I love planning my garden. I keep putting in flowers and plants, thinking “this is probably going to look really good in a few years”.

Here’s the plan for the left side of our yard along the fence, cutesy illustration style:

That’s the neighbor’s tree, but it’s very close to the fence and it hangs over our yard. Hydrangeas (and hostas) will do well in the shade underneath. A variegated Ivory Halo Dogwood will provide some privacy for the egg chair that I want so badly, and peonies and a lilac bush will provide some nice spring blooms.

Brandon bought an Eastern Redbud for me from our local nursery! It’s my favorite tree, and mine will be delivered on August 29.

I’d like the tree to be a part of a larger planting area. I want it to be surrounded by bushes and flowers and not just plunked in the middle of the yard, but the spot that I did want it in (near the patio) has an electrical wire running directly underneath. So I did what I often do when I need to think… I sketched.

I reworked the sketch into two cleaned up and colored versions. One shows the backyard as it is now, and the other shows the expanded garden version:

The two large purple/pink circles are Eastern Redbud trees (the neighbor has one that leans over our fence). As for the rest of the garden, I’m not entirely sure which plants I’ll be using but it feels good to have some direction.

OK, I’ve seen this odd chair from Pottery Barn before. I may have even laughed and wondered who would buy something so bizarre. Except now? I really want one.

It offers privacy, shade, durability, and comfort. And it’s definitely interesting to look at. I imagine it tucked away in a quiet corner of the garden, surrounded by peonies. I would grab a magazine and a glass of lemonade and go out there to relax. And how sweet would it be for curling up and reading children’s books with a little one? *ahem* Not that we have a little one… yet.