Description

Michael Glassman redesigns his own backyard and gives you tips on the way. See what his backyard looks like before and after.

Transcript

Backyard Design Tips Craig: Well while we’re in the subject of renewal Pat McConaughey is just back from Davis. Pat: Hey Craig. Craig: Hi Pat and she has some over the fence advice for these skeptics among us who don’t quite believe that you can accomplish a backyard makeover in a single weekend. Pat: Oh just wait till we show you. For this week’s makeover, we have nationally known landscape designer Michael Glassman in the hot seat. You know he maybe a whiz with his clients but he couldn’t find a time to deal with the problem in his own backyard. Michael: I need do something with that backyard. It needs a make over. I think you want to paint the fence it looks like an old barn. No, I think I’m going to put some plants in it I think that would look good. I need to prune and I got to get rid of the garbage. There’s just too much garbage there. Pat: Well hey Michael. Michael: Hi Pat. Pat: I understand we’re doing a makeover. Michael: Yes. Pat: But I’m a little confused. We’re doing it here in your yard. Michael: It’s not in the backyard. We already did a makeover. I wanted to put it all together, it is a small space but make it really, give it some pizzazz. Pat: And you’ve done that. Michael: We did that. Pat: But it looks like you spent all your energy here then I guess. Michael: It’s really the side yard we’re going to work on. Come on let me show it to you. Pat: Alright, well I’m anxious to see the problem. Michael: Well welcome to tobacco road. Pat: Oh Michael what were you thinking. Here is a designer with his own problem, kind of like the cobbler who doesn’t have any shoes. Michael: Exactly. Well the funny thing is, is that when we got the whole yard down this was one area that everyone had their ideas. Pat: So it ended up as nothing. Just a mess. Michael: A mess of dead plants a lot of old pots and everything. Pat: What do you do where do you start? What’s the thinking that goes into this? Michael: Basically taking in the family, we decided we wanted a focal point in the center so we’re thinking about putting this raised urn with some beautiful plantings. We wanted some symmetry and some balance and we wanted to replant this. I want to clean it up and get rid of all the garbage and cut back a lot of the plants, paint the fence so it doesn’t look like an old barn and kind of give it some pizzazz because right now it looks like a garbage bin. Pat: Yeah it certainly does that’s what I would say no pizzazz here. Michael: By the time we did the rest of the yard, the budget was really, really slim here. Pat: So you’re like everybody else. Michael: Exactly. Pat: You got the same problems we all do. Michael: It doesn’t matter who you are I mean cost is cost and time is cost. You know the big thing is how long and how much time do you have to spend to do this. Pat: So Michael how long is this going to take, a week or what? Michael: With a little bit of man power and some digging are you ready? Pat: I’m not so sure. Michael: In a day. Pat: A day. Michael: A day, we’re going to get some help from down the street some of the neighbor’s kids that are coming in. Pat: Smart Michael. Michael: That’s right a little bit of family help and we can get this done in a day. Pat: Okay and when are we going to get started? Michael: Bright and early tomorrow morning so put on your gardening clothes and we’ll start getting this ready. Pat: Good morning Michael. Michael: Good Morning Pat. Pat: It’s a new day and I’m ready and rare in to go. Michael: Oh good. Pat: Thank goodness we’ve got a gang to help us. Michael this is a little overwhelming where do we get started? Michael: We got to get rid of this ladder, we got to take out this table. We have to cut down the plants and pull out the stumps and then here’s this. Well let’s get started. Pat: Hey don’t you guys think this is going pretty well. Michael: Oh yeah. Pat: Okay the clean up is all done. Now the planting. Michael: No painting. Pat: Painting. Michael: Yes’ we’re going to paint the fence. Pat: Why? Michael: Well the reason we paint the fence is because right now it looks like an old barn. If you paint it the house trim color it brings it all together architecturally it makes it more interesting. Pat: Michael are we finally ready to start planting. Michael: We’re ready. Pat: Well how do you know what to plant? Michael: Well there were certain requirements and that was dictated by what my wife wanted so I made sure that when we went to the nursery they had the same watering requirements and the same sun or shade requirements. Pat: How do you know where to place the plants? I might just be inclined to just stick them anywhere, what do you look for? Michael: In this case what my wife like is what made her happy. Wife: I vowed I wouldn’t butt in but I’m having my two sons. Michael: Sometimes it’s grouping sometimes it’s hike sometimes it’s just what your eye says looks good and everyone’s eye is a little different. Pat: Oh I like this bench. Michael: A place to sit and enjoy our handy work. Pat: What a difference a day makes I can’t believe what we’ve done and it’s gorgeous. Michael: And in 1 day.