Houston, We Have Plants!!

This past weekend, Dave and I worked our butts off...and of course I have the bruises and marks to prove it. *I will spare you the visual on those though*.

We moved one step closer to having a completely finished backyard. Remember, we just got the concrete and pool done. Then we moved onto some pool furniture and canopy. We now have the child safety fence up (I did not help with that, but Dave's dad came over for a day and helped install that, and a lot of other projects).

This past Saturday was FINALLY the day that we were able to go out and purchase some plants!! Now of course, we differed on our "vision" for the backyard, but let's just say (and pay CLOSE attention because you will not see it again) Dave's was more realistic and practical (did you catch it?). Yep that's right.

I wanted a tranquil, Japanese style garden feel without the tropical, and Dave was partial to the tropical plants. Well, he kindly allowed me to see the error of my ways, with the help of Juan, the ever friendly plant man down at Thompson's Building Materials. He patiently spent a day with us (about a month ago) walking through their vast nursery, kindly telling me why each plant and tree that I chose would not work for the pool. Bamboo...too messy, Pepper tree, will stain your pool, other trees will try to root where the water is and destroy the pool. This needs shade or a different environment, or that is just plain ugly (according to Dave). Regardless, he humored me all day, until I decided to declare defeat...of course with some conditions. I wanted to try to pick unique plants...as much as we could. Something that you don't see all the time.

Some of the plants we bought lined up by height (Dave's idea)

Anyway, we FINALLY were able to pick out plants and trees, and worked all day to put them in. We had quite a day ahead of us as we also had to install a drip system as well. Of course we went back to Juan to pick out our plants. After all, he did devote a day to me, politely crushing my vision. :) This is where the bruise part of the story came...I was viciously and senselessly attacked by plants. The cart we were using had a plastic bottom and broke and the BIG plants we had picked out came barreling out at my left leg, taking the skin with it. I have this huge bruise and big welt on it now. It hurt SO bad. Dave, of course, a pillar of empathy and compassion just told me to "stop whining and shake it off". Lord! Give me a moment!


The Queen Palm that attacked both myself and Dave

Later on that day, as we were installing the Queen Palm, he let go and the Palm went STRAIGHT into my shoulder, spiky leaves and all. It was like 10 needles going straight at my arm. Of course that area is quite tender as well and I have welts. Dave's response: "Sorry". Don't worry, faithful blog readers. Karma has a funny way of rearing it's ugly head. That vicious Palm got him back. Hard too! Right in the noggin. TWICE!!! I'm sure he has the welts to prove that too :) Of course I gave him PLENTY of sympathy :)

Here are some pictures of the final product. I noticed that I did not take any pictures of the plants and trees in the ground from the right (if you scan our yard facing the pool from left to right), so you will have to use your imagination.

If I HAVE to have a palm tree I want something different. This is my fox fur palm

The view from behind the slide

View from the left of the yard
View from the right by the spa towards the grotto

Plants by the spa
Plants by the spa with the palm tree Dave picked out