Well, I was going to say After but realize I’m a loooonnnnnggggg way from being done. It’s more like Before and I’m working on it! Many of you have asked about the new garden so here are a few pictures. Remember, if you would like to enlarge any of them just click on the image.
APRIL 18. The first thing to do was RIP those unimaginative boxwoods out of there.
JULY 4. To make it safe for our rescue kitties, Molly and Sissie, we replaced the fence. It was a mess with more holes and broken boards than good ones.
JULY 14. Our fountain arrived. Can you believe we found it on eBay! Nothing like listening to the melody of splashing water as you sit on the deck.
JULY 21. GOT PAVERS. Let the fun begin!
AUGUST 5. I start with the lowest step and curved planter.
AUGUST 16. It has been so hot we need to get our Star Jasmine planted. So I take a break from the lower steps to construct the fountain base and planter. The heavy wire livestock panel attached to the fence will be the trellis. In the spring the air is going to be filled with the incredible fragrance of Jasmine.
SEPTEMBER 1. Back to the lower steps. Originally we had planned to have five, equally spaced steps going up. But getting into the project we felt it would be nice to have a flat space under the arbor. A nice place to bring a couple of folding chairs and have a glass of iced tea under the roses.
SEPTEMBER 8. “Speaking of sitting under the arbor….What about this?” Jack asked. “Why don’t we just make the top of the planter a seat? Then it’s always there, no need to haul any chairs.”
SEPTEMBER 13. The arbor is made of another 16 foot stock panel anchored to steel fence posts. Climbing Peggy Martin Roses, Bougainvillea and Honeysuckle will cover the arch.
UPDATE! Let’s skip forward to APRIL 2015; here’s how our fountain courtyard looks now! The bed on the right extends all along the back of the deck and is perfect for our tomatoes.
The Rose arbor will be draped in Peggy Martin Roses, a special old fashioned type rose. The “Mother Plants” were discovered in New Orleans. They had survived being totally submerged in salt water for almost 10 days after Hurricane Katrina. So a commercial grower decided to propagate them for sale to the gardening world. Know what the neatest thing is? They have NO THORNS, pruning is a pleasure.
And here is the view from the ramp going up to the deck. We put that in so it would be easy to wheel the heavy pots up onto the deck come winter! So…..now you can see how our fountain courtyard has come together. Hugs,
Mikki Senkarik 
September 13, 2014 at 9:06 PM |
Mikki, this is such fun to watch this come together….thanks for doing the pictures by dates and progress….wonderful. You and Jack are full of ideas and hard work…don’t stop…it’s great to look at. I did this years ago…made a whole new garden…I can’t do it now but I can enjoy yours. best of health to you and Jack, we are part of your collector family…enjoy all the blogs. Janice and John Mintz
September 14, 2014 at 11:48 AM |
Thank you. It’s lots of fun. We have an overall, general idea of what we want to do. But as we go we make little changes here and there. Kind of like doing a painting! Thanks for being on our team. Hugs, Mikki and Jack
September 14, 2014 at 7:03 AM |
What a transformation taking place!
September 14, 2014 at 9:05 AM |
It will be gorgeous! 🙂
September 14, 2014 at 9:15 AM |
Good heavens! How skilled you are! Looks lovely.
September 14, 2014 at 9:27 AM |
So envious. I have black thumbs 🙂
September 14, 2014 at 9:49 AM |
Looks and sounds exciting. Just make sure the kitties don’t use
the wire on the fencing to climb over the wall – mine does.
September 14, 2014 at 11:46 AM |
Molly goes over without any wire, she is our escape artist. She’s been on the roof of every home around us. Fortunately there is little traffic on our street and she is only out when I garden. I put a collar on her with tags and bell when we go out. I can hear her jingle as I work, so I’m able to supervise…..sorta! Sissie is not adventuresome at all. She loves the confinement of “Her Yard”. She didn’t like the openness of our old home. Bonnie, thank you for warning us. As you well know those kitties have minds of their own!
September 14, 2014 at 12:18 PM |
Mikki you are amazing!!!!!
You could do landscaping easily. Wish you
were closer.
Hugs,
Peggy and Leon
September 14, 2014 at 5:34 PM |
Mikki, how beautiful your oasis will be! Can’t wait to see it in all its blooming glory!
September 14, 2014 at 6:23 PM |
This is gorgeous. I am so happy to see that you are constructing your own Paradise in your new location! Blessings … 🙂
September 14, 2014 at 6:55 PM |
Hi Mikki,
How do you adjust coming from acreage to a suburban block? We live on an acre near the state forest in Queensland Australia and I couldn’t go back to city living. I grew up on a farm and love the open spaces around me. Love seeing what you are doing. We too love having gardens all around us. As we have a lot of bird life here we have made a cat enclosure so that the kitties have the outside world but the birds are safe.
Kind regards,
Joanna
September 14, 2014 at 7:46 PM |
Joanna,
Sounds like your home is beautiful. Actually the adjustment wasn’t nearly as difficult as we thought it would be. I guess because our previous home and gardens were getting to be too much to take care of. We love our new home and are quite happy with the suburban sized lot. Keeps me from planning more gardens than can easily be taken care of 🙂 The majority of everything we’re planting is low care and drought tolerant. Our neighborhood is incredibly quiet with almost constant cooing of doves. The other home was 3/4 of a mile away from a highway. Was quiet when we first moved there but over time the oil fields located south of us were opened up. The truck traffic increased exponentially and the noise with it. Can’t believe how much quieter it is here!
Thank you for following my blog, Hugs, Mikki
September 14, 2014 at 7:37 PM |
Thanks for sending the pictures. Looks like you still have a lot of land compared to our Arizona properties. I love your fountain, Lance and I have been looking for one to put in our courtyard, but haven’t found one yet. Don’t work too hard. Love, Erika
Sent from Erika’s iPad
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September 15, 2014 at 11:20 AM |
Thank you Erika, we’ve lived in both Scottsdale and Carefree. I do understand about the size of yards in most Arizona homes. Lots of courtyard living and NO grass to mow! Found the fountain on eBay, here is the link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-3-Tier-48-Garden-Electric-Water-Fountain-SEE-VIDEO-FREE-Shipping-/281358536970?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item418246910a
Make sure and watch the video. Hugs, Mikki
September 14, 2014 at 8:33 PM |
Dear Mikki,
I am loving the progress on your garden. It inspires me to think about our small space and how to develop it. I am wondering if I can get Peggy Martin Roses in Australia. I will have to investigae.
God Bless.