White picket fence dreams

With our puppy arriving in April we realized today that we need to get to work on the fence and backyard.

Since we have about a month to complete the project (as well as finishing the back splash) we're going to be pretty busy in our house!

We've been contemplating getting a coated chain-link fence. However, it may be just as cost-efficient to get a wood picket fence instead (and the installation would be a lot easier).

The saying of "white picket fence" brings to mind images of 1950's suburbia and the notion of the "American Dream." Well, at least in my mind it does. It's not something that I generally resonate with, but the house was built in the 50's so maybe it will resonate with the house.

But, I can't imagine just doing a white picket fence. That's a lot of white paint. However, it would then give me reason to expand from the "blue and white garden" I was planning and just do a bunch of color. The white would be a nice, neutral backdrop for a variety of colors. We're painting the house a taupe-grey color at some point - so a white fence would match the trim and look really sharp.

But, there's that part of me... that part of me that wants to just do something different.

I was thinking a blue fence would be really pretty.

found on 5thsister.blogspot.com

I think it's really pretty. It's soft enough that it's not obnoxiously blue, but it would provide some contrast against white and blue flowers. Maybe just a light coating of light blue stain would be good or some watered-down blue paint.

I'm still debating on whether or not I want to do a forsythia hedge in the backyard or not. That goes against my blue and white "theme" I had planned back there, but I LOVE forsythia. Ideally we'd make a hedge along the back edge of our property. When it's matured and in full bloom, it would look like this: 

originally found at: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2304625

It's really pretty... 

But, I don't know if I want to have a giant yellow backdrop for my garden either. 

Right now I have a short list of flowers I know I'm planning on planting in my backyard. 

• Bearded iris (varieties of blues and whites) 
• Asiatic lily (white) 
• Delphinium (blue and white varieties) 
• Peony (white) 
• Rhododendron (white) 
• Hydrangea (blue) 
• Iris (dutch blue) 
• Tulip (white) 

I know there are tons of other plants I can choose from, but I haven't really added them into my brain yet. I notice that I really like flowering shrubs (peony, rhododendron, hydrangea) and I'm not sure how I'm going to incorporate all of them. I also want to include some greenery here and there. Maybe some English boxwood or something of that sort. 

We're also adding a fire pit in the yard (we have the materials, but we had to wait until the ground was soft enough to dig) and at some point, possibly a deck (for a grill and a table and chairs). I don't think we'll have enough room to do a canopy (damn!) but a nice deck would look lovely. Besides, how often are we going to be outside when it's raining? 

We have a weird little alcove that gets next to nothing for light and I'm hoping to turn it into a neat little faerie garden at some point. That would be a fun project. :) 

For the time being, getting the fence up is the first step. All the gardening and what not can be done later on. Besides, we're going to be busy with our new puppy!