New Year, New Yard
We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
With months of stay at home orders and quarantines, we’ve all had a lot of time to kill. Some people baked bread, some did lip-syncs or made Tiktoks. Between entertaining a toddler and working from home, my extra hours went into researching landscape design. In my thoughts and plans for what we wanted to do to our backyard, I was dreaming big. I wanted to determine the most beautiful layout, the smartest use of space, and the best plants for the job. However, after nearly a year of digging into all of the many facets of a good landscape design (more thoughts on that coming soon), I realized that all the pieces in my head wouldn’t come together without some outside help. We needed a landscape designer!
We spent a few weeks reaching out to landscapers and doing some socially-distanced meetings and estimates. This ended up being the longest part of the process! Finding a good fit was tougher than I expected, but we really hit the jackpot in the end. Without further ado, let me share our new year, new yard expertly designed and installed by Rozet Landscape Design.
Getting started
We met with Scott and Abby from Rozet and clicked instantly. We described what we wanted, ideas we had, and maybe most importantly, the problems that needed solving. They took notes, asked additional questions and within a few days had a design for us to review.
Due to a lucky break in their schedule, it was just over a week later that we had a completely transformed space. Finding a company – people – who had the same mindset as we did made all the difference. They were more than happy to make something that was both functional and beautiful. And because we were on the same page, they even included things I hoped for but didn’t request! We gave them the dream and they made the new year, new yard possible.
Putting the pieces together
Details! While I’ve shared bits and pieces of what kind of yard we wanted, I’ll share what we gave to the potential landscapers we spoke to. Our big goals were 1) mitigate/reinforce the big slope 2) cover up the dirt 3) add plants both native and edible 4) create a pollinator and habitat friendly yard, and finally 5) create a space we can enjoy.
We had planned on a retaining wall, but Scott & Abby at Rozet envisioned rip-rap. The large rock embedded in the slope secures it but still allows plants to be interspersed and water to drain Instead of rock or gravel to as ground cover, they opted for moisture conserving mulch. Plus it’s a heck of a lot softer landing for toddler tumbles! A full drip system runs throughout and mindful planting of native shrubs and grasses, heat-resistant vines and flowers, fruit trees, and a veggie and herb bed under our existing trees brought it all together.
We also added a hand-me-down shed – as you’ll notice at the far end here. We hope it’s temporary, but it’s not too bad of an addition to the yard for now. Alright, you know me, I have to throw in some close ups on some of my beautiful new plants. Did you think I’d leave you hanging on that?
Final touches
Well if I haven’t said it enough, I’ll say it once more: We couldn’t be happier with the end result. This was a big jump for us, and while I loved the idea of doing it all with my own two hands – it would have taken us years, and I doubt it would have ended up even a fraction as beautiful as this is. And of course the beauty of yards and gardens is they are always changing and in my opinion, always getting better. We can’t wait to see what it looks like in six months, and a year, and two years… well, you know. This is my kind of celebration anyway – new year, new yard is much more fun than new year, new me!
If you’re curious – no, this post isn’t sponsored or tied in any way to the landscape designers we worked with. But in the same way we’ve been telling all our friends and family about them, I wanted to tell you. If you’re looking for someone who can give you this kind of thoughtful transformation in your yard, I’m here to say Rozet Landscape Design can do it. Even with that recommendation, I think interviewing a few people is your best bet at finding the right fit for your needs. A landscape is a big investment, so it’s important to make sure it’s a good fit.
Did this whet your appetite for more photos of plants? Good news. Now that I’ve officially revealed this beautiful new year, new yard update, you can expect lots of garden updates from the backyard and the front. Have you made any home improvements over the last year? Our backyard has changed, but I’ll be the first to say the inside of my house is a mess! Tell me what you’ve been up to in quarantine-time in the comments below.
