Got this house December of last year. It had some decent starting points but still needed a lot of work. Here are before and current pictures. Lots more still to do!

Edit:latest pics on newest post

Before







I ripped out the bushes in the front yard and added a little succulent patch. Just layed the brick planter this morning and yesterday did the railroad tie trellis for the trumpet and wisteria to climb. The side yard was previously bare dirt, so now we have something to look st during breakfast and a lead into our hot tub when we get it eventually. Still more to do, but it's nice looking back at the progress!

















The panoramic is a little funky, but tried to show more of what went on in the backyard. Added potted habiscus, margarita succulents around. Dig up a few phormiums and put in about 25 banana plants. Also added a chouple clumping bamboo, some Pygmy palms, and cannas.

Removed a plastic shed as it really doesn't provide any more storage than an upright cabinet shed that can go on the side yard and it was founded on rotten plywood which hosted thousands of cockroaches. Right now the space is just river rock but I'm thinking of making some designed forms and putting together a concrete fire pit and adding some logs for seating.

Digging was a nightmare. Lots of rogue wires without pvc or conduit, packed clay and concrete.

We also did everything on a budget, to boot. All of the bananas and cannas were purchased on offerup for about $130. The rr ties were craigslist finds at $15/piece and one of the local nurseries unfortunately is closing so lot s of plants were 35% off

The side yard with the succulents and paver path is going to lead to a concrete slab, pergola, and hot tub when I figure it out.

Oh and raising morning glories to cover most exposed fence!

we are going for a lush tropical/beach look, so we are hoping everything really fills in next summer. Any advice or questions appreciated!

Decided to use these spare iron fences for the trellis on the rr tie posts.

Turned it into a pergola. Gonna pour concrete and put a hot tub in

Very nice!

It's looking great, Tim! You'll soon have your wonderful oasis there.

Thanks guys, it's amazing to see my before and after progression so far. Can't wait to look back a year from now and be in awe. Recently started adding a bunch of house plants too. Starting to be known as strange plant guy in my circle haha

Houseplants add so much to a home, and it seems like they are a rarity these days. I guess it's that almost no one has the time to care for them now.

It is fun to look at before and after pics. It makes all the work worthwhile.

Poured the concrete myself (ouch). Just waiting for hot tub

Great job, Tim. That will be a great setting for your hot tub. You'll have your own resort soon.

Thanks, karen, Sure hope to!

Hot tub in! Now the wait until the bananas, cannas, wisteria, trumpet vine enclose my entire yard!

Your house is really very beautiful, I don't think you need to improve something in your house.

Added some privacy lattice, crotons, cordyline ti, passion vine, bower vine and a vine lilac. Can't wait for spring

Wow, it's already gorgeous, but when all those plants grow it will be paradise! Does your area ever get frosts? Some of those may do well for a while til you have an unexpected hard freeze. I used to be 9b in Arizona and I tried a lot of those. I had bananas, crotons and cordyline freeze and not come back.

I love the lattice work you put on the top of the fence. It really makes it nice, and more privacy.

plantmanager said:Wow, it's already gorgeous, but when all those plants grow it will be paradise! Does your area ever get frosts? Some of those may do well for a while til you have an unexpected hard freeze. I used to be 9b in Arizona and I tried a lot of those. I had bananas, crotons and cordyline freeze and not come back.

I love the lattice work you put on the top of the fence. It really makes it nice, and more privacy.

Thank you very much!

Yes, we grt annual frost. Everything survived successfully this year. Some leaf damage to the bananas but that was the worst of it. As everything conintues to fill in I hope that the microclimate will self support all the tenders. I'll be stapling some frost cloth over all of the tenders this time around and hope for no damage at all. I decided to put the cordyline in the ground after seeing a few different homes in my zone (in fact slightly colder) have surviving cordyline tis. Although admittedly it was a very mild winter, I'm hoping for the best moving forward.

It sounds like you have it all covered very well. I've found putting lots of big rocks in the landscape really helps hold the heat for the plants, and you have a lot of great rockscape there. You've done a lot of hard work. I can't wait to see photos in a year or two! It will be a real joy for you.

Spring is here! I've done a few more projects. I added another brick planter under my guest bedroom window, painted my brick to match trim, removed large cedar tree. I added a variety of succulents, a peach tree, 2 queen palms in the front yard. Everything is starting to fill out and recover from winter frosts. The wisteria thst the nursery said was mature and blooming isn't yet unfortunately :(.

Both monstera deliciosas under the patio came from a neighborhood gardener for $20 each...couldn't say no

I also leveled my lawn and parkway strip and seeded some grass..still a bit patchy but looks 50x better to me.


I'll add some snaps of my ice plant in mid day bloom...they are breath taking.

Looks fantastic, shows you have been working hard.

Added some pavers and shade for an extra sitting area. Put two mexicola avocados in the ground and have a mango seedling as well next to my orange tree. My vision is to one day be sitting next to a canopy of fruiting tropical fruits. Working on propagating a fig tree under the plastic bag. Wisteria bursted with blooms! I thought the nursery lied about it being mature, as all of the wisteria around town were already blooming. It seems as though the Chinese variety bloom a month earlier than the Kentucky blue moon.

Wow!! You've done a lot of work in such a short time. Just thought I'd let you know that there are usually a lot of agaves, succulents, and tropicals at the give - take at Fresno State. Never know what you might find to add your tropical paradise in our not so tropical Fresno heat.