Our Starter Lawn and Entryway and then a Garden Party

It is hard to believe that we are already on the fag end of 2016 summer. With all I know, August will pass in a flash and schools would re-open and we would be celebrating yet another Halloween. While all these seem routine, for us everything is new. It has just been two weeks in this new home of ours, and here I am celebrating a Garden Party already :-)



Please join me on this fabulous party hosted by Ursula of Home Made By Carmona and be inspired with some outstanding outdoor spaces.


Now, a very hearty welcome to all those who are new over here. I am Anima, formerly a software engineer with no clue on what was going on around me - turned mother, home maker and a design enthusiast and student. I live in Aldie, Virginia with my small family in a sub-urban builder spec home. We moved just a couple of weeks ago and this is a story of our newly laid out starter garden.

Well, I am not really sure if we can call our lawn, a garden yet, because it is still in its initial days, with a number of patches yet to turn green. Have you ever imagined the amount of work it takes to build those lush green lawns in the neighborhood homes? I never really thought about it until we were thrown an almost golden lawn at our faces and asked to water it, nurture it and turn it into green. It is scary for a black thumbed one like me. .

As of now, we are advised to water it, given the temperature twice a day. Early mornings are the best time to water, so we start around 6 and it goes on until 8 and evening we do it around the time of sunset. Ours is a fairly large backyard that is open to neighbors and while we are not allowed to dig or build on it for initial months when it is under warranty period, all I could do to feel at home was to set up a few plants in the front entry. And that is what I did. A little curb appeal doesn't hurt anyone right? How do you add a little pretty when there is no much budget or time? Let us find out.


This Design Journal 2016 summer tour of Front Garden


The front Door - As I said earlier - there are limitations on me as how far I can play with the things around here - so anything I add must be cosmetic. What better way to decorate your front door than a cutie wreath?

DIY Wreath with Home Goods and Michael Stores

Easy and Frugal DIY Wreath

I made this pretty and functional planter with the help of a tutorial from Home Depot. If you are not aware, they conduct weekly workshops for small DIYs which I have found to be very useful. This was supposed to be house number display plate, but since I do have house numbers displayed prominently on a number of spots, I just turned it to be a welcome message board. More on that in another post - that is when I figure out how to put that up on our vinyl siding ( Couldn't find a suitable hook - and drilling is a non-starter with my husband.) Any help there from you would be highly appreciated.

DIY Welcome sign with Planter with Home Depot

Here are some of different angles of the yard and some close-up shots for your entertainment. :-)

This Design Journal 2016 summer tour of Front Garden


This Design Journal 2016 summer tour of Front Garden

This Design Journal 2016 summer tour of Front Garden

This Design Journal 2016 summer tour of Front Garden


Here is a glimpse of the street.

This Design Journal 2016 summer tour of Front Garden

And some pinwheels - must have for summer right? Even though they magically disappear when ever my little one is out and about :-)

This Design Journal 2016 summer tour of Front Garden

This Design Journal 2016 summer tour of Front Garden

With that we conclude this impromptu garden tour. Please do come back to enjoy some of my easy, frugal tweaks to get this builder spec home into one with charm, personality and character and lots of love and happiness.

And before you go, do check out all these wonderful spaces.


27 comments

  1. That is beautiful Anima! I can't believe u have already created a very welcoming entry in just 2 weeks, not to mention all the other moving tasks. I never knew those green lawns took so much work. I thought they just 'grew'. Lovely welcome rug, btw! Congratulations again on your lovely home, can't wait to follow along your adventures and see how you make it yours. You are off to a wonderful start.

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    1. Thank you Vin, I definitely was time& budget pressed - Gardens are definitely a ton of effort and if we don't start early and in advance, a lot of money. The lawn - oh, my - better not talk about the struggle - the high temps of June-July doesn't help a bit either. I am hoping to put down a simple but big patio by next spring. We dont have the budget for a built-in sprinkler as of now - and without it it is hours of work at least for first year. Anyways - these things go on and on I suppose.

      You liked the rug too? all those who have visited or seen them have loved it. Fount it in Worldmarket. It is a little small in size but it is such a pretty surprise couldn't pass up. Who cares if it is a bit small right?

      Thank you for your encouraging words - means so much to me. Thank you.

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  2. Hi Anima! New to your blog and so happy to be on this garden tour with you! Love your zinnias! Those are a fav one mine. I also love that "hello" planter!

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    1. Hi Chelsea, it is exciting that you stopped by. I am not really new to your blog - but found the DC part only now - I have this weird excitement when I see bloggers from who have been to DC - So don't be surprised if you happen to see a number of hits on old posts :-) .

      I am kind of new to blog-land - started this one in 2014 - but has been a hobby until recently - a place to write - vent and document. Trying to grow it to something beautiful :-).

      Zinnias are my favorite too , it is one of the few flowers that we get to see a lot in Kerala, my homeland , so has a special place. Made that planter a while ago from a Home Depot tutorial .

      Thank you again for stopping by. Hope we get to know each other more ?

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  3. Aldie? I have so many friends out that was in Loudoun County! Hope you're enjoying the summer! I'm new to your blog as well, thanks so much for the lovely garden tour :)

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    1. Hey Heather, Thank you for stopping by. I am new-ish around the blog land - It has been a hobby and I had never thought of putting myself out there or meeting people. I have been reading your for a while though, the anonymous- invisible kind of reader :-) and I enjoy your casual playful style a lot.. I am getting to know most of you slowly, and all those who I have made friends with are amazingly kind and friendly - my introvert-shy nature doesn't help much though :-) .

      Thank you again for having me in your tour gang again . It has been wonderful.

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  4. So inviting. I love the little "hello" sign.

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving lovely words Chris.

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  5. Hi Anima! Thanks for sharing your pretty outdoor space - I love your DIY welcome planter! xo

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    1. Thank you Jen. I was so happy and proud to be part of it :-) . The welcome planter was a Home Depot DIY.

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  6. I Love your front door wreath Anima! It's so pretty! Congrats on your new home too doll! <3

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    1. Thank you Ursula, for your kind words, for having me in your party - I was blown away by the way the whole thing was organised. Awesome. Thank you again for doing this. You rock.

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  7. Ooh la laa I absolutely love your whole front porch styling. Your welcome mat is the best i have ever seen. Want it!! It looks so welcoming and inviting. To think that you only moved in a couple of weeks ago!! You did a wonderful job. Time and budget is an issue for so many of us, myself included. You give a great example of what can be achieved with some design flare and effort. I am so grateful for this great garden tour bringing me to your lovely blog. I've a feeling I will be here quite a bit☺

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    1. Hi Margaret, Welcome to Design Journal. Your lovely words make my day :-) . Everyone loves that welcome mat - from World Market - it was a surprise find for me too. And yes, time and budget - I am forced to find work-around all the time - in a way I like that challenge - tweaking, making, waiting for a sale -makes things all the more memorable right?
      Thank you again for stopping by, always a pleasure.

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  8. A new house - so exciting! Congrats. Your front porch is so welcoming!! Love all the planters and that hello sign!

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    1. Thank you Ashley. Yes, new house - exciting and scary. Hoping to learn from seasoned ones like you :-) . I love my hello planter too - if only I could figure out a way to hang it without drilling :-( . Thank you again for stopping by. You rock :-)

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  9. Beautiful, Anima! I love that wreath and the planter you made. Super cute! Congrats on the new house. From the pictures you shared it looks lovely!

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    1. Thank you Iris, both for your wishes and kind words. I love those too - especially since they are the first things I made for the house.

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  10. Hi Anima! Your home is lovely. My favorite part is the Hello welcome sign. Congrats on your new home, that's so exciting!

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    1. Thank you Jen, thank you for the kind words. Yes, new house is exciting and scary - especially since this is the first one we own :-)

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  11. I love that Hello welcome sign that you made, Anima!

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  12. It's all so welcoming!! Very pretty :)

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  13. I love that hello sign!! What a pretty house.

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  14. Anima you home is so beautiful! I am immediately drawn to the colors. Beautiful space.

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  15. Hey Anima, just got a chance to go through your blog and posts. You have done a great job both - your blog and your new home. Love the entryway, it is coming along so well. The wreath and the doormat are my favourite!! Will keep following along.

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