Meet Cousin It

Isn't he cute?

Cousin It is one of about 100 gorgeous plants that were introduced to their new home this week. And, my oh my, do I have a new-found respect for landscaper designers. These people know their stuff and have a vision that I just don't.

We are working with a long time friend and uber-talented landscape designer, Audrey Newell from The Foxy Garden in San Francisco. We worked together to make a plan and she identified the plants that would work well, both from a design standpoint and also with the soil and sun requirements necessary. Then we worked with our friends Chet and Jayme Finley from Finley Family Farms to place the order.

This is where things went haywire. Many of the plants we requested weren't available from the nursery. So we started substituting. I didn't want to bother Audrey so I made executive decisions which I shouldn't have. In the end, we had many plants and trees delivered. And many plants and trees returned. And then other delivered. So stressful and not fun. Ugh.

Plants coming in (including giant 36" box Crepe Myrtle)

Plants going out (including 36" box Crepe Myrtle)

Disaster of the week: we dug the hole for this tree only to find a giant sewer line right below it. So back it went!

This is the plant list, just for the backyard.

And here's the schematic.

And here are Audrey's gorgeous drawings. Her style is incredible.
(My feet are in there for scale)

And here is the current state of things in the backyard.

Front of the house

Mid-planting with our fabulous local landscaper, Ubaldo, and his helper.

Now for the inside

Here is a pano shot of the lower level. You can see the trim sprayed on the dining room wall.

Here is the banquet with the custom cushions put in (just to make sure they fit).

Lance installing wainscoting on the kitchen island.

The prized window

Here it is taped off. And then sprayed with trim color.

This is the wainscotting that just got its final coat of paint. The satin finish is divine. I just want to touch it.

And here is the painted cove ceiling. I'm dying!

Afraid of heights, anyone?

What's he doing? Well, he created his little invention to allow him to put the trim on those Clerestory window and to put in the lightbulb! Just to give you some context, he is about 20 feet above the ground floor.

Master closet door

No, you are not seeing things. This is the opening to the walk-in closet in the master bedroom. It is occupying one of the attic eaves so we are working with some unusual angles. You can see the marking on the plastic (image to the right) where they will have to cut the purchased door to modify it. Just one of the million things that need to get done in this final count down.