Getting Side Tracked By The Prettiest Yellow Roses

A funny thing happened on the way to getting some flowers for my Backyard Refresh, I went looking for some plants and flowers to complete another section of my backyard, and got completely side tracked by the most beautiful yellow roses I’d ever seen. If you’ve been following along, you know I’m trying hard to get the backyard summer ready, and with lots to do, it’s been done a section at a time and mostly as weekend projects. We’re working hard around here but it’s looking really great. To see the Refreshing Our Backyard Project progress go to these posts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

 As my husband and I arrived at Home Depot I immediately saw the most brilliant yellow roses at the entrance of the gardening center. I made a beeline for those flowers; I was completely drawn to them. The funny thing is, I’ve been telling my husband for a while now that there is a section of the front yard that I wanted to replant with yellow roses. As I was fawning over these stunning roses, I looked over at my husband, who at this point in our home remodeling process knew he was done for and should just go along with my latest sidetrack and project idea. Even he knew we had stumbled on to some pretty special flowers. So without any hesitation we loaded up those yellow roses and everything else we needed to do our “new” project.

Our home remodel has been a real eye-opening experience for me. Although I’ve spent most of my life interested in different forms of artistry, whether it was acting, fashion, photography, party planning, cooking, baking, gardening, interior design or the most important thing, being a mother, it hasn’t been until now that I’ve actually thought of myself as an artist. Even though I might have been told that throughout my life, for some reason the moment I saw those roses, it hit me: I see the world through the eyes of an artist and not everyone does. I really do see the beauty in the smallest of details or can find the beauty where it might be hidden away. I know that sounds funny but those yellow roses filled me with so much joy and I appreciated the amazing beauty of the brilliant, bright sunshine that illuminated from them, and the aroma that was captivating, like nothing that man could possibly manufacture, even the green of the leaves seemed more green than I had ever seen. Wow, that really sounds kinda mellow dramatic but it was sort of life changing moment and you know what, I’m embracing it. Let me say before I go on, that becoming a mother is an experience that trumps any other and God knows it has been the greatest joy I will ever know. As I’m reaching a time of change and my role is going from full-time mom to mother of adult children, I know that I have to find a new direction, and it is important to me to be an example to my girls of how to embrace change in your life. So to these yellow roses I am thankful because you’ve been a symbol of what is next and of what I’ve always been.

Okay, enough of that, let me show you these gorgeous little roses that have rocked my world and how beautiful they look in my garden.

The photos cannot possibly capture how they look in real life, but this photo comes close…

First we loaded up the car with all the flowers and dirt that we needed. We used Miracle Gro dirt as always and got some rose food also.

Unloaded and ready to get started.

Since we weren’t planning on this project we did not have the area prepped, and since we are slightly crazy, even though it was Sunday afternoon we started on a project that would normally need at least an entire day, if not two.

So my husband started with the difficult job of pulling out the existing bushes which had been there for a while and had quite the root system. The bushes are against the white wall and if you look to the left you’ll see the pink Hydrangeas I planted, see blog post here.

My husband hacking away at the root system and looking quite manly doing it (be still my heart).

Once the bushes were pulled out, the hardest part was getting all the roots out.

Once all the roots were taken out, I spray painted where I wanted the edging to go, placing the plants where I wanted for guidance.

Placing the edging. I went with the dark green plastic edging because I don’t want it to be seen but I do want it to give a nice crisp edge.

Edging done and soil prepped and ready to be planted.

Plants placed for planting.

All planted. At this point we’d had a very long day but there was just something that gave us the energy to do this project.

Here they are all planted and because we wanted to complete this project, we set off to Lowe’s to look for flowers to border the flower bed. Unfortunately, Lowe’s did not have what we were looking for and Home Depot was just too far away. Reluctantly and because we were exhausted, we decided to finish the project the next day.

I’m not sure why my husband understood how much this meant to me but he made time on a busy work day to drive to Home Depot with me and we picked up what we needed to complete the project.

 I wanted to border the roses with these pretty and dainty purple and white flowers and the triangle shape area to the left I wanted to fill in with grass.

After a busy and long Monday I’m out there planting the flowers, listening to 60’s music on iheart radio. I guess my parents must have played a lot of music when I was growing up because I knew all the words to all the songs. I guess that probably comes from having four older sisters too. Anyway, it made the time pass quickly and the work more enjoyable.

Finally completely planted.

The grass surrounding the flowers, has been seeded and should fill in nicely in a short amount of time.

The yellow of these roses is perfect. If I had a cottage style house, I would take a rose petal to the paint store and have them match it, because it would make the perfect yellow front door.

The front of my house is becoming so colorful with the new addition of roses, hydrangeas and there are more beautiful bright pink roses planted by the gate. My garden is really coming together and my house is getting such lovely curb appeal.

Again, that grass surrounding it will fill in nicely, which will make a big difference.

Here is a view of the space but I am distracted by the dirty white wall that came from the old bushes. As my husband was pulling out the bush I said “Oh, I guess we’re going to have to paint that wall”, if you could have seen the look my husband gave me. So I thought I better put that on hold for a bit. 🙂

Okay, but you gotta admit, YUCK, right?!!! And it’s taking away from those stunning roses.

There was still one more thing to get done, the little patch of triangle dirt.

So we filled it with grass.

Laying out the grass and cutting it to fit.

After all was said and done and my husband and I took in all out handy work, what did I hear out of my husbands mouth but, “You’re right, we’re going to have to paint that wall.” This is why we’ve been together for 24 years, because it will drive me crazy to see that dirty wall everyday and he agreed with me. Yay!!!!

Well, that was a long post. Those roses are making me so happy, they just keep blooming away and when I drive up to my house they just make me smile.

Now I better get back to finishing up the backyard.