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/