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Packrat's parents yard

packrat

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We've got some more stuff to do in the backyard yet, and then I'll do a 2016 yard thread since I didn't do one last year. Dad's getting ready to split iris so we stopped out today to mark the ones we want and I took a ton of pictures. Not a whole lot is blooming right now, but in a few weeks it will explode so I'll get some more. These I guess for starters will give a broad scope of their place and an idea where my brain is at with our yard.

They have a little over three acres and bought the land from a farmer, moving out there in 76, when I was 2 and my brother was just born. It started out w/just the windbreak of trees and the lilac hedge, plus some random trees--most of the huge ones, tho some have been replaced b/c of storms etc. They had some nice stuff around the outside of the house when we were young, a row of Amer (sp) Maples by the well, and then a hedge of roses and that was it. I don't remember when the flowers started...late junior high I guess? Or maybe i was about a freshman. Regardless, it started out as one small bed and then progressed like crazy. My brother and I were expected to help of course. I stayed after graduation and he hightailed it to live on his own-so I was there busting but until I was 27 and married JD. It was a second full time job for me.

I didn't help matters much tho.."dad, I was thinking...a bed would be pretty right there..." :roll: And they're all named. There was a restaurant in town we used to eat at all the time, and dad had a valise full of plant nursery catalogs and a legal pad/pens and my parents and I would go over the catalogs and mark stuff and dad would draw up beds. They used to have *everything* labeled in all the gardens but man that's a lot of work. Now it's "oh that's..you know..that one stuff" :lol:

They were on a landscaping tour one year and I can't remember the number of times I went outside to do yard work, or came around the corner carrying buckets to find people standing in the yard looking at things. The restaurant we frequented, we brought bouquets in all the time and they would tell people where the flowers came from, and even people traveling (restaurant was next door to a hotel) would drive clear out the 10 miles to check it out.

There's a lot less than there used to be when I was still home--they lost one of their workers haha. I remember seeing my "chore list" and it would say "dead head daffys" and how daunting a task that was--at the time they had about 3000 daffodils.

We're getting ready to eat so I will post pictures in a bit. Sorry for the post n run.
 

packrat

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This is part of the front yard. It started out as a semi circle from one tree curving out and around to another and we called I the smiley face bed. Then dad put a square bed inside it, the acid bed it was called bc of what was in it. Theeeeen he closed the open part of the smiley face off and filled in the whole thing. Added the arbor and walkway. Jd put in the patio and fire pit a few years ago.

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packrat

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View from the gravel road and then two going up that side of the driveway.

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packrat

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Carvings in two trees that came down in storms. Hosta bed in the back bc dad had extras and didn't know what to do with them.

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packrat

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Ugh connection is messed up so will try one at a time. This is the other carving. That last picture was to show the lilac hedge along that side of the property.

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packrat

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Small garden in the back. Used to go straight across to the lilac hedge but it got seeded to grass after I left and wasn't there to help as much.

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packrat

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Up the other side of the driveway. I tried to do them in order earlier going around the property but the connection was messing up sorry.

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packrat

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This is on the other side of the yard along the road.

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packrat

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Middle of the bed . The long bed it's called.

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packrat

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The far end of the long bed.

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packrat

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Small iris bed behind the long bed. Extra lilacs and no place to put them means a new bed.

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monarch64

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That was the longest meal ever!

Wow, gorgeous, gorgeous, GORGEOUS! Those carvings, and all the beds are just beautiful. Thank you for sharing! :appl:
 

packrat

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Specimen roses and lilacs. Behind the long bed.

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PintoBean

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This is so :love: :love: :love: ! Finally having tiny front and back yards, Lets me appreciate the labor of love that gardening is!
 

packrat

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Poop bed. As a side note on this bed, we went out and got a load of manure from one of the pastures and mixed it in. (Thus the name) after planting I was out watering one day and dad came over and hollered bc I was apparently watering corn. I'm like how the hell did corn get in here? Oh...wait.. :lol:

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packrat

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Now looking back toward the house from the far side. Part of the bed around the well.

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packrat

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The well and the bed that leads up to it that used to be roses

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packrat

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Around the side of the house directly across from the well. There is a path from here to the well and also all around the house.

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packrat

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Backyard. There is a stock tank there to catch rainwater to help with watering.

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packrat

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Another angle toward the back. The evergreens started as little foot tall sprigs. There's two rows then a row of pine trees and then a double hedge of honeysuckle on the very outside.

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packrat

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Looking back from the front yard

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packrat

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And looking to the front from that same spot.

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packrat

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Two more then I'm done I promise. Now this is the other side of the house.

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packrat

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And then sliding out from the side of the house on the way up front. There is a huge Morton building to the right of this.

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packrat

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I think that's all. I had to do this from my phone so was hard to see pics clearly but eh it worked I guess. Maybe I can get dad to get on the roof when everything is blooming next month. Amazing views that way! Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoyed the walk around the yard!
 

packrat

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Thanks Monnie and Pinto! :wavey:
 

iLander

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So beautiful! :appl: :appl:

I know how much work is in all that, because I like gardening ("yardening" is what we call it) too. I told my husband, there is ALWAYS something to do in the garden. I envy your iris the most, we can't grow them here unless we put them in the fridge and then dig them up after flowering (and put them back in the fridge!). They're my favorite flower! :(sad
 

VRBeauty

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Beautiful! And, I imagine, a lot of work over the years! I like that it's been a family project - that makes it even more special!
 
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Queenie60

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Beautiful yard - I love the hostas bed. Thank you for sharing this beautiful park like yard. :love:
 

diamondseeker2006

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That is really incredible! I cannot even imagine the amount of work that takes to maintain it!
 
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