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Thursday, October 17, 2019

Fall Front Porch and Landscape Beginnings

With temperatures in the 80's and 90's till a week ago, it's taken me a bit to get my front porch decorated for Fall. I didn't go all out this season because I knew that we would be starting our landscape work here in October... and then last weekend we had a killing frost that took out my flowers out back. Thankfully I went ahead and covered the mums out here, not really thinking it would get that cold.







I had wanted to bring my big gray goat cart out front, but that thought was nixed when our landscape guys called and said they'd be starting this week. So a few mums and pumpkins in my mini wheelbarrow are the extent of the festivities.




I did get my doorbasket spiffed up a bit with some Fall leaf stems
 added to the Hydrangeas and Sunflowers.








Miss Jenkins loves to sneak out on the front porch when I'm here 
if she gets a chance, but then gets nervous if the door gets closed.




I found some perfect Fall plaid pillow covers HERE



See those bushes on either side of the walk?
they're gone now, yippee!




 The Autumn Greetings Farmhouse Sign
 I found a few weeks ago has ended up here on the porch.


















Before we moved last Spring I was looking for a painted wooden bench for the porch, thinking this one would be too small, but I really like it here. The shutters give it a little more ooomph.












This little guy (below) owns the front porch and the bench. I find him here several times a day sitting on the pillows. At times he (she) even naps there. He was pretty miffed that I had a pumpkin and faux gourd on his bench. So much so that each time I'd put the gray gourd back up on the bench he would knock it off. Honestly, I heard him "barking" at it one time and then it was on the floor of the porch. too funny.





He's a little discombobulated at the moment, since all the shrubs have been ripped out,
and the gravel entrance to his underground quarters has been disturbed.





(this is a pic from early Summer before we painted the new timbers)



I know this looks horrible, but I'm just sharing the process. It cannot get done fast enough for me. I'm having to remind myself to stay calm and quiet in the process. You know workmen, they are mostly on their own schedule. 



We left two Hydrangea bushes and some cone shaped evergreens, (below) but the rest of it was pulled out. Those are the stumps that are left which I'm hoping the guys will get rid of today. This house was built in 1964, so those shrubs were original and they looked like it. Half of the house was hidden by massive overgrown shrubbery. It looks better even with this mess. One thing for sure, there will be no shrubbery near the entrance to the front porch. It is good sized but looked dinky because of all the intrusive and overgrown shrubbery.





That's monkey grass but it's going to go too, because it has weeds and all sorts of junk growing up in it. I'm going to replace those with a new variegated variety. We have Boxwoods and we're going to replace the Azaleas and get the shrubs in hopefully within the next few days. Then a new brick border, landscape liner and river rock. Right now everything looks a disaster, but I know it has to get worse before it gets better.




So I'm trying to keep my mind occupied elsewhere...

Do you all subscribe to the "new" Country Home Magazine?
It went out of print several years ago, 
but then revived it a bit later with no advertisements.
I really enjoy it, and they stay true to the style. 
Always some great inspiration.





See you Monday!




joining in here:

All About Home at Common Ground and Follow the Yellow Brick Home
 Celebrate Your Story at The Zucchini Sisters
Create Bake, Make at Across the Blvd
Happiness is Homemade at Blue Sky at Home
Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda
Tips and Tutorials at Home Stories A to Z
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Homestyle Gathering at Serving Up Southern  
Keep in Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles 
 Talk of the Town at Knick of Time
Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode 
Share Your Style at French Ethereal 
 Style Showcase at Shabby Fufu  
Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home
 Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur 
Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Grace at Home at Imparting Grace
Farmhouse Friday at The Painted Hinge


12 comments:

  1. Love your nice big covered porch and your fall decor is perfect. Can't wait to see the new landscaping.

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  2. The new landscaping will be so pretty Debra. I love your porch. I love the slate tiles too. I want to do something like that to my porch and steps. Have a super week.
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  3. I love how inviting that porch looks! Such a pretty color palette. I can't wait to see the landscape all finished; I bet it will look stunning.

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  4. Your porch looks lovely. It finally cooled down here. All September and first week of October it was still summer. I just put out a few pumpkins a couple of days ago. I love that a little chipmunk is napping on your bench. We don't have chipmunks here. Isn't that strange? I know you are anxious to get your landscaping in and it will be beautiful when you do.

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  5. Porch looks great for fall (too funny about the squirrel!), and the landscape must be exciting! I know Mr. P. always hated the yews we had in our garden, even when they weren't anywhere near the front of the house. He really disliked all the monkey grass too, for the same reasons you do. One thing's for sure - had we stayed at our house, there was some serious need to take out some overgrown plants. The boxwood variety we had at our front gate overwhelmed like your yews did by the porch. Hopefully, yours will get set shortly, and you're gonna love it! Take lots of pictures!
    Thanks for the heads up on CH. I was hesitant, but now I'll be anxious to read it again.

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    Replies
    1. I was just thinking yesterday about your large and lovely yard you all had. It was so beautiful, but I know it must have been a huge amount of work. I'm hoping when we get done with all this (sometime, some year) that it will be more manageable and easy to maintain. Our shrubs are going to look pretty small for a bit, but we're trying to do this budget wise. anytime you feel you need to get your hands in the dirt feel free to come on over, LOL! xoxo

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  6. It looks wonderful Debra, stay patient the landscaping will be worth the wait!
    Jenna

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  7. Debra,
    You're going to love the new look of your porch now that the overgrown shrubbery is gone!
    I can still vividly remember when we took ours away!
    The neighbors had forgotten what the house looked like!
    Your chipmunk is adorable. . .we saw several while Trout Fishing this year!
    Love seeing your Miss (kitty) enjoyed the out~of~doors, if only momentarily.
    Keep the progress posted!
    Pat

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  8. Your porch looks beautiful! Your kitty reminded me of how mine use to love to do the same thing. They were indoor only but always enjoyed a good stroll on the patio.

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  9. I'm loving your porch and yard update. I so wish we had a covered porch! Can't wait to see it all further as you progress. Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm! xo Kathleen

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  10. Hi Debra,

    Can't believe you had a frost. We aren't even close to that in the evenings in NJ.

    I'm a huge boxwood lover. You tard will look beautiful once all finished I'm confident. Great picture of the chippie. Our 2 doxies are on the prowl for one that lives in our deck.

    Cindy

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  11. The porch looks beautiful! I am mad for those plaid pillow covers especially. I know you are so excited and anxious to get the landscaping done before the holidays. Your home is becoming so charming, so exciting to watch!

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