The back of the tiny house was looking pretty rough (I can't find the before photo) - it had no architectural details, and mainly looked like a garage with white siding.
The rear of the house was mostly clay! Though a few plants survived - thankfully the mimosa/silk tree miraculously made it (and in the photo below, you can see a few blooms). As well, some older hues survived, though this year we gave them an aggressive pruning which won't pay off till 2026.
The area behind the house has an unusual shape and size, and I envisioned a classic "secret garden" landscaping plan. I also knew the house needed a few architectural details. Notes on what I did are below the photos.
I started with shutters to match the main house - to my surprise, the size I needed was on clearance for $30 a pair - a real steal! I had received a solar lamp, the kind that belongs on a post, for free - but it didn't come with a post! This was a major challenge given the hardware and dimensions. After looking into a ton of options and talking to various lumber yard employees, I bought a 4' fence post ground spike ($15) that gave it the stability it needed (it's metal and real glass, weighs quite a bit), then got a fence post with some decorative details (which was also on clearance for $16!).
I really wanted a flagstone path - but getting a small quality of flagstone proved a challenge - until I found a listing on facebook marketplace! The seller was only about half a kilometer away. Initially, I missed out on the sale, but the buyer left some unwanted pieces behind, so the seller invited me to come clear it from her driveway for FREE! It was enough to create the path you see in the photos.
As for the plants (and there are indeed fairly lights and path interspersed among them), they are almost all transplanted from other parts of the garden! In the centre is a yucca that survived - and it was glorious when in bloom. On either side, there is some mint which I prune to shape, hostas, stonecrop, some interesting and delicate ornamental sage, creeping sedum, several varieties of creeping phlox, veronica, and snapdragons. I tried to vary the colour and texture, and get as many flowering varieties in as possible. They are new transplants, so I expect the blooms will be better next year, but I'm mostly happy with the way it's come together.
The opposite side (not pictured) is still a VERY immature garden, and it will be at least another year before that side really takes shape.
