Life After Mother: Designs for Outdoor Living

When I moved into my mother’s home, much of both the house and finances had been neglected, with my mother just leaving everything for her daughter to take care of. I had to prioritize, and the yard got low priority. With so much to do, I had little time to spend on the back yard, so grass died and weeds grew. My attempts to plant flowers, vegetables and herbs failed. 

Three years later, now that my family finances and my home’s indoor living spaces are organized, I can turn some serious attention to my outdoor living spaces, in hopes of being able to enjoy summer a little more. I still have my father’s original drawings for landscaping, so I’m hoping I can just put my twists on his designs. 

When my father planted the yard more than sixty years ago, he made a magnolia tree the centerpiece, but now that tree has died. I’d like to replace it by transplanting my avocado tree and making it into the new centerpiece of the back yard. That would get the avocado out from under the utility lines, which, I’m sure, will be an improvement. Some people advise me to cut down the old avocado tree and plant another one, but I don’t need a new tree if I can successfully transplant the old one. 

If I’m to re-design the back yard into a more usable outdoor living space, I’ll also need to replant the lawn, which likely involves cutting down some more trees that have grown where they shouldn’t, and incorporating a contemporary drought-tolerant design. The front lawn has sprinklers but the back yard doesn’t, and emphasizing drought-tolerant landscaping, with more walkways or recreational-use areas, seems preferable to just planting new turf that needs to be regularly watered, by hand or by sprinkler system.  Even the patio, I could just leave it the way it is, with loose flagstones and plastic chairs, or I could spend the time and money necessary to create a deck with a fire pit or hot tub or both.

Both side yards are currently wasted space, too. Both need new landscaping, perhaps a drought-tolerant design. The walkway on one side needs to be repaired and widened, while the other side is nothing but a tangle of grass and weeds. If I’m inclined to spend the time and money, I could utilize the extra outdoor space as gardens, walkways, or storage areas.

So once I’ve designed my own outdoor living space, using my father’s designs as inspiration, then I’ll have to see about hiring someone for the work, since, at my age, my outdoor activity is limited. I’ll stick to simple tasks like potting plants, planting seeds, raking, sweeping, and watering. Having friends over for some open-air refreshment is something this senior can handle, too.