Here is a photo of the front of the house when the house was purchased. The house had been neglected for years and had been sitting empty for several months prior to it being listed. Every time I walked past the house since I'd moved back to Idaho in 2018, I would feel sad that such a grand house was falling into disrepair. Then the day came when a For Sale sign was posted!
Unfortunately, I had just made an offer on another home. The home I had purchased when I moved back to Idaho was getting it's finishing touches and I was ready to list it as a vacation rental on VRBO. I was looking for another project...and a place to live. I withdrew the offer on the other house and entered into negotiations on this house. I knew it was going to be a huge undertaking, but completely underestimated what it was going to take to even make to house livable!
I would like to invite you to join me on my journey as I renovate My Private Idaho...
Demo would take a couple months and seven huge dumpsters of debris, gutting the house. While the HVAC, electrical and plumbing was being done this spring, I tackled the front yard, taking out a stump, bringing in about 50 bags of compost, tilling it in, and designing my combination vegetable/herb garden, English style country gardens with a flowering crabapple tree, and a patch of grass for the dogs.
The birdbath is already a favorite for several species of birds and I've seen a couple hummingbirds enjoying the flowers.
I love the combination of colors and textures! A paradise for butterflies and birds.
Almost all of the plants and shrubs planted this spring were salvaged from the clearance racks at Walmart and Lowes. A two-zone watering system, set up on a timer has helped keep the plants healthy, even during the extended heat dome experienced here in Idaho. Every Friday, all of the plants get a good dose of Miracle Grow fertilizer.
This is such a great idea to write a blog to document the progress of this house renovation. I really love the yard.