The sheer number of questions we received about this Instagram post made it clear we hadn’t kept you up to date on the backyard. A lot has changed — including hiring professional landscapers, which turned out to be the best warranty we could have bought (we explain why two DIYers hired pros in this podcast). With more big backyard projects coming and so many of you asking “When did that happen? How do you like it? How did you do that?”, here’s a full update on what we’ve been doing.
Update 1: Removing the Deck
Your last memory of our backyard might include a large deck stretching across the back of the house.
As we explained in Episode #51, we grew out of love with the deck. It was deteriorating quickly despite earlier attempts to strip and stain it, with nails popping and boards curling and warping. The fenced deck also stopped serving the purpose it once did; with kids older and more independent, it felt more like a barrier that blocked our view of the lawn. Last fall we hired a local handyman to remove it.
The removal left a lot to do: our HVAC unit needed relocating because it sat next to the deck, we had an electrician tidy exposed wires, and our tree service ground a large stump that had been hiding beneath the deck. We also power-washed the brick to remove the green residue left behind from the decaying wood.
By last fall we had a clean slate to work with (this photo was taken before power-washing, so don’t mind the greenish residue):
Update 2: Professional Landscaping
After several attempts to grow screening plants ourselves that only lasted past the warranty period to then fail, we decided to bring in professionals. A neighbor recommended a local nursery whose program includes a free landscape plan when you purchase plants, professional installation, and a two-year warranty. If anything dies, they come replace it for free — no returning plants to the store. That plant insurance was the deal sealer for us.
Shortly after moving in we planted the lawn ourselves over several years, and here’s what the yard looked like early on:
Last November the crew installed screening along the perimeter: mostly holly and ligustrum for privacy, with some ornamental trees and shrubs — a weeping cherry, a ginkgo, and two Japanese maples — for seasonal interest and color.
Hiring pros has been one of our best decisions. They completed a huge amount of work in a day and a half that would have taken us a week, and the warranty has already saved us — seven bushes were replaced after an especially harsh winter, including a large holly. The nursery has also advised us on deer and pest issues via email, which helped during a recent Japanese beetle scare. Without their help we likely would have wasted money on plants that didn’t take.
The landscaping still needs time to fill in — winter leaf drop makes things feel a little bare — but the replacements have thrived. The warranty restarts whenever they replant, so the seven new bushes have another two years of coverage from their install date. It’s a reassuring program and worth the investment for us.
Update 3: The Gravel Patio
The pea gravel patio in that Instagram photo generated lots of questions — people wanted to know how we did it and whether we like it. It was actually a fairly simple, temporary solution.
We plan to install a permanent stone patio eventually, possibly pavers or slate/bluestone to match the sunroom tile. But because the ground needed time to settle after the stump grinding, we didn’t want to install a patio right away and risk it sinking. The area was just bare dirt and mulch after deck removal, and we wanted to avoid living with a mud pit while roots decayed and the soil settled.
When the landscapers were installing plants last November we asked them to haul in pea gravel to fill the area. It cost less than $100 for the whole space and can later serve as a base for pavers. They also dug a shallow trench around the edges that meet the grass so the gravel stays contained, which prevents it from migrating into the lawn.
We didn’t install a weed barrier underneath, but weeds have been minimal and any that appear on top pull out easily. The only minor annoyance is that moving a patio chair across loose gravel can drag or stick, which might be resolved by tamping the stone or using a shallower layer. For now, it’s a practical and inexpensive temporary solution.
The pea gravel also happens to match an existing aggregate path, which helps the area look cohesive until we replace the path and install a permanent patio.
In short: the pea gravel is temporary — we’ll eventually hardscape — but it’s a great budget-friendly option, especially for low-movement seating like a fire pit, picnic table, or stationary lounge.
Update 4: Hanging Garden Lights
Even though the patio isn’t finished, Sherry couldn’t resist adding a long strand of string lights to brighten the space.
The space is a bit awkward for anchor points, but one 48-foot strand worked well. We initially tried two strands swagged from three points on the sunroom, but the lights looked too clumped on the side with only one anchor. After some experimenting we found that having two strands converge at that single point created the best balance.
We attached the lights using simple white cup hooks screwed into the wood siding and looped the cords over them. The hooks aren’t rated for outdoor use, so we’ll watch how they hold up, but the white blends in nicely and the vinyl coating should help resist rust. Everything currently plugs into a white extension cord that runs down to an outlet in the sunroom; we plan to tidy the excess cord and add a smart switch so the lights can stay plugged in more conveniently.
Hopefully this answers many of your backyard questions. For the rest of the summer we’re focused more on the beach house backyard, though we’ll keep these plants here healthy and deer-free. Stay tuned for updates.
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