I can’t believe I’m saying this but we are FINALLY tackling our backyard remodel this spring. We’ve wistfully talked about it for years. Listing off the things we hoped we could someday do to make the space more functional and aesthetically pleasing. Dreaming big at times and at other times only thinking of the necessities to make our house appealing to future buyers.
If you read our post on the projects we’re hoping to tackle in 2025, you saw this on the list. I was hesitant at first to add it. Not sure it was doable after just completing another large project; our new siding, gutters, and windows. But, I decided to add it to the bottom of the list. Trying to manifest it into existence.
In today’s post, I’m sharing a rare look at our mud pit of a yard. I’ll be talking through what it looked like when we first moved in. The changes we’ve made and our dreams for the new design.
While the backyard remodel is our main focus, we’re tackling a few things in our front and side yard as well that need to be addressed. I’m sharing a look at those spaces in this post as well.
Our Yard When We Moved In
When house hunting, I first fell in love with the exterior of our home in the listing photos. The physical structure with the warm colored brick mixed with the siding added texture and interest to the house. I could envision decorating the 4 columns at Christmas time with garlands and white lights. And in the summer, sitting out front reading or people watching under the shade of the tree.
We talked about removing the massive overgrown bushes in front of the windows. They hid a small strip of patio perfect for a couple of chairs and a table. A project that got added to the top of our to-do list.
The backyard, though not very big, had enough space for us to host small friends and family gatherings. There was a small screened-in metal enclosure attached to the back of the house. It looked a bit dated and we hoped we could remove it. We wanted to open up the space for our future dog to play fetch. A shed in the corner of the property would provide extra storage for tools and future patio furniture.
Changes We’ve Made To Our Yard
Backyard Updates
Since moving in we’ve made a few changes to our yard. Starting in the back, we didn’t waste much time removing the metal screened-in enclosure off the family room. It was really dated and not a space we felt we would use. We knew one day we would remodel the backyard and wanted a nice open patio for cookouts and room for our dog(s).
We’ve tried to keep the ivy at the back of the yard in check. We clear it out from time to time and this seems to help control its growth. I’ve tried to plant a few things but haven’t put much effort in. Knowing it would need a major overhaul I didn’t want to waste time or resources. Instead, I decided to put my focus on the front and side yards when it came to adding new plants.
Front Yard Changes
In our front yard, we removed the giant bushes that ran along the front windows. They were quite big with deep massive roots and we needed to use Mike’s truck to help pull them out of the ground. I’m sure there are still some remnants left buried deep in the soil.
We later added some pavers to define the area where the bushes were and create a flower bed. I’ve added a variety of plants since. Some have done well and others have been a miss. And until recently, this is all we had touched in the front.
In the fall of 2023, we decided to have our clay sewer pipes updated. They had to dig out almost half our yard and also remove our only shade-providing tree that I loved so much. It’s been a mess up there ever since.
We had to wait for the ground to settle back down before we could think about replanting the grass. We started prepping the soil last fall with plans to lay sod when we decided to shift gears to focus on the new exterior siding, windows, and gutters.
Side Yard Improvements
Around the time we put the pavers in the front yard, we also added the same pavers to define the garden beds along the garage. We also had a small slab of concrete outside the garage door that we broke up at the same time. Our intention was to create a new landing with the pavers we had but never got around to it. This door doesn’t get much use so it wasn’t a top priority for us.
I’ve tested out different varieties of plants and flowers in these beds as well. Trying to see what looked good and what did well in the space. I’m still fine-tuning and excited to experiment some more this spring/summer.
Dreams for Our Backyard Remodel
As mentioned above, we’ve always hoped to one day update and extend the patio in our backyard. We wanted a space large enough to hold a table for 8 with maybe a little extra room for some additional seating.
Retaining walls have become a must. We have a decent slope in our backyard leading down to the house that may be hard to see in the photos. With each year that passes, we seem to get more and more water that sits at the back of that concrete slab along the house. Better drainage and redirection of water are greatly needed.
Our dogs love to play fetch and dig and it seems like each year less and less grass comes back. This has also contributed to the poor drainage as there is no grass to help suck up and slow the water a bit. We would love to lay sod in our backyard with the hopes that a fresh new lush lawn will be more fun to roll in than digging it all up. (fingers crossed)
With the recent addition of our second pup, Lily, a fence has become a must for our sanity. She’s a high-energy dog and needs space to run off-leash without us worrying about her slipping through the neighbor’s yard. It’s also been hard to have both dogs out at once to let them play together. We’re still working on recall and listening with both of them and trying to have 2 dogs on leashes is no fun for them or us.
Once all the major updates have been made, I would love to finally update the foliage in our backyard. Whether that be planting things in the ground, adding container pots around the patio, or both. The new space will need texture and color in the form of plants and flowers to soften all the hardscape being added.
Front Yard Refresh
In the front, our main goal is to finally lay some sod down. First, we need to add some fill dirt where the ground has settled and amend the soil. We have so many rocks, big and small, in our yard. When we first started prepping for sod last fall, we filled 2 large trash cans full of rocks. It was insane and you can still see more coming up as the ground shifts after it rains.
As we fill in the dips in the yard, I’m not sure if we will need to update the pavers around the flower bed. I’m hoping they’ll still work with the new design and I can instead get started on refreshing this flower bed.
Connecting the Front of the House to the Backyard
To connect the backyard to the front, we want to add a walkway. Starting at the edge of the driveway to the new gate we plan to add with the fence. Our hope is the new design will work with the existing pavers we laid along the side of the garage.
We also need to finish adding a landing and step outside the garage door and connect it to the new walkway. Currently, we never use this side door so it hasn’t been a priority of ours. We had a recent idea around adding additional storage that could change this though. Either way, it needs to happen to complete the design for a finished look.
Next Steps for Our Backyard Remodel
This isn’t a project we plan to tackle ourselves. Instead, we are calling in the experts. I’m having a really hard time envisioning what it will all look like. Where the retaining walls need to go to create better drainage.
There are already a variety of level changes. Understanding how everything will flow and connect is what I hope a landscape designer will help us with. We’ve reached out to a few and have reviewed their plans before landing on one we felt good about.
Recently, I shared a sneak peek of the general design in my Instagram stories. Next week I’m hoping to dive in deeper. Talking through the plans in more detail as well as the materials we’re looking at.
Have you taken on a backyard remodel of your own or outsourced to a landscape designer? What do you love about your remodel and what do you wish you had done differently?
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