Back Yard Beginnings

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I know everyone actually sees more of my front yard, but these days, the yard prep is all about the backyard.  Curb appeal is overrated?  Haha, no, but I think for this year, if I can just get all our old over-grown old lady shrubs out, new sprinklers in, and a cozier patio space I will call it good.

Our backyard bugs me, but when people come over, they always comment on our "cool" backyard.  I dunno.  Although you can't tell in any of these pics, it does have a certain appeal when the string lights are on, but to be truly honest, it is way too much concrete for me.  Looking for the positives though, the kids have a blast out there everyday on there big wheels and bikes, it is less mowing for now while our lives just seem so busy, and also, less area to worry about dog clean-up.

Yet, when I look from out my kitchen window, I see a lot of cold, pale concrete.  And I'd really like to warm it up.  Ultimately, I'd like to take OUT a bunch of the concrete and start fresh, but that is just too far out of the ballpark to contemplate (although, OK, I do think/dream about it)!

Here is what my backyard looks like currently. Believe it or not, we've actually come along way even from when we first moved in.  We've taken out A LOT of old overgrown shrubs and holly.  And last summer, I replanted the middle hexagon with perennials to add some pops of color.

Here is a huge dilemma for us/me:  Those fence panels are asbestos.  And try as I might, I just can't hang with them.  I am a worrier through and through and I need them gone.  That is the conclusion I've come to just today.  For a while, I wanted to paint them--seemed the cheapest/easiest route & technically a good paint job would seal in the nasty stuff.  But...prep work done properly says to scrub/clean/pressure wash before painting--and that can't be done with asbestos.  And then, what if the paint flakes off?  Then we have asbestos + paint chips + little kids.  No.

If I were to paint... [source unkown]

OK, so this is plan B.  The panels that back up to our neighbors, need privacy--so horizontal  slats would be nice.

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The other areas where the panels are actually just divide our yard from our yard, i.e., make it seem a lot smaller.  So, for those panels, perhaps replace them with wire and grow vines?  Or more horizontal slats, but thinner and see-through?

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Either option is bound to open up the space.  And taking out the cold grey panels will inevitably warm it up.  Then I want to add a ton of greenery.  Vines, grasses, ferns, sculpted trees, flowers, potted plants--you name it, I think I want it all!  Tastefully added, of course!

For the kids, I dream of things like this:

Anyway, longest of long posts.  Which fence idea do y'all like the best?

Stay tuned...