Around the house

I took some yard shots today. The grass is a little long and things aren't perfectly groomed, but here's where I tramp around everyday.

This was taken in the front yard. It's hard to see the brick side walk Brian put in about 10 yrs ago (so bright). I have my perennial 'woodland' garden to the right there under the towering evergreen. That huge hollyhock was opposite the front door. My hedges are a bit chopped up looking from getting the new window a few months ago. I have a hosta, mum, wild begonias, impatiens and salvia planted under them. I like them trimmed up from the bottom too. Along the other side of the house are also hedges.
This is the backyard-you can't see Sean's old swingset as I am standing next to it! The butterfly bush is huge this year! That's next to the bench and pond area. That's my new garden window. Not much is going on along the back. Next to the butterfly bush I have some white daisies that are 5 feet tall. I'd love to have a deck here, Down the steps is a huge container with two waterlilies. They haven't bloomed yet this year.
The other corner of the house. I have a few adirondack chairs there. Behind the chairs is a Japanese maple, taken from my mom's yard as a sapling. I have roses, impatiens, lilies and Sweet William. This is the bed I wish I had mulched. On the other side of the house, behind the chairs, is my fairy garden. I also call this my secret garden as I have quite a few bushes-virburnum, spirea, hydrangea that surround this space.
This is the house end of our very long side yard. That's one of the Chestnut trees (that I hate). I have a lounge chair between them and a table and chairs too. We have hardly used either this year. Beyond that is the iris and glad garden. We have a couple of pear trees out there and an overgrown grape arbor. Beyond that is the other circle garden of cosmos and zinnias. Finally we have a veggie patch with tomatoes, peppers, and green beans-which I need to weed! Brian planted a maple tree from his parent's yard and that is just sitting in the middle of this long stretch of yard. We are very close to a busy back road.