Update – Weekend of May 12-13
I’ve been negligent in posting for a couple weeks. Last weekend I had a wedding in Houston so we didn’t get much done on the house though we did pick up the Shed from Home Depot. The Cabinets came in 2 weeks ago. They look great and are taking up the entire living room. We have literally a wall of cabinet boxes! The delivery was 32 boxes! only one didn’t fit through the door but it did fine once we took it out of the box.
This weekend we did a good amount of landscaping. I weeded and spread mulch and threw some plants in the ground. I went to the Arlington Garden Club plant sale with my good friend Emily this weekend. We got there towards the end and for the last 45 min of the sale, all plants were $1! I got 2 hostas, mint, hardy Mums, purple Asteres, a handfull of strawberries, all for $10! It was a great find! Next weekend there is another plant sale, a big one! I think Emily and I are going to try to hit that one as well. I bought one hydrangea at Home Depot but I could use some more perennials. I could certainly use some more Hosta and I’d love some Lily-of-the-valley. I’d also like to try some Butterfly Bush.
Stefan mowed the lawn and I can’t believe what a difference that made! The yard looks so good now that it looks like someone lives there!
BEFORE
This Photo was taken March 18, 2012 so you can see it’s still winter-y with the tree and roses looking dead-ish. You can start to see the terrible state of the grass though.
This photo was taken April 10 and you can see the start of spring and the piles of trash/lumber piling up in the yard. Â The pile of lumber is for the deck. Most of the metal scrap was hauled off by our metal guy, Jose.
AFTER
BACKYARD PICTURES
We also started on the base for the shed. I was hoping to get the whole shed done this weekend but that didn’t happen. We’ve decided to start with what we have and pour concrete on top to create a really sold foundation for the shed. It’s going to be cheaper and easier than trying to get the base level and get the floor structure of the shed built. It will also last forever. We can use the base long after this shed is toast. Of course, that puts the shed project out another couple weeks. I’m starting to let go of my control of the schedule. It’s been good. I’m much more relaxed. I’m trying to take things as they come and focus on the progress we have made rather than the progress we haven’t made.
I’ve still got to catch up on the blog and post about last week. Â I’ll leave you hanging as to rather or not we got the hot water running!
Sarah
Shed
We went ahead and bought a shed for the house.  We needed something for the snow blower and the much needed lawnmower.  We looked at some different things.  We don’t have the time to build one this year so we wanted to get something cheapy that would last us a year or two.  Turns out, these metal sheds are really inexpensive and remarkably durable.  Not the most attractive but I think I can make it work!
In the short term, we’ll just put it up and use it as quality storage. In the longer term, I’m thinking I’ll attach a couple tall, skinny fake windows to either side of the door with planter boxes below them. When we replace the windows on the house, I’ve got a couple that will be perfect. Â I’ll just anchor them to the side of the house and call it a day. Â I’d also like to put a nice trellis on the exposed side of the shed and grow some kind of nice vine on it. Maybe a climbing rose or something cool like that. Â A couple bushes in front to give it some landscaping and we’ll fill in between the shed and the fence to the right with some arborvitae. Â I’m also going to be keeping my eyes peeled for an old weathervane to mount on top of it. Â How sweet would that be!?!
I could also paint it but I’ll probably wait until it needs it though I would like to paint the doors like barn doors just to give it a bit of style.
It’s 8’x10′ so I’m hoping it will really hold a lot
- Snowblower
- Lawn Mower
- Wheelbarrow
- Weed Whacker
- Hedge Trimmer
- Propane Tank
- Potting soil, mulch, compost etc.
- Lawn Furniture (during winter)
- grill (during winter)
- Shovels (snow and garden)
- planters and pots
- Sidewalk salt
I’m a little concerned the size will overpower the yard but I don’t think it will. Â That yard is actually rather huge. Â With some old windows with chipping paint and some window boxes, I think I can turn this ugly metal shed into a cute backyard cottage.
Once we get it installed a post a picture. Â Any other ideas for how to gussy up the ugly metal shed?
Sarah
Beautiful Spring Morning and Bulb Love
As I was walking to work this morning, I couldn’t help smiling at the flowers and trees in bloom all around me. Â It was brisk, currently 37 degrees out, but the evidence of spring abounds. Â Being from the south, I have never truly understood the wonder of spring bulbs. Â They still fascinate me with their vivid colors and early, determined blooms.
Look how amazing these are! I love the carpet of blooms that densely packed bulbs create. They multiply every year and become full and blooming. This fall I am going to plant a massive number of bulbs in the front and back yards in the hope of creating a lush carpet of flowers to grace the first vestiges of springtime for years to come.
In addition to sunny, early daffodils, I am going to do some pink tulips (my favorite), irises, Lily-of-the-valley for Stefan (his favorite flower) as well as english bluebells (a nod to my Texas roots) and some more exotic flowers like Giant Allium.
I am already excited about next spring, seeing the little green bulb tips poke through the ground announcing the arrival of spring.
Sarah
Shed Designs
We are going to need a back shed soon, we want to get one from the sheds in albury wodonga. Â There is nowhere to put the snowblower or lawn mower besides hauling it up and down the basement steps. Â The shed is a late-summer, low priority project at this point as a tarp on the back deck protects the machinery at the moment.
Here is some inspiration! Â Let me know your thoughts
SOURCE: better Homes and Gardens
I love the landscaped “front yard” of the shed. Â The side windows and the large, wide door is very functional. Â Cute but not over the top.
SOURCE: Better Homes and Gardens
This one is super cute with the picket fence. Â I do think a better path is important in our case. Â I also don’t think we can have a potting bench inside with room for all the equipment. Â Perhaps a “porch” on the shed could have a cute potting bench.
SOURCE: Better Homes and Gardens
This one is nice and simple. Â Door, 2 windows, window boxes. Â I think we need more of a barn-style door to give plenty of room for the equipment.
SOURCE: Better Homes and Gardens
This is a kit shed. Â Cute but again, I think we need more of a storage shed and less of a garden shed.
SOURCE: Better Homes and Gardens
This is more like what I’m thinking.  One window, barn door with ramp, simple landscaping.  Love the shutters, from Nu-Style roller shutters.  I also think it needs 2 more windows on the sides of the building to let it a bit more light.  Our shed won’t be electrified so natural light is important.   Also, love the weather-vane.  Perfect spot for one!  I love that this shed looks like it’s been there forever.  The windows could easily be reclaimed from the main house and the barn door is just a sheet of plywood.  I think a metal roof may really make this design stand out, but it would have to be done by the best roofing contractors in order to be perfect .
There isn’t room for a potting bench but the roof line could be extended to the left with a bench set underneath the overhang.
You can always reach an expert to help you out in the construction, decoration or renovation of your roof and if you are in Tennessee visit Franklin TN Roofing Pros.
SOURCE: Better Homes and Gardens
This one is also good.  A different layout with the main entrance being on the side of the building.  I love the trellis and the window box.  That could definitely be added to any shed design.  I like the look of the good path.  It makes the shed look like a destination and may make the flow of the backyard a bit better.  I also like the double doors.  That may be better for wrangling that giant snowblower out.
Lots of ideas. Â I just need to figure out what all needs to be stored in the shed and where it is going to be placed. Â Long term ideas though.
Sarah
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The biggest thing is the snowblower. It is about 2.5 ft by about 4 feet and the lawnmower. We don’t really have enough room on the side to have a shed or we’d do that. I wasn’t planning on having a potting bench inside. It will get way too hot for that for sure. I like the idea of a corrugated metal roof. They last forever and are cheap and low maintenance. They also have a good shed-look. I’ve been trying to draw it out so that I have enough room to get to everything without having to take the snowblower out every time I need something. That’s really the big thing. It’s tempting to just put shelving all around and have the snowblower in the middle of the shed so it’s easy to get out. Then again, Stefan and I can get the snowblower in and out of the basement it just isn’t practical to do that every time it snows but perhaps we can do that every spring/fall. For a potting bench, I was thinking something like this:
A drop-leaf table mounted on the outside of the shed. I can keep potting soil in trashcans set on castors and roll them out to where I need them.
sheila
3/19/2012 | 7:31 pm Permalink
Think about what will go in the shed. You could have a covered lean-to thing on one side with a table underneath to use as potting shed. Keep soil, etc under table. Do you remember behind the garden shed here. Corrugated metal sloped roof off the back. It would get hot inside the shed to use it to pot up plants etc. Maybe have a small area on one side to house seedlings etc. snowblower, lawnmower, wheelbarrow?, hedge trimmers, rake, fertilizer, ant killer, left over bricks. Brain storm everything that might go in it. Kids yard toys.