Front yard at NE 33rd and Going

When I bought my house almost two years ago, I was elated to finally have the chance to landscape MY yard rather than my client's.  And since I wasn't going to move in right away, I had plenty of time to think about it.  After careful measuring, I went about sketching out various patterns and forms, plotting retaining walls and paths,  and wrestling with xera-themed designs vs grasses/perennial style plantings.  Of course having options is a good thing, but too many options just leads to confusion.  The deciding factor soon became cost, or more accurately:  how do I reuse my existing materials into a design that is of comparable aesthetic appeal to one that could be purchased with new materials.  

Once I decided on a plan, I went about getting the hard physical labor done first, which meant installing a cobble and stone retaining wall, and tearing out my concrete entryway and replacing it with flagstone.  95% of this I accomplished by myself, which I do not recommend because some of those flagstone pieces nearly removed the tips of my fingers.....yeah, not recommended.

When all the hardscaping (what we call it in the industry) was complete it was time pick out the plants.  Again  I chose the frugal route, and used plants that were left over from previous jobs, though a good portion of them I bought with intention of using them for my front yard.  Xera Plants helped me out immensely, as in I don't know where I would have gotten all these amazingly unique and gorgeous looking plants without them.  They are truly a gem, and we in the PNW are blessed that they exist, and sell to the public.  I completed all the planting and mulched all the beds around the first of April.  

Since then I've tinkered with some things, added a couple gravel paths that allow easier access to the driveway and side of the house than the previous stepping stones, and finished off the retaining wall on the north side.  Most recently I've removed the grass from the sidewalk strip, and will soon add plants and two gravel access paths.  I've even begun work on the backyard installing a gravel patio and adding a custom-built picnic table with the help of my roommate/handyman Jeffry.  Updates will be coming soon!