Yet Another Backyard Preview

We have a concrete pad in the southwest corner of our backyard, the remaining foundation of an old rusty shed we tore out last year.  I wanted to break up the concrete pad and plant things where it had been but Dev was set on keeping it because it's a useful place for him to do certain projects (like when he turned it into an impromptu painting booth).  Plus we might put a hot tub on it someday.

 

So I added a hammock, some rugs, lanterns, candles, and container plants.  That weird wicker peacock chair was a free curbside find.

We also pruned the large camellia back considerably, making it more a tree and less of a hedge, and cleaned up bags and bags of dead leaves, old bricks, and other junk.  I also added a little brick footpath similar to the one under the orange tree.

On the back pad itself we added lots of potted plants, including jasmine and ivy to cover the harsh cinderblock, plus mandevilla, sweet potato vine, and a small potted fruit tree.

Between the "children's garden" and the new hammock area is mostly a dead space so we moved the children's sandbox and water table over to this shady spot.  This keeps them out of the sun while also keeping the sand off our patio.  We also moved the chicken coop over, freeing up access to the storage area behind the garage.

Now I'm working on creating a new flower bed in this area, but I've had a hard time finding things that work - the area is dry and hot, but also shady, and the soil isn't great, though I'm working on amending it. 

As for Project Backyard - there's still tons to do, including expanding our existing drip irrigation system and installing sprinklers, lots more landscaping, better outdoor lighting, and of course the installation of the back room/brick pad, among other things.