Finally! The AFTER part of my before and after

A while ago. OK, a VERY LONG while ago, I wrote about my garden and how it was a mess when I purchased the house a couple of summers ago, and then how a cesspool installation ripped away whatever little dignity the yard had. I told you about how I'd planned and I wrote about disasters along the way.

That was in May, and I'm happy to report that I'm no longer embarrassed to post my photos. Here's how it went:

Here's what you saw when you entered the backyard. That's Shelby in the forefront. She's the one who's always getting noticed, whether it's for relieving herself on my tomatoes or being falsely accused of creating odors.

Not much to look at, I know. In fact, it was quite nasty. I hope you aren't nauseated. Back in May, I purchased some plants and laid them all where I wanted them:

A month and a half later, they're filling in nicely. Also ditched the old swingset in favor of a futuristic-looking trampoline:

Looking to the right, there was a deck up against the house and a garage with this neglected area in between:

So I bought some Ligularia and Northern sea oats and knockout roses, and some Ostrich ferns and various grasses and set them in place. Here are some waiting to be planted:

Voila! I believe I've created a garden room:

Here's another angle:

And yet another, with a new hammock in residence:

Maybe one day I'll actually get to relax in it.

The grass still needs some work. The cesspool construction did a number on it. Shelby also does a number on it. Number one, actually. Here's a closeup of why I need to renovate it:

That'll happen in the fall. Maybe.