15 June, 2010

Curb Appeal-Before and After!

For those of you not familiar with the beginning of our journey with this cottage, here's what we started with.  Sorry about the quality of these pictures, I'm taking a picture of a picture.




There's really not a lot to say, the pictures speak for themselves.  We've owned the house for a little over two years.  We planted the boxwoods along the foundation in the first few months. In order to spruce the house up a bit, I built the garage doors, the shutters and the trellis.  The fence sections we bought at Lowe's.  We had a mason come in and re-surface the walkway with Mexican limestone.  We also had to re-do the whole driveway, but that's a whole other blog.  This spring I decided to work on the rest of the front landscaping.  I built a trellis, and now I have Morning Glorys,  Mandevilla, and a Souviner de la Malmaison Rose climber starting to fill it in.






It seems that everything is loving the heat! Here are more of the plants thriving out front. 

Lantana


Hibiscus, 8-10" diameter.


Blue Plumbago, this will be about 3'x3' in another month or so.

Hollyhocks.  I've not had much success with these in the past, but they seem to like where they are right now. Time will tell.

Sunflowers. These are about 6' tall.  They reseeded from wildflowers we seeded the area with last year.
The yard is really starting to shape up.




Soon we'll start getting ready for the Fourth of July.  We have a small town America kind of 4th here. You'll see.


ann marie


47 comments:

  1. I just realized that the design of arbor matches the "posts" on the front of the house.
    That was really smart. Everything is looking great!

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  2. wow, looks like you did a lot of sweat equity with the landscaping. everything looks lovely.

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  3. Charming!
    Love your plants.

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  4. Wow! You've done a fantastic job turning your house into such a cute cottage. It has such an inviting feeling. Love the shutters and the arbor.

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  5. Very Pretty! I can only grow hibiscus as an indoor plant!!

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  6. What a wonderful transformation! Can't wait to see the 4th pics!

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  7. Oh my word, your before picture looks just like my grandmother's home. She still lives in it in West Texas....She has been there around 60 years and pretty much has not changed anything. You have done a fabulous job!! So charming!!!

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  8. You've done an amazing job with you cottage. Your garden is beautiful.

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  9. Just love the front of your home. We've been in our home 10 years and I don't think I've done as much as you! I've very partial to the morning glories of course. ;) Hope you have a great week.

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  10. Your home makes my sentimental heart jump for joy! This home is one of my childhood love's, just like the ones we went to for family reunions held out in the back yard. Thank you for sharing. It is absolutely lovely in every way!

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  11. very pretty! you did an excellent job!

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  12. What a beautiful, creative and clever fixup this is! Absolutely love the arch/arbor and the combo of plants along with the window boxes, so wonderful! And the decor possibilities for different times of year is just awesome. Good work!

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  13. Beautiful garden - I'm currently working hard on our yucky yard too and hopefully someday it will look as nice as yours. I found you through Rory's linky party :)

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  14. I love it!! I can't believe how the plants have just taken off in such a short time. A lot of hard work is the key, I'm sure! Beautiful job!!

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  15. That is gorgeous! I LOVE the fence and arbor!

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  16. This is an amazing transformation. You certainly have given this place a lot of tlc! Thanks for sharing you lovely home on Modern Craftswoman Monday! Rory

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  17. How pretty. What a great transformation!

    I'm hosting a giveaway and I'd love it if you stopped by!

    Laura @ along for the ride

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  18. What a wonderful transformation your home has gone through. You've really brought it into the 21-century, but maintained its vintage character.

    This would be a great post to link to my Time Travel Thursday linky party.

    You can join in on the fun for all three of my linky parties:

    ASK THE YANKEE - MONDAYS
    TIPS & TRICKS TUESDAY
    TIME TRAVEL THURSDAY

    You can get the details here:

    http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/2010/06/brambleberry-cottage-linky-party.html

    Each party runs for six days, so come on by!

    Hope to see ya there!
    Liz @ the Brambleberry Cottage
    http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

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  19. Wow what a transformation...I love what you did with it. It's gorgeous!

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  20. Oh wow! I just love before and afters! Yours is one of the best I have seen - congrats! How lucky your neighbors are to drive by your beautiful yard on a daily basis!!

    Elizabeth

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  21. So awesome! Your flowers are gorgeous!

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  22. Oh the fruits of your labors, they are paying off! How lovely is your home and with so much green and glorious flowers. It's just all come together charming. ENJOY...

    PS You can take a picture of your photo, just take it straight on. I have a friend who does it all the time and we all wonder if she's actually been there or if she's just taken a picture of a photo!

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  23. It's truly charming now and looks like a warm, comfortable home to live in. Yeah for all your hard work! Pam @ Sallygoodin

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  24. WOW! I am impressed! Great work!

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  25. Beautiful Ann Marie! Your flowers are gorgeous and the transformation is beautiful!

    Thanks for sharing at My Backyard Eden!

    ~Carolyn

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  26. Wow. All the hard work was worth it. You must love looking out at the garden. Andrea from Ireland x

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  27. It looks great! You can tell a lot of hard work and love has gone into that!

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  28. I am traveling over from Transformation Thursday. What a beautiful yard and what a transformation on the home. I am so impressed and you now have a new follower!! I am going to have to come back and see the interior!!

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  29. That is nothing short of amazing! I came over from Hope Studios and am now going to go through some of your older posts, you are obviously one talented lady with lots of inspiration to share! Theresa

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  30. I just love your house NOW! The before photos are bleak! Your neighbors must love you since the after shots are remarkable! You have a green thumb as the landscape is gorgous!
    I have been following your blog for awhile now and I do enjoy it so much. The studio is a
    space I would LOVE in my backyard...some day I hope I can have that, too.
    Thanks!

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  31. What an amazing difference! Your good - real good.

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  32. WOW! How pretty!

    Thanks for joining Get Your Craft on at Life As Lori!

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  33. Wow, the transformation is just wonderful. I love, love, love the variety of flowers.

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  34. Oh you have a beautiful home. Love what you ended up with WOW! Can you come do my home hahaha. Stopping by from CSI. :)

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  35. Oh my word, what an amazing transformation. This is just unreal. Your home is gorgeous and talk about curb appeal. It looks fabulous. Hugs, Marty

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  36. What a transformation! It's a dream cottage now. My daughter just bought a house that looks quite similar. I can't wait to show her your pictures.

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  37. WOW! You have done a lot of work. So much more inviting and beautiful. I bet your neighbors are loving that you spruced up the former eye sore.

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  38. WOW is all I can say! You did an AMAZING job and I bet the resell on your house went WAY up!

    Hannah
    http://youngancrafty.blogspot.com/

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  39. Wow, isn't amazing what shutters and new sod can do! Love this!

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  40. Great job! I love it! We lived in San Antonio for 10 years so I'm somewhat familiar with Schertz. The flowers are just beautiful.

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  41. I just came over from Better After and I am so glad she featured you! I am currently working on my front and side yard and am wanting my side yard's fence to look just like yours! We are also going to add a trellis and gate on the side yard. Looking at yours makes me want to build one just like it! THANKS!!!! I'm saving this to my favorites!

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  42. love the outcome.. what is the vine with pink flowers called? I've been looking for those everywhere =)

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  43. What a difference the landscaping makes! You have such an adorable and inviting home. When I moved in to my place it had nothing but HUGE overgrown bushes...One of my first projects was taking those hideous things out- what a facelift! I wish I had your gardening skill : )

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Thanks so much for stopping by!