I just designed my garden in a small front space and thought I'd send you the before and after pictures to add to your magazine if you have the space!

Our lawn was the victim of chafer bug invasion and then the birds tore up our lawn in order to snack on the larva. So out went the lawn in April and two months later this is what my garden space looked like.

It is a garden with 95% perennial and 5% annual plants. The interlocking paving stones were discarded by a homeowner in North Vancouver so it took me about 3 weeks in all to pick up the stones, level the ground in our garden and then lay them down. A lot of hard work but so rewarding in the end!

Our whole family spends a great deal of time in the garden now—my 82-year-old mom loves to sit on the bench most of the day and knit. Both my daughters, ages 9 and 6, just love being out in the garden and observing buds turn into blossoms. My husband enjoys working on his laptop when its quieter in the evenings. I am very proud of my accomplishment and am just delighted to watch my garden grow.

I so enjoy reading your magazine!

Thanks.

Domani