When we bought our house this spring there was a tall fence blocking the view of the front (and all the dirt and weeds). You can sort of see the fence to the right in this pic. Before we even moved in hubby ripped off the fence but two tall posts remained.
For our anniversary I requested we tackle this project in lieu of the diamond necklace I'm sure my husband had picked out for me. :)
As with any joint project in marriage, it started out with negotiations.
Me: What would you think of re-landscaping the front this weekend?
Hubby: What did you have in mind?
Me: (thinking quickly... as an ENFP I have a feeling of what I want, not a detailed step-by-step list in mind) Ummm, I liked the idea of cutting back the posts and putting up a split-rail fence.
Hubby: What else?
Me: We could put in a couple of rows of plants and flowers in front of the fence...(if it doesn't snow first).
Hubby: I'd like to have a specific plan before we start.
After 13 years of marriage this response is not surprising. He is the opposite of my personality, an ISTJ who likes to have a plan, not a feeling to guide him. Lucky him, he married me to add all the go-with-your-gut instinct he lacks. Lucky me, I married him, to actually get the job done right the first time, within budget and efficiently.
Me: Okay, I'll call our friend who is a master gardener and see if she has any suggestions.
Saturday morning rolls around and we finalize our plans with a bit of tension and more negotiating. After soccer we agree to at least get the fence done. If there is time we will go to phase 2: mulch. How is it that those Home Depot and Lowes commercials make this look so much easier, more exciting and less stressful on a marriage???
While hubby patiently drills away at the fence posts, the garden expert comes over and consults with me about plants. Seeing as there really is no "we" in the fence project beyond my idea to do it, I work on painting the Adirondack chairs. (I'll digress here to tell you that my sweet, sweet husband knows my sentimental side. These chairs were a gift from my dear friend Heather and her husband when we bought our first house a decade-ish ago. They sorely needed refinishing. When we moved here the chairs came in pieces with just a white base coat on them. Hubby surprised me by re-assembling them for a couple weeks ago.)
Sunday arrives, our 13th anniversary. After church and the Packers (who won BTW), we move onto phase 2. Hubby digs out the clogged drain pipe in front while I make my first trip to Lowes. I return with 14 bags of mulch and various drain parts that the Lowes employee sort of knew I might need but didn't seem that much more sure than I was.
As we are spreading the mulch I think about those chairs and where we are going to put them. The potential flower bed that will look soooo pretty (dreamer side of an ENFP) until I never get around to weeding it (reality side of me) is actually a nice flat place for two comfortable bright red chairs. The best part is chairs won't need weeding and will add color all year long.
I tentatively broach the idea of a change of plans.
Me: What would you think of putting mulch in front of the fence instead of plants? And our chairs and a table out there?
Hubby: I think that it could work. Pavers would look really nice. (He considers the extra cost for a few minutes and labor involved. Suddenly my unplanned feeling merges with his logical budgeting expertise.) I think the wood chips are a great idea!
Me: Great! I head back to Lowes for round two.
I love projects that make a big difference but take very little time. My attention span is pretty limited. Doing mulch means no waiting until spring to plant! And we can always add some plants later anyways.
And that is how two very different people with opposite approaches to just about everything re-landscape together.
Part of the reason I wanted to do this for our anniversary is bc I wanted a project we could do together. Sure the selfish side of me would like to just have my way, starting off the day wandering through the nursery and grabbing whatever plant looks pretty. And I'm sure my husband would have rather finished up a few other things last weekend than start a new one with me. But that is the wonderful thing about marriage. Two people forced to lay down their preferences, seeking to honor and love the other...and occasionally by God's grace, getting it right. In this case, a much improved landscape-nice.
Oh, and we did get cleaned up and have a very nice date out that night! Patio seating, fire place and a mountain view. LOVE!
Now I think I'm going to go finish that other chair...stop and by and have a sit with us when you are nearby!
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