What a difference a year makes!

While we were outside testing stain samples for our front porch (more on that next week), I thought I would grab a couple of photos of the house. Although we're still a few weeks away from blooming hydrangeas I thought I would share what a difference a year makes.
I can't believe how much our plants have grown.

Last Year:

This Year:

We still have lots of plans for the exterior:

 1. We'd like to add an archway above the side gate, and maybe grow some wisteria on it. I'm hoping to make it a bigger pergola style archway.

2. I would love it if Lee could weld up a window box for me, I would put it under the third bedroom window, and grow some beautiful trailing flowers in it.

3. This will be one of our larger exterior projects, we plan on adding some cedar shingles to the second peak, like the cedar shingles in the first peak.
Also, we'll be welding up a new pendant light to replace the way under scaled one that is there now!

4. And Lastly, we'll plant some hostas on the shady side of our house between us and the neighbors.

It's a bit hard to see what's going on in the front, so I thought I'd share my front yard inspiration with you . . . I found this image on Pinterest a couple years ago and Loved the idea of a hedge of wild hydrangeas being contained by a hedge of super structured boxwood. So that's what is planted out front, white hydrangeas and boxwood!

Hopefully this is what our front yard will look like in 3 or 4 more years.

It's easy to overlook your growing perennials, which is why I'm so glad that I have this picture from last year to compare against. Patience is not a virtue of mine, so seeing evidence that things are in fact growing is really helpful for Me!!