Taking Back Eden

Hi friends!

Sorry for the pause in updates. Between visiting family in Illinois, fighting off the heat, keeping a toddler entertained, gardening and getting more and more things checked off our massively large checklist, I've not had much time to blog, but I have not forgotten about you!

I guess I'll spend some time today touching on the subject of gardening.

Quite simply, it has scared me for a long time. I never really had to think about it when we rented homes and when we bought this house I didn't feel confident in knowing what to plant where, how to care for what I planted or even how begin to envision what I wanted to plant. With the help of my fabulous mother-in-law, I have begun to conquer these fears.

When you buy a big old house that has been neglected for many years there is, naturally, lots to do! In digging-in (literally) I have found that my aversion was partly unfounded. So much starts to make sense as you get your hands dirty. I can now identify a lot of annuals and perennials I wouldn't have been able to identify before just by spending time outside in the neighborhood, paying attention at garden centers and Pinteresting the things I can't name in our beds-- same goes for weeds! I have also started to recognize, based on sunlight amounts, what might grow well in certain places and not in others. Like getting to know a person, I am becoming more and more acquainted with the flow of our beds and the nuances of our property.

As much as I am enjoying myself, my goal is not to create an intricate landscape that requires hours and hours of work each week. I do have other things on my plate-- namely, running a business, a household, caring for a toddler, being pregnant and spending quality time with my awesome husband! My goal is to have a beautiful, enjoyable and low-maintance environment. Is that too much to ask? ;)

What I am envisioning for our courtyard (whether or not we can pull this off is another story)!

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I have some ideas for the front of the house beds.

Based off what I've been told. The following are easy, attractive perennials for our Missouri climate. We are in zone 6b. Here's a handy link to find your garden zone based off zip code.

Boxwoods- I don't really like the look of shaped or rounded boxwoods. The ones in the picture below are a bit more formal looking, but you get the idea... I much prefer them to be looser and un-manicured (bonus, less work)! Also, I think I read or heard they are evergreen. Great for when everything else is brown and dead in the winter.

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Hydrangeas with Hostas: Easy-peasy combo for the shadier areas!

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Bridal Wreath/Veil: We saw a lot of these in bloom a few months back in our neighborhood. So pretty!

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How about you? Are you a green thumb or a black thumb? Or maybe a recovering black thumb?

I'd love to hear about your experience or lack of experience gardening. Do you have any pretty, low-maintenance ideas for our home? What has worked for you? I'm such a newbie! I'd love to hear your thoughts!