Last Updated on May 22, 2013 by
For the past few years, I have been super busy and I haven’t had as much time to garden and work on our yard as I needed. This year is the year I am reclaiming my yard and getting everything back under control again. We live in an 1865 farmhouse in rural Vermont. My goal isn’t to turn our yard into something that ends up on the cover of Better Homes and Gardens. I love the distressed look and prefer a casual look when it comes to how my gardens are set up.
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This area is right outside our side door. I see it multiple times a day and it has been annoying me for quite a while. Our thimble berries have been growing out of their home and taking over other areas. I pruned them back a bit to work on this area and took care of a bit of the clutter. Lots of our gardening supplies come from friends or from Freecycle so most of the time nothing matches. That ends up giving the area a slightly distressed shabby chic look that I like.
This is after:
What do you think? Does your garden have a manicured look or a more casual feel?
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
I think it looks very nice. Me, I kill plants, both inside and out.
Thanks so much! I really enjoy gardening!
I’m using flower boxes on my porch railings for my veggies this year – we moved in the fall & I’m waiting to see what kind of flowers will pop up before planting anything. So far, I have tulips and dahlias.
What a great idea!
My veggie patch is mostly in containers so I can reach them without having to bend down too far. An my flower beds are a work in progress. I like the cottage look a mixture of wild flowers and a few annuals. Makes for lees work each spring.
I love your area and the bench is fabulous!
I agree & I hate weeding 🙂
I love the distressed look. You really brightened up the area with the pots and flowers!
Thanks! That’s what I was hoping for!
Stopping by from How to “Survive Life In The Suburbs”, my garden is in work in progress I love to add new things all the time, I just saw on another blog painting pots and would love to try that to add color, but I love this distressed look Ellen, the flowers add so much!!
I would love a bench in my front garden, were on the look out at garage sales, might have to produce one from pallets. Would love to invite join in the WW fun! ?Oh My Heartsie Reviews WW” w/Linky
Thanks for stopping by! I will check it out!
That’s the look I like!
Thanks so much, Keith!
Flowers make all the difference, don’t they! I love it!
Thanks & I agree!
Love the color array of flowers you selected, our yard was finally cleared out… Now I don’t know what to do with it!
Thanks, Rose. I love lots of different colors. It’s so much fun to plan a new garden!
My garden is currently non-existent because, well, I am a plant killer. There, I said it! I kill plants! I just look at them and they wither up. Ugh! I really, really, really want to learn how to keep them alive though. I dream of a gorgeous garden filled with fragrant plants. I envision it in my head, and it would look like yours closer to the house, but then turn into a mysterious Wonderland-style garden as it branches out on the 100 acres I intend to purchase after I win the lottery.
Seriously, I love the distressed look. Not only is it something I could pull off once I learn to keep plants alive, it’s really pretty!
Thanks, Nikki! Honestly, I cannot pull off some of the more exotic stuff. I stick with plants that are fairly easy to keep alive 🙂
I really have to start getting out there and working on my yard…..spring is here and my yard needs it. Bad.
There is always tons that needs to be done in the spring!
That looks really pretty. Our yard is a series of fenced in gardens and goat pens. *sigh*
Thanks, Patty. It is definitely a work in progress!
I love it! I’ve had my eye on a vintage bench to use for the same purpose!
Thanks, Alison. A friend gave it to me years ago & I finally did something with it.
Honestly Ellen? My garden has that “Hellllloooooo!!! Can you see me? Need some love here!!!” look! 🙁
LOL mine has that look a lot too!