yard work, before and after

The previous owner of our house was what our neighbors call a "naturalist" in that he didn't do any yard work. Ever. For over 20 years he let whatever plants or trees that wanted to grow in his yard grow. He sold the house to a real estate investment firm who updated the kitchen and bathroom, added a master suite and cut down over a dozen trees in the yard, but left just as many.

When we were house hunting, this house came up on our list several times, but we were always deterred by the "landscaping" and amount of work the yard would need to make the house look unhaunted. But we fell completely in love with the interior of the house, the neighborhood and the easy access to Old Town Alexandria, the beltway and the District. It had everything we wanted in a house: three bedrooms, two bathrooms, old/original charm (the original hardwood floors, great brick fireplace), a yard, parking for both cars and STORAGE. We scored with both an attic and a garage.

We've been in the house for 12 days now and this past weekend we spent HOURS working on the yard, cutting down trees, clearing out weeds and vines and garbage, removing dead bushes and making the house look occupied.

BEFORE:

Standing on the front step, these dead bushes lined the front of the house.

Standing across the street, you can hardly see the house. Not very inviting. PS: not our cars.

The yard was full of these scrappy, messy trees. When we cut one down a HUGE  flood of earwigs came pouring out. NOT. COOL.

Clearly the yard needs a lot of TLC.

AFTER:

No more dead bushes!

You can see our house! Again, not my car.

So much better!

I would love to plant hydrangeas along here.