’s going to have to wait until spring now. We at least trimmed a bunch of overbearing cedars and unruly snowball trees this year.
Karen F says
Totally amazing! (Especially when I think about all the other projects you guys have going on at the same time. Omg, how do you do it?)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- we’re crazy! We just lay in bed and get excited about something and wake up and try to tackle it! Sometimes it actually works out!
xo,
s
Amber says
SOOOOOOOOO much better!! Of course the neighbors love it!
Melissa Evans says
The house is REALLY coming together! The before and afters are awesome! Great job you guys! :)
Megan S says
I may have missed this, where did you get the feather wreath?
YoungHouseLove says
That was picked up on clearance from JoAnn fabrics last year!
xo,
s
Lara says
Wow! HUGE improvement! I love that you are so bold just to take out what is not working.
We inherited a holly bush in our front yard that I have never liked–but don’t have the guts to remove…
Tracy says
It looks amazing…I can’t believe what a difference just removing stuff can make. So I have a question about the bushes that line the sidewalk to your front door…was there a reason that you kept those? Do you plan on removing the smaller bushes on the right hand side of the side walk to make it easier to walk down that path?
YoungHouseLove says
Those are just another phase to tackle! They’re way too big so the walkway is so skinny (the bushes reach out and touch you) so they’ll be transplanted in favor of smaller more space-appropriate choices- hopefully native plants so they’re low maintenance and easy care!
xo,
s
Sharon says
Dramatic change. I’m sure your neighbours love it as much as you do.
robin says
What an incredible amazing after!!! Love it! Good for you.
Emily says
Looks awesome! Is there any trick to actually getting the bushes out. We are trying to remove some large bushes from our yard and it is crazy hard work! We heard hammering copper nails in can kill the stump so it’s much easier to dig out. Any suggestions??
YoungHouseLove says
We just used a shovel and did the whole jump on it to dig it in and keep digging around it in a circle thing. Tons of work but so worth it in the end!
xo,
s
[email protected] says
WOW! That’s pretty dramatic! I bet the inside of your home is getting so much more natural light now too :)
Dani says
I love it. I feel like I am at an eye doctor in this post though- haha. Which is better? Before, or after? DEFINITELY after. I must have perfect vision ;)
Jill says
holy molyyyyy!!! it almost looks like a totally different place!! good job! yall are work horses!! shew!
debbie c says
Wow, it looks SOOO much better! Great job, can’t believe you did it all in 2 naps! By the way, congrats on being speakers at Haven! I’m hoping to go but not sure yet…
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks Debbie! Hope to see ya there!
xo,
s
Kasandra says
Nice work!! It always feels so great once you make big outdoor changes, like cleaning up the extra foliage especially since it’s FREE!!
We started a three phase painting project this year and although I don’t usually care what the neighbors they’ve been coming up to us with feedback. Most is great but one guy wasn’t a huge fan.
Him: “oh, you’re painting”.
Me: In my head: You’re a swift one. Out loud “Ya, doesn’t it look much better?”
Him: “Ummm….. I guess”
It was pretty funny. So he’s probably not a fan of our changes. But since he and his wife leave the empty recycling bin at the end of the driveway for three or four days after collection I’m not sure he’s actually our target audience.
Here is a little before and after post if you’re interested!
http://youlikethatright.blogspot.com/2011/08/painted-house.html
We ran out of time to do the rest (trim, side stucco etc) since the weather turned but it’s on the top of next year’s outdoor to do list!
YoungHouseLove says
Looks great!!!
xo,
s
Ryan Elizabeth says
LOOKS AMAZING, GUYS! always flabergasted at how much work you can do and how great it looks afterwards. :)
t says
Oh my! How many bushes/shrubs can fit in one yard? What a transformation!
Karen J says
You two never cease to AMAZE and INSPIRE me. Your VISION/IMAGINATION/CREATIVITY is such a breath of fresh air. Great “job”!!!
jawsie says
just in time for trick-or-treaters!
random question (might not be the best forum, but i know you’re so diligent about checking comments): how does one give credit/ ask permission to link to an idea of yours or a specific post in which you took on a similar project?
thanks! your yard looks great!
YoungHouseLove says
We’re always happy to share our pics in exchange for a link back over to our site- so borrow away! We do ask that folks use their own words when summarizing a project just because cut and pasted words can be spidered as “duplicate content” by Google, which is bad for both party’s search rankings. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Andrea says
What a difference!!!!! It looks fantastic. So much more welcoming!
Rachel says
WOW! It looks SO much better! I can’t imagine the hard work it took to remove all of that! Nice job:)
Laura says
Wow! Fantastic!
Jenn says
Love what you guys did to the yard. It looks more inviting. My husband did the same thing to our yard. We moved some bushes and cut some trees back. Right now our grass looks amazing but to him he feel like there more that needs to be done.
Monica says
Looks SO. MUCH. Better!! :)
Lynette says
Amazing transformation! Love it!