Over the past 7 years that we’ve owned our house we’ve spent a lot of time and money on creating a backyard oasis in the middle of urban Pittsburgh.  From the patio that we built by hand to all of the perennials culled from our parents’ gardens it is finally beginning to feel established.  And it’s looking SO good this year in particular.

We finally decided to have a deck built over an old concrete set of steps that were a total tripping hazard for kids and adults alike…too many spilled or broken glasses of wine happened here.  I also decided that the air conditioning unit was not such a lovely new addition to the yard (although much needed in the house every summer) so our contractor devised a mock-shed.  The deck and shed still need to be stained but so far, so good!

Our new door leading from the kitchen to the backyard is nothing short of awesome.  For years we had an old door that opened inward (barely scraping by our kitchen counter) and I had always dreamed of a glass door that would open outward into the yard.  It’s as great as I imagined it would be (minus the little two year old handprints that frequently decorate the door).  The additional light that it lets into the kitchen and the ability to see the kids playing while we are inside cooking makes the new addition worth every penny.

 

Green thumb I am not but somehow plants and vegetables seem to thrive without much attention!

Gardening Support:  The Simple Gardener, Pittsburgh PA

Construction/General Contractor:  Rich Hughes Construction, Pittsburgh PA