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Thursday, October 9, 2014

October 9th 2014, Before and After

One of my first posts on this blog back in 2011 was a "before and after" look at my front yard.  The choice of October 9th is entirely due to the existence of previous year photos on the same day.  There are not as many photos taken prior to my blogging days as there are now.  The October 9th post has become a tradition now.  To see the starting points from October 2011 click here.

The front view taken this morning



Most of the gold Lantana evident in last year's photo have been replaced with green dots of Damianita which should provide more abundant gold blooms over a longer time next summer.

October 2013


An extended heat wave still in the 90's this week--typical average would be 85 and a lack of rain have slowed down the blooms this year, which has only partially been overcome by watering.  The Salvia greggii had reached full bloom by the same date last year.  The ornamental grass on the left end  near the driveway is just as dead looking this year even though it is an entirely different plant.  Time to try something new there.

In 2012 I began adding new views and included a photo of the then-new driveway landscape.

Taken today October 9, 2014, the Salvia greggii on this side are peaking and everything has grown in beautifully.


October 9, 2013.  I was surprised to see just how much the yuccas have grown given we had a very dry summer.


In 2013 the new view was the island bed along the front walk to show the Yucca recurvifolia (back right) is working where previous plants failed.

Today, October 9


Last year October 9, 2013.  This previous view is a bit closer than the one above.  I zoomed out a bit to show a wider view.  The Yucca which looked good last year have grown quickly.


This year I'm adding the newly reworked shade garden view as it looks from the front of the house.


This area is likely to change just a bit more next year which is why I'm including it as a "before " this year.

It's always fun to look back and now I have five years of "before and after" photos to easily see improvements in the front landscaping.  It often seems the garden changes slowly over time, so these before and after photos serve to provide a sense of accomplishment over a full year's time.  And even though I think I'm only tweaking there are still a lot of changes made from year to year.
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18 comments:

  1. DebraOctober 9, 2014 at 3:51 PM

    so so so beautiful. Nicely done. I'm so sick of this mini heat wave.

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    Replies
    1. ShirleyOctober 12, 2014 at 9:13 PM

      It's much cooler by now thankfully. That record heat in October was a bit draining.

      Delete
  2. Kris PetersonOctober 9, 2014 at 5:51 PM

    Gardening certainly has its twists and turns. I look back on some of my photos and I'm surprised at how good it looked as one point before falling prey to heat, winds, drought, raccoons - you name it. Still, despite the periodic set-backs, I feel I'm making progress while I adapt to forces beyond my control. Your garden is a great example of creating a beautiful garden under drought conditions and heat.

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    Replies
    1. ShirleyOctober 12, 2014 at 9:14 PM

      Thank you, it's taken a while to understand that I need mostly native plants with a few well-adapted drought tolerant ones in the mix.

      Delete
  3. LindaCTGOctober 9, 2014 at 7:18 PM

    What a gorgeous garden! It is so fun to watch it change and grow (or change out). Your pictures are certainly the best "album" to document your on-going journey. We can't beat the weather, that's for sure, but we can adapt--as you have done so well.

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    1. ShirleyOctober 12, 2014 at 9:16 PM

      Thank you Linda, it has been a challenge and I'm still learning.

      Delete
  4. rickiiOctober 9, 2014 at 7:50 PM

    Simply gorgeous. Looking at the garden every day, it seems to barely change. That's why I love progress reports. It looks like your vision is being realized. Any surprises in there?

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    Replies
    1. ShirleyOctober 12, 2014 at 9:22 PM

      Good idea for a future post and I'll think about that one.

      Delete
  5. Beth at PlantPostingsOctober 9, 2014 at 10:11 PM

    I love these comparison posts! I need to remember to look back and compare over time. It's fascinating to see how things grow and change. Your Salvias look great, as well as the Yuccas and grasses. Beautiful!

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  6. Diana StuderOctober 10, 2014 at 6:03 AM

    at the end of this month I'll take my last set of After photos.
    Then turn my full attention to a comprehensive set of - THIS is where we started - Befores for the False Bay garden.

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    Replies
    1. ShirleyOctober 12, 2014 at 9:23 PM

      I'll look for that on my reading list. I know this is a poignant time for you.

      It will be fun to see what you do with your new garden.

      Delete
  7. TexasDebOctober 10, 2014 at 7:38 AM

    Oh how I love before-and-after shots. They provide such clear examples of how a tweak here and a different plant choice there are working better (or not!). Your shots are wonderfully illustrative of the evolution of your especially gorgeous spaces. Every bed provides one or more lessons in how to garden well in our area. You should be so proud!

    To finish up, I'll just join the chorus complaining of this last late heat wave as I hustle out to hand water until our temperatures fall and our rains come back and all my recent transplants and scattered seed feel properly welcomed to their new home!

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  8. Mark and GazOctober 10, 2014 at 8:28 AM

    Great comparison shots Shirley. Just shows the progress you have achieved and the results are beautiful!

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  9. www.ravenscourtgardens. comOctober 10, 2014 at 9:44 AM

    It all looks wonderful...the salvia greggii is so lush! Fun to see the changes : )

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  10. TinaOctober 10, 2014 at 12:40 PM

    Great before and after shots--it's always good to see the progress and evolution of a garden. I'm sure it's been instructive and it is certainly enjoyable to read about your garden's growth and changes.

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  11. Michael - Plano Prairie GardenOctober 12, 2014 at 9:16 AM

    I like comparing before and after shots. Your befores are nice, but the afters are even better. Great progress over such a short time.

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  12. Linda/patchworkOctober 12, 2014 at 12:03 PM

    I'm always amazed at how far your garden has come, in what I think is a short time.
    Looks so nice.
    It's good to see the changes, from year to year.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Donna@Gardens Eye ViewOctober 13, 2014 at 6:01 PM

    Shirley I love this and should look at mine to see how it has changed...I adore the new view of the reworked shade garden.

    ReplyDelete

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