Our family’s whining in the winter usually goes like this…”ugh, will this dreadful cold and dastardly heaps of snow never end?” …we may be a little over dramatic.
Then along comes summer, and all we can do is wish for weather that doesn’t dissolve us into puddles of sweat. Go figure. Never-the-less I am always excited to work on, then enjoy the great outdoors in my own backyard!
I have invited 25 bloggers to join me in sharing tours of their outdoor spaces, and the projects that make it great! It’s a regular blogger garden party!
Today I’m giving you a never before seen of the wild that is my yard. Sure, it isn’t the most manicured space in America, but we love it. Then hang around, because if you need inspiration for your own outdoor space, we’ve got it! I have invited 25 bloggers to join me in sharing tours of their gardens and outdoor spaces, plus the projects that make it great! It’s a regular blogger garden party!
Ready to Tour My Garden & Yard?
First I should say, my “garden” is pretty much my entire yard. I grow herbs, flowers, and even veggies worked into the landscape of my yard. So my tour will focus on the little things I love around my yard, both front and back.
The Front Patio
I want to start with my front yard, the area you see when you first visit my home. There are beautiful thick trees outlining my property, and beside the beautiful wild plants that grow, we regularly see all manner of wildlife as well. It often feels like an animal sanctuary; we have spotted deer (a whole family complete with babies that scamper through the yard every morning live in our woods), a possum, raccoons, hawks, rabbits, a beaver, a fox, something that looks like a groundhog (I was bigger than expected so I wasn’t sure), black squirrels as well as brown, a turkey, birds of course, and so much more.
Yes, that is a turkey. No he isn’t a pet. Yes, he shows up around Thanksgiving. 😀 But we joke it is to seek sanctuary at our vegetarian family’s home during the holiday. Hahaha! No kidding, once he pretty much knocked on the front door and stared at us like “let me in!”
The Front Patio
Before you even enter my front door I want you to feel there is a welcoming space to lounge at every corner.
I’ve had visitors who never made it past my front patio stoop, but we sat and enjoyed a lovely visit!
On the opposite end of my front door on the patio is my vertical hanging garden. I love this little guy…he keeps my dishes seasoned with my favorite fresh herbs. Plus he was so easy to make!
The Back Deck
Before I get started with my little backyard deck garden tour, I want to show you a picture of my deck before. Well, actually after I stained it, but before I added the fun pieces to it. It is quite a structure! My husband loved the deck so much, he kept this house on the list when we were looking at houses to buy…that is in spite of the fact that we wanted much more than an acre of land.
This deck was going to be fun to…uh, shall we say “deck out”.
I can’t wait to share this project in it’s entirety with you. First you see an outdoor couch with coffee table I built, and then there is the cabana covering (tutorial coming soon!) for a pretty and private lounge.
I know, you are wondering why I didn’t bother with the awning that goes on TOP of my cabana…because it is so shady with towering trees over head, we really didn’t need it except to shield the sides when the sun was low and setting. We loved being able to look up overhead and see the gorgeous trees wave above.
Yet another fun project was this obelisk trellis I built (this tutorial soon to come as well!). My initial intentions were to use it for my climbing peas…but I never got around to planting them! Oh well. The trellis made a beautiful decorative piece on my deck, and the solar panel cap brought a beautiful glow to the deck at night.
Finally seeing some actually “gardening”? Heehee. There are actually pots filled with vegetable plants all around the yard, but I’m showing you my favorite things. Never-the-less, I thought I should mention that my whole container garden, as well as these raised beds on wheels I built are self-watering. What that means is, I pour water into the tubes once every 2-3 months depending on how dry it is, and it waters itself! Cool huh? A no effort garden is just my speed!
I pour water into the tubes once every 2-3 months depending on how dry it is, and it waters itself! Cool huh?
If you look out past the cabana, and past the raised garden beds on the deck, down the hill a little ways you will spot yet another dining spot between the trees. This is where we run to roast marshmallows, burn wood in the fire pit, or to experience a more rustic camp-like feel.
Our property extends even further past that, and girls love to explore the woods and built little fairy gardens out past that. It really does feel like a magical place. I may not love the snow here, but the woods in the States around the Great Lakes are truly majestic and expansive, but leafy…not like the pine trees of my home state California. I adore the woods here unlike any other place. Granted, if a single tree were to fall, it would cover most of my yard, and probably crush my house. But these gorgeous giants that stretch up forever are very sturdy, and being close to the lake we thankfully never have tornadoes.
The Deck Bistro
This deck has many parts to it and is quite spacious, so I wanted a little bistro section that you could enjoy when you first walk out the back doors. Something that overlooked the rest of the space…
Sitting in this slightly more elevated part of the deck feels like sitting in the treetops, but without actually being in the treetops!
The bistro area is the first thing you see when you walk from my living room out onto the deck. It is a great place to enjoy that morning cup of herbal tea! Then venture out onto the rest of the space from there.
Hop Over To These Blogs Next!
I hope you enjoyed my outdoor spaces! Now, go get even more incredible inspiration from these garden party tours below. New tours will occur all week long! Follow us on social media by searching #GardenParty, or just click on a picture below to see more!
Like This? You’ll Love These!
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Absolutely lovely. The pipe cabana has inspired an idea I have been considering for my own deck. Great inspiration.
I was wondering if you had some ideas of how to design and build a privacy fence that would look at home in a woodland setting like yours. I have a neighbor that has been clearing his property and since my windows face his land, I am now trying to figure out how to hide his yard from view and keep it within my budget. Some ideas I have considered are a wattle type fence and vine to keep it organic and natural. Your thoughts?
Oh my goodness! Your garden is dreamy! I love every single part. I am off now to look for some of your builds.
🙂 gwingal
Guess if I ever come to visit I’ll have to stay 2 days so I can hang on your front porch one day and out back the next! hahaha. So stinkin’ amazing and beautiful Ursula! Thanks for putting this fun hop together. It was a lot of fun.
Aw, thanks Corey! I’m so glad you joined in the fun!
Girl, I am crazy jealous of all those trees and greenery! What a beautiful property!! Thank you so much for having all of us on this tour, I am loving all the spaces!
Oh gosh, you have so many wonderful spaces to enjoy outdoors Ursula! I love them all! The fact that you get to experience so much wildlife is wonderful too. We have a field behind our house that houses cows, goats, and an emu! That’s the most exotic we get around here. LOL!
Whoa! An emu?! I’d love cows, goats, and an emu…but I admit I have no idea what I’d do with an emu. 😀 Thanks for the kind words my dear!
Oh girl! We need to live closer to each other so we can have building parties! ; ) I love everything you’ve done with all your outdoor spaces from the vertical herb garden to that sofa I’d never leave if I had in my backyard ; ) Thanks so much for inviting me to be a part of such a fun series! xoxoxox
Your outdoor space is sure great! I have enjoyed reading all the gals post! You did such an amazing job! I am swooning over the cabana! In love!
Maria
I am loving the beautiful patios and porches in this wonderful collection of Garden Tours.
I am confused, however. The links for both Picture #4 on Day 2 and Picture #4 on Day 3 both appear to refer to Monica Wants It ‘s contribution?? Is there a garden tour of another blogger gone astray?
I hope my question makes sense lol. It is 4.30 AM here in Ireland and I’m still awake enjoying all of your beautiful spaces. Thank you. Xx
Thank you Margaret! I’m so glad you are enjoying everyone’s outdoor spaces!
Haha, yes your question makes total sense…unfortunately a couple posts did go astray! 😀 But due to extenuating circumstances those two bloggers had to back out at the last minute. So existing tours had to take those picture’s place. 😉
Thanks so much for joining us from gorgeous Ireland… we wish we could see your outdoor space!
Love your outdoor space, Ursula! Thank you for having me on this great bloghop! Enjoy the rest of the summer.
Oh my goodness, your outdoor space is gorgeous, Ursula! Thanks again for hosting such a fun blog hop – I loved seeing everyone’s inspiring spaces. I love all your DIY projects here too! And I’m going to have to pick your #crazyplantlady brain at Haven because I’m a newbie plant mom. The self-watering planter boxes?! Mind. Blown. 🙂 xoxo
I don’t think I’d ever leave your spaces! Seriously, they are so beautifuL!
Ursula, my goodness girl! Everything is gorgeous! I remember those gorgeous slab benches from our West Elm Knock Off series and I still love them. Your hanging garden has my wheels turnings too! Off to pin all of it! Can’t wait to see you again soon!
What a great link up! I love outdoor spaces and have spent so much time on my yard but it still needs a lot of help…especially in the seating area! Love all the inspiration!!!! And your yard is beautiful.
Oh my goodness! Your entire yard is just so beautiful! I could curl up on that deck bed all day long!
That TURKEY! That’s one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen! They are usually so elusive! SO FUNNY the vegetarian sanctuary!! Love it!!! Beautiful tour Ursula!!
Lol! Right??! Thanks Heather!
I can’t wait for your tutorial on the cabana. This may be the answer to all of the crazy amounts of direct sunlight we get on our deck! Wonderful tour, your home has so many trees! Everything is so beautiful. And that turkey is a crack up!!!!
Thanks! It was such a fun build (easy too). Yeah, that turkey keeps us entertained all fall! 😀
Your exterior space is beautiful. I love your wooded surroundings. I need your raised low maintenance garden tutorial stat! Ideas, ideas, ideas. the green thumb skipped me in my family. LOL!
Your front porch and cabana are perfect!! What fun spaces to hang out in. I love that you grow such a variety of plants and herbs. Such a great way place for the kids. 🙂 Thanks for organizing this awesome tour! Can’t wait to share mine Friday. xoxo
Wow, I love your cabana! And your porch seating area is adorable. I’m so envious of your big yard and trees, how relaxing 🙂 Thank you so much for organizing us all for this fun garden/yard/patio hop, XO!
Thank you Jen! I’m so glad you joined in the fun! I LOVE your space!! 🙂
You have a gorgeous space Ursula, I live the fact that it is big yet so cozy and homey. And not sure if it is scary but having those guest animals and birds must be exciting for sure / especially for the girls ☺️
Your outdoor space is so gorgeous, Ursula! I love the front porch and your vertical hanging garden! Everything is lovely! Thank you so much for organizing this fun garden hop! 🙂
Thanks so much April!
Wow, that deck is spectacular! I’ve always loved the benches you built for the front porch. It’s such a fresh, but cozy space. Thanks so much for hosting this fun tour!
What a beautiful large yard you have! I love how green it is with all of those trees. I am so intrigued by your self watering raised gardening system, I am headed over there right now! Thanks for hosting such a fun garden tour party!
Wow!!! It’s beautiful!!! It’s so great you have all those fresh herbs. I keep trying to grow them without any luck.