"Risen From The Ashes" Cottage Garden

5 years ago my home burned up. Bad enough losing so much to fire (no loss of life and thank GOD)...but what did survive (like my yards) were carelessly destroyed by a flake of a contractor. He was hired to remove the charred remains of the house, but he didn't have ONE ounce of respect for the love, AND soul commitment that goes into a creating a yard. While we were gone he PLOWED out the entire front and back yard...every last bulb I owned...every shrub...every flower...it was like a bomb had been dropped. I was more upset about that then fire! I love my green babies, and as you all know...you tend them as much as you have tended your own children.

So...a couple days ago my partner finished building our picket fence, which frames the yard that now spells "cottage garden" to everyone passing by! Am I done? Nope...I'm not...but do I see things that make me very very happy...yes... YES WE DO! I'm going to line the fence with lavender, Becky Daisies, red Crocosmia and CA poppies. I still can't believe my eyes when I drive up!

So...this was what we came home to... utter devastation...every planter wiped out...he even ran over our patio chairs that we had moved up against the fences so that they would be out of his way.

This message was edited Jul 22, 2009 11:36 PM

There was nothing but our two giant cedar trees, and a rhoddy left...

So... we took baby steps.....

..trying to decide where to start.... it all looked SO BAD

and... I kind of knew what I wanted to see....but we just had to take things in small phases.......and money was also an issue. We paid someone to come in and help us get the yard flattened...and cleared... ...

This message was edited Jul 22, 2009 10:46 PM

and more getting the dirt canvas ready to paint...

........then some plants... it looked soooo lame...lol

.......can't tell you how many times I moved plants...lol ...and tubs...

then...the house needed some definition..so up went shutters

..and what's a country yard without window boxes...

and...a larger front porch...

and....more plants...

and more......

and happier window boxes....

and....some shaded areas needed some work...

and thennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.......this summer...it was time to frame the painting. So...we decided on a traditional wooden picket fence

...lots of fence posts to put in concrete

...and picky pickets. All the pickets that were available locally had the tips cut off. It just looked so silly that we RECUT allll the tips on over 200 pickets...

and moreeeeeeee pickets....

and............4 gates....

and moreeeeeee pickets....lol

and...suddenly... just a couple days ago.... it started to look like home........

and......as I stepped out the door today to leave for work.... I realized we had finally recreated our country yard. The dawn air was full of the smell of the lavender, and stocks...and pine trees and morning dew.

What a long journey this has been! 4 years to be exact (on the planting). I spent the first year I was back in the house staring at the desolate moonscape I had for yards in total disbelief. We are not done yet, but we are sooooo much closer to our goal. I had to remind myself that yards are never done. They are always a work in progress.

Eventually, the picket fences will be lined with more lavender... and Becky daisies, and CA poppies...and.........and......delphiniums...and...

Next summer it should be jussssssssssssssst right...lol

This message was edited Aug 3, 2009 12:25 PM

PS~

My partner has never build a picket fence before. I was amazed at how this turned out. We Googled picket fences and just looked at ideas we liked. No blue prints...just lots of ideas and a tape measure...lol . My partner had some time off and he started this about a month ago and pretty much worked on it every spare minute he had. I sent him off crabbing and fishing a couple times, but for the most part...he worked himself to dust on the fence.

Different neighbor's walked by almost every day to see the progress, and we learned this .. "a picket fence is what almost every woman wants, but no man wants to build...lol

Carl is VERY HAPPY to be done with this project...LOL

What a story! And what a guy - tell him thank you from this side of the pond for making such a wonderful fence. Oh, and a mighty fine looking garden too!!! Well done, very well done.

WOW......it looks sooooo gorgeous. Your story made me all tingly and teary eyed. You two are an inspiration; thanks for sharing and reminding me of what can be....kim

Awwwwwwww thanks! We have just been so pleased. I think the key was we just continued to take every thing in "chewable bites". Nothing too huge. Carl travels 2 weeks out of every month so everything gets done in increments. He just happened to have 5 weeks off and that time frame made him decide it was time to tackle the fence we had been talking. This fall will have me in a frenzy moving things here and there.

I just had so much fun pulling the progress photos of out my various picture files and posting last night! It was such a trip down memory lane.

Thanks again for the kind words, and encouragement!! The back yard looks almost just as bad as it did in the beginning. We have hauled out the destroyed timbers and trash. We put up one chainlink fence (to section off the yard) because our dog kept hurting herself trying to chase the resident raccoons out of the wood shed. We will probably tackle that in the next couple years. Carl is 60 and I'm 57..and we are not retired. We just plug away like two ol' turtles...lol

Hugs!!

poof*

This message was edited Jul 23, 2009 10:19 PM

That is so amazing ... and inspirational ... and beautiful ... you two have done an unbelievable job! The picket fence was the missing link ... just brought it all home. How proud you must be, and rightfully so. Can't wait to see more as it grows and blooms.

Thank you Judy! It really does feel great!

All very positive and beautiful. Your home is beautiful. Lots of love there. Reminds us of how temporary and fragile our environment can be and lets us know how creative and resilient we are as humans.
All good.

Very nicely put! We should all be good stewards of the earth and sky. The rewards are so great!

Thanks !

Sad but great story. And I know what a fire can do. ^_^

Hugs

Tillysrat..

I'm sad that you know what a fire can do... that does not sound good.

Thanks ... I have sooo many more yard ideas that my brain's about to pop...lol

Its all good now 20 + years have healed the lost, But I would of rathered lost my plants. You are a very lucky person, fires are not picky on what they chose to destroy, Fireman don't care what they destroy as long as the fire is put out.

I love the rebuild, looking good
^_^
Tills

Way to turn a sad story into a happy ending! What beautiful work you two accomplished! It looks like it was always supposed to be that way.

I agree...what a perfect end to a very sad story. You and your partner have worked so hard to make your world beautiful again...it must just fill your heart every time you drive up to your home! Good job!!!

Thanks Everyone...

Carl always says he would rather tackle a BIG project then replace a faucet...lolol He likes to build and tinker and I love it! My ex husband couldn't (WOULDN'T) change a light bulb...so having a handyman for a partner has been a real deeeeeeelight!

I was going to keep the flowers on the outside of the fence simple and self sufficient (drought resistant types), but I find myself already creating beds that require too much water and fussing...hehe. WE shall see...

Tills,
I didn't see your post until this morning (sorry...). I got a heart twinge for you over your comments. It may have been 20 years ago for you, but... I think those kinds of memories live on for life. One of the things that KEPT me fairly sane during the 10 months I lived in the Super 8 while I sued my *%$%$#@# insurance company was counting my blessings over and over. Had things not gone the way they did (I had ONLY been home from work about 50 minutes) my teenage daughter would have been home ALONE sleeping. My 911 call was 10:05 PM. A lot of people don't know that once you dial 911 for a fire you temporarily lose ownership of your home when the fire dept shows up. The fire dept can (and will) chop open/down/out ANY section or part of your home they want/need to ..to access and contain a fire. Different fire crews work differently too. There were 3 trucks that responded to my fire. My area is DENSE with tree growth and I think they knew there was a potential to burn the whole dang neighborhood up. Oh...and the fire hydrant near my house was DRY! They had to link the fire trucks up with hoses to get water to my place (from down the street) so there was lost time. (((((((Hugs)))))))) to you 20 years later for your losses. My deepest anger was towards the man who destroyed my yards. There was no reason to do what he did. BTW? I love Poulsbo...and if I ever relocated in WA state it would be to Poulsbo. I just love it there. It's beaaaaaaaautiful!

Off to get ready for work...

Hugs!

Me



This message was edited Aug 3, 2009 6:15 AM

You where very lucky indeed. I love what you have done looks so nice, and it is nice to have a real helper.
Keep us informed of the progress, we love pics

I do love it here as I am in the woods, I would not want to be anywhere else.

Hugs
Tills

Thought you would like this
Kinda enchanting

And yes I took it LOL

Morning All,

I have to put a "warm and fuzzy" PS on my fire story. So strange that I have just recently shared the whole fire story and this POPS up just yesterday.

I was at work and this super nice guy came in to pick up some papers. His wife works for our foundation and when I request funding it comes from her. He was helping us out with a paper shuffle. Anyhow...he walked in and I noticed he had on a logo T-shirt that had the NAME AND DISTRICT of the fire dept that attended my house fire. So.. we struck up a conversation and I asked if he had attended my house fire some years back. He said.."Well... I've only been here about 5 years. Where was it?" I told him and he was BRAND NEW with the fire district then and my fire was one of the very first fires he had been on! He remembered the fire well! Then...he said "My wife and I JUST drove by there 2 weeks ago to go to a yard sale! As we came down the street I told her about the house that burned down in this area and as we got there we just LOVED THE FENCE! I was amazed to see the difference!!! You have done a ton of work and IT LOOKS GREAT!...lol

Now...what a small world...and how FUNNY that he had drove past here just 2 weeks ago...he had NOT been down this street since the night of the fire...and then...he walks into my office and we touch bases. It was just very cool. I got to thank him in person for saving what goodies they could for me! He said their crew often tries to do a "sweep" of a house while the hoses are getting connected. Often times things are too far gone to salvage anything or in massive flames so they can't safely go in without hoses going...but he said anytime they see a window to save something...they do...and they did...for me. I will be forever grateful to that fire crew! They have earned the nickname locally as the "A Team" and now I know why. Great "end to the story" for sure!


Tilly..
I have posted back on your home link...loved it!