The Back Yard of My Dreams
Every year around this time, I start fantasizing about my dream back yard. I would have the happiest garden and a quirky little green house. I'd have the coziest deck suited to host all of my friends. I'd have a fire pit for s'more roasting... Sounds awesome, right? Let me assure you, in my head, it is awesome. (incase you need some help visualizing, here are a few images from my back yard dream board)
Aside from the fact that currently none of those details exist in my back yard, my biggest hiccup is the egregious lack of privacy that I have. My property sits along a row of houses that were recently constructed. These houses sit uphill from me and oppressively stare down on my little yard. When I bought my house in 2015, these houses were fellow one storied ranch homes. And, as is the fate of so many houses in Nashville, they were bought by a developer, torn down and rebuilt bigger, better and two to a lot. Where I once had three small bungalows neighboring my property line, I now have 6 ginormous structures looming over me. (Here are a series of photos that might help you understand what I'm dealing with)
When the summer sun is hot and I want to lay out in my bathing suit and read a book, I usually don't. I feel totally exposed and self-conscious. Don't get me wrong, I really like my neighbors! But I don't always want to know what they're up to and vice-versa. So as I begin the slow crawl towards the back yard of my dreams, my first order of business is to create some privacy for myself. When I had my fence built six years ago, I didn't want to build a privacy fence around my parking pad - I didn't want to put off a "none shall pass" energy toward my guests - so I had a four foot farmhouse style fence constructed with horizontal slats allowing anyone to see in or out. It was a great idea, but it needs to be updated along with my new situation. So how can I maintain the "come on in and make yourself at home" energy towards my guests but a "please stop watching me play with my dog" energy toward my neighbors?
My answer to you is lattice and climbing plants! The lattice will let guests see through into the yard, which I'm hoping will make them feel more comfortable to come on in and stay a while. And while the plants that I envision climbing up this lattice will be gorgeous and dreamy, it will also offer a screen of protection between myself and my neighbors. (Here are a few reference photos to help you see my vision).
The only thing holding me back from diving head first into phase one of making the back yard of my dreams is, of course, $$$. I crunched the numbers and I did the research. Removing my existing 4 foot fence and replacing it with six foot lattice is not only going to be grueling physical labor but it's also going to cost me an arm and a leg. But good things come to those who wait, my friends! Good things also come to those who save. And that's what I plan on doing. I plan on waiting and saving until I can responsibly hit the ground running. And boy am I going to be RUNNING! I can't wait to bring my vision into reality! What a sweet feeling that will be.
Until then, you can find me chillin' in my back yard - bathing suit on, margarita in hand, pretending I can't see my neighbor pretending to not see me while she prunes her tomato plants.