Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Taming the Jungle

Last  week I shared with you the pool and patio area of our home.  We have made so many changes - and we have even made some more this week, but that will wait until later to share those changes with you.

This week I thought I would share the front of the house and let you see some of what we have done.

Remember when I shared that the county property appraiser called our house the "Jungle House"?  Well, there was a reason.

This is what the front of our house looked like when I first came to see it.


The front of the house was so overgrown we didn't even know if the house had a sidewalk.  The realtor and I walked over palm fronds to the front door and hoped that we would not step on any snakes.



Two days after we had submitted our offer, but before the bank accepted it, my Realtor called and told me I had to go by the house.  The bank had sent a company in to trim everything back.  This was the first time I saw that we did indeed have a sidewalk. 

It was still in bad shape, but at least I didn't feel like I had to worry about snakes or mice or some other creature biting me.








The first thing we had to do was take out all the palm trees - there were twenty-three palm trees in the front yard alone.   Yes, you read that correctly - TWENTY - THREE!

When we had the inspections done on the house the septic inspector told me that we HAD to take out some of the palm trees as the roots were growing into the septic tank.

So, that was the first step in getting the front yard into a presentable state.

When Mountain Man and I arrived back in Lake Placid and closed on the house the very next week we started on having the palms and overgrown landscaping taken out.


We actually lived with nothing in the front, except grass, for four months.  Finally, we had saved enough money to have some landscaping done by a professional - but it was just the first step.



Beds are being prepared and new irrigation is being installed.





Landscaping going in.





Aww, so much better!  

Not perfect - but a good start.

See all the bare spots in the yard - yep, that's where some of those twenty-three palm trees were.






Last year we concentrated on doing the inside of the house, but we did put weed n' feed on the grass and just kept plugging away at getting things planted and trying to get the bare spots covered.

Finally, in March, we added some other flowers and another flower bed - just a little difference in the way it had looked.





New flower bed with day lilies and bird of paradise.









 We know that there is still more work that we need to do - for example, we are not happy with the entry way, but that will come.  We just have to have patience.

We have added some solar lighting along the walkway and a couple of solar spot lights on the small palms.


So, we went from this


 To this -


 To this -


 Finally, to this -


 While we still have work to do we are so happy and proud of how far we have come.

Hope you think so too!


Hugs -

Carol

I'm linking up to some of these great blogs:



Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
Meet Me Monday at You Are Talking Too Much
Your Cozy Home Party on Monday at Cozy Home Scenes
Motivated Monday at Be Colorful
Beautify It Monday at http://bringingbeauty.blogspot.com/
Show it Off Mondays at http://www.getouttamyheadplease.com/
Make it Great Monday at http://etcetorize.blogspot.com/
Just a Party with my Peeps on Monday at http://howtonestforless.com/
Monday Marketplace at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/
What's in the Gunny Sack on Monday at http://www.thegunnysack.com/
Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie
Tutorials and Tips Tuesday at Home Stories A to Z
Terrific Tuesday at http://adventuresofadiymom.blogspot.com/
Swing into Spring on Tuesday at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/
Tuesday To Do at http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/
From Dream to Reality on Tuesday at http://thediydreamer.blogspot.com/
Uncommonly Yours on Tuesday at http://www.uncommondesignsonline.com/
Time for a Party at http://www.finecraftguild.com/
Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style
DIY by Design on Wednesday
Uncommonly Yours on Wednesday at Uncommon Designs
Show and Share on Wednesday at Southern Lovely
It's a Party on Wednesday at http://acreativeprincess.blogspot.com/
Hooking up with HoH on Wednesday at http://www.houseofhepworths.com/
Catch as Catch Can at http://www.myrepurposedlife.net/
Open House Party on Thursday at http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/
Thursdays Favorite Things Blog Hop at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Link It Up Thursday at http://kadie-sevenalive.blogspot.com/
Show Me Extroidinary on Thursday at The 36th Avenue
Grace at Home on Thursday at Imparting Grace
It's A Party on Thursday at A Creative Princess
Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here
Share Your Creations on Thursday at Kristen's Creations
Grace at Home on Thursday at http://www.impartinggrace.com/
Transformation Thursday at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/
Time Travel Thursdays at http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/
Super Sweet Thursdays at http://sofabulouslyflawed.blogspot.com/
Tickled Pink Fridays at 504 Main
Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoestring Decorating
Feature Friday Free for All at Five Days...5 Ways
Addicts (not so) Anonymous on Friday at Addicted 2 Decorating
Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence
Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Friday's Unfolded at http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/
Friday's Features at http://www.redouxinteriors.com/
Freedom Friday's at http://myturn-evelyn.blogspot.com/
Weekly Top Shot on Saturday at The View From Right Here
Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors
A Pinteresting Party on Saturday at http://herestohandyandy.blogspot.com/
Say G'Day on Saturday at http://www.natashainoz.com/
Overflowing with Creativity on Sunday at It's Overflowing
Sew Darn Crafty Sunday at Sew Many Ways
Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming
Simply Klassic Sunday at A Simply Klassic Home
Sunday Round Up at http://www.arosiesweethome.com/
It's Party Time on Sunday at http://itssoverycheri.com/
Nifty Thrifty Sunday at http://www.niftythriftythings.com/





30 comments:

  1. What a difference you made with all the changes so far! I admire the amount of work that you are doing.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Sue - it is indeed a lot of work, but things are looking so much better! We still have a lot to do, but at least it's presentable now!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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  2. This is really amazing. We have been here in FL for a year and a half and have gotten good advice about palms and lanscaping. Obviously no one told the previous owners of your house! Pigmy Dates are great (grow slowly) and pretty much buy everything small and space them. Things grow like crazy down here. All those tall palms were a lightning hazard too. I'm really enjoying your transformation. Keep sharing!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Robin - you are so right when you say things grow like crazy. The sad thing is, the previous owners were suppose to own a nursery! They should have known! Oh well, they are gone now!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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  3. Hi Carol, I'm in South Florida and I know a bit about keeping up with the yard work too. We've had a crazy lot of rain again this week, so there will be yard work, yard work, yard work to do this weekend! I love your transformation. I bet your neighbors are thrilled. I found you at French Country Cottage's Feathered Nest Friday party and I'm on board as your newest follower (and newest Floridian follower). I hope you'll stop and visit me over at Quirky Vistas and follow as well.

    Liz

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    1. Hi Liz - You must be further south than I am - we are in desperate need of rain - so send of it up our way okay??? The lake and canal are so low - we don't even have water under our dock anymore! We are looking forward to getting some rain up this way! Don't work too hard this weekend!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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    2. Carol, thanks for coming by and leaving me such a nice comment on my Matchlight Morning post. I'm sorry you aren't by the ocean or getting rain. Everything was so brown here not long ago, but it has been good and rainy and now it's green. Back to sunshine today though. Who knows. We may have seen the last of that rain. If you want to "go to the beach" again via pictures I posted a ton not long ago on my first Hometown Adventure post: http://imageremix.blogspot.com/2012/04/hometown-adventure-our-salty-sea-hour.html

      Hope you find your way to the sea sometime soon!

      Liz

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    3. Thanks Liz - I checked out your post and the pics were fabulous! Have a great weekend and don't work too hard in the yard!
      Hugs -
      Carol
      P.S. WE GOT RAIN! YAHOO!!!!

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    4. Thanks for coming back by, Carol. You didn't steal OUR rain, did you? That's okay, you can have it, I guess, I had to hang wash out and mow the lawn and pull weeds and boy would rain really have messed up my day. You went to the Keys? Lucky! I bet it was beautiful! Or was it raining? Ha!
      Liz

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    5. Hi Liz - no the weather was perfect when we were in the Keys - not too hot and certainly not cold and rainy. We enjoyed ourselves when we went down -it was actually the first trip in our new camper. We can't wait to get away this summer - hopefully 3 weeks in the U.P. of Michigan! Cool weather! YaHoo!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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  4. What a transformation! Haven't been visiting in a while but I was amazed at your photos. Can't believe its the same house. Patience and very hard work is paying off for you guys. Also I was reading and catching up and your birthday is just two days after mine:) Just dropping in to let you know that Freedom Fridays is up and running. Hope to see you there!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Evelyn - I knew that we had so much in common, since we are both May "babies"! Thanks for letting me know about Freedom Friday's - I've hopped over!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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    2. Thanks for sharing at Freedom Fridays. Have a perfectly marvelous weekend!

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    3. Thanks for hosting! Have a great weekend!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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  5. WOW! It looks amazing! Your hard work paid off...it's lovely! Thanks for sharing at A Pinteresting Party.

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  6. You did a wonderful job landscaping! I can tell you put in a lot of hard work and it has totally paid off. We have lots of family in Florida and I love the climate there. I always admire the palm trees when we visit. You don't see many of those here in the Pacific Northwest :o) Happy to be a new follower! -Sarah @ Repeat Crafter Me

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    Replies
    1. Hi Sarah - Thanks so much for the sweet comments! We like what we have done, but there is still more to do - I think it is a never ending job!

      Isn't it funny - Mountain Man and I love the Pacific Northwest - Seattle is one of our favorite cities ever! I have to admit that we haven't been to Portland yet, but would love to visit sometime. Now, Florida, not so much - I was born and raised here - guess I'm just tired of the heat. Oh well, guess this just shows that the "grass is always greener on the other side of the fence"! However, when we traveled we love the northwest and look forward to going back again!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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  7. What a gorgeous before and after. I can't believe they could even fit 23 palm trees in that yard. Crazy. Thanks for sharing at our party this week.

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    1. Thanks Terry - it WAS quite a jungle- that's for sure! Thanks for hosting every week!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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  8. Wow that is a lot of trees to remove and its not a cheap task to do either is it. Big job! What a difference it has made though the front of your house looks great with new plants and flowers. I have that task ahead of me soon we are putting in a garage extension at the moment and when thats done I have a barren front house to landscape and make pretty. I need lots of ideas as I have no idea where to start!

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    1. Oh Michelle - I feel your pain! Yes, taking out all those palm trees was expensive - that's why we had to live with a barren front yard for months before we had the money to do anything! Good luck - I'll be looking forward to seeing what you do!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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  9. Wow the "after" pictures look beautiful! Such a great job! I love the day lillies!!

    Stopping by from the blog hop :) Happy to be your newest follower!

    Hope you get a chance to check out my blog :)

    xo, Jersey Girl

    hairsprayandhighheels.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! I'll be sure to hop over and visit!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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  10. Wow. what a transformation. Much better Feng Shui : I am sure it is lighter in your house, and there is more fresh, happy energy going into your home.

    Thank you for linking it up at our link party: http://www.finecraftguild.com/party/ As always, I love your ideas, and look forward what you'll bring us this week, as a brand new party will open today!

    BTW. It's probably oversight, but could you please add our party to your list, so that you'll link back to us? Thank you so much, Carol!

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    1. Rose, I'm so sorry - you are correct - it was an oversight on my part - it has been fixed!
      Hugs-
      Carol

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  11. How do you manage an interesting blog like this? I really enjoyed this one. You've got an amazing blog. More power to you:-)

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    1. Thank you so much for the sweet, sweet comment! I do appreciate it!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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  12. Wow, what a difference. It looks like you lifted the house up and relocated it to an entirely new space. just goes to show how much a little persistence and patience can pay off~ Thanks for sharing at Etcetorize~

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    1. Thank you so much! Sometimes I think you just have to go back and look at where you started to appreciate where you are!
      Hugs -
      Carol

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