It was a mess. We inherited most of the mess when we bought the house two years ago, but we really didn't do much to get it into shape. Then last summer, we got that pile of flagstone for free from a neighbour who was getting rid of it, and we made grand plans to pull up that crumbling brick and lay down a flagstone walkway.

[ scroll right for the "after" pic ]

Fast forward to a year later (now!) and we finally got it done, with the help of a tireless crew made up of parents and siblings. YARD: trimmed down the hedges, weeded, tilled the soil, planted shrubs at the base of the tree (euonymus, hostas, silver mound wormwood), and lavender bushes up against the house (wee little ones that you can barely see). WALKWAY: pulled up the brick, poured in limestone screening, laid the flagstone, poured triple mix into the cracks, and planted Irish moss. We're hoping the moss takes root and fills in the rest of the cracks.

We're absolutely in love with it! If all goes well, I'll take some more pictures in a couple of months when everything has taken root. Digits crossed!