We’ve been hard at work in the yard, and while my arms are definitely sore, the progress is already worth it. This is one of those projects that will take years, not a single “before-and-after” post, but focusing on one small area at a time keeps things manageable. Last year we limbed the magnolia, removed and transplanted many shrubs, and painted the front door, so tackling the little garden bed to the right of the front porch felt like the natural next step.
On the right half of the bed there was a rectangular patch of bricks that made planting impossible. For balance, function, and curb appeal it had to go, so we started digging.
The bricks weren’t mortared, so we pried them up one by one. It was backbreaking work — I probably carried a hundred bricks to make a neat pile by the carport — but satisfying to see the area clear. We’ll either reuse the bricks elsewhere or give them away.
While I worked on the bricks, John dug up the liriope along the porch edge as Clara, our toddler, played nearby. She’s oddly fascinated with worms — crouching down to watch them wiggle and talking to them — so whenever we encountered worms while digging, we’d gently set them in front of her to observe. (Just to be clear: we wore gloves.)
The liriope came up in a dense, sod-like mat of roots that made for a tough job:
At one point we thought we’d found a massive worm, but it turned out to be a small garden snake. It was harmless and tiny, but John obliged when I asked him to “look scared” so I could get a silly picture.
After about four hours we had the 13 by 7-foot zone cleared and ready for planting. It often looks smaller in photos than it did in person — I’m only 5’2” so aerial shots aren’t happening — but there was plenty of room to plan properly.
We searched several nurseries and big-box stores to find two plants that would thrive in this part-shade bed and complement the Otto Luyken laurels we previously planted. Instead of repeating many of the same plants, we fell for a feathery, dwarf laceleaf maple and a compact, white-flowering shrub that we’d used at our previous house.
We considered red maples but decided they’d blend into the brick too much and some varieties can grow too large. We chose a Viridis laceleaf maple (a dwarf, about 6 feet tall) that’s suitable for a house perimeter and has a modest root system. We set it nearly four feet from the house, leaving plenty of room for growth.
The small, white-flowering shrub is a Dwarf Pieris Japonica ‘Variegata’, which stays around 2 feet tall and wide and produces clusters of white blossoms in spring. It thrives in part shade, so pairing it with the maple made sense. Both plants had nursery warranties, which gave us added confidence.
Garden rules are helpful — like grouping plants and repeating odd numbers — but our two guiding principles were simple: pick plants you truly love, and make sure each plant is right for its location and has the recommended spacing. In the past we’ve made the mistake of buying the cheapest option or treating plants like placeholders and ended up regretting it. This time we read the tags, dug holes at the right depth, teased roots when needed, amended soil appropriately, and followed watering guidelines.
We originally planned to add annuals at the front edge until the larger plants filled in, but at the nursery we discovered a perennial called variegated dead nettle that blooms purple and only reaches 6–8 inches. It’s perfect for part shade, returns year after year, and won’t overwhelm the bed. If things fill in later, these small perennials are easy to move.
Once planted and mulched to retain moisture and suppress weeds, the bed already looked much better and felt complete on a small scale.
Here are a few closeups of the new plantings. No allergy meds required:
All told, it took roughly seven hours of work — sometimes with Clara and her worm friends watching, sometimes while she napped — to transform the space from bare dirt to a planted bed that already feels intentional and inviting.
The bed can look deceptively small in photos — it’s actually 13 feet wide by 7 feet deep, and the back plantings sit about four feet from the house. A tip we picked up from a master gardener: plant a little beyond the roof overhang so roots don’t affect the foundation, runoff doesn’t drown the plants, and they receive a bit of sun instead of being shaded by an awning.
Next up is the garden bed on the other side of the porch while Clara continues to hunt for worms. We’re also beginning plans for a large deck (we’ve called Miss Utility and will apply for a permit), finishing a bathroom, and tackling other long-standing projects. Spring always gets us bouncing from project to project — and we’re grateful for family time too. We spent the weekend with relatives, including Clara’s six-month-old cousin, and enjoyed the mix of family, food, and DIY. We’ll share more updates as the yard grows.