Landscape in progress........

This weekend, we were really busy! Between our son's birthday and this pergola project, we had plenty to keep us busy.
This is the pergola we built. It was very inexpensive but will really improve the look of the side of the house that faces the driveway. The builder left this eensy-weensy strip of grass...aka weeds and the previous owner simply never did any plantings. She wanted to, she just didn't know how.
Our purpose was two-fold though. What you don't see is that opposite these windows is a basketball goal and the windows get hit fairly often. (So far, the posts have been taking the 'hits'...as we had hoped.) This seemed to be the best option for the area.....and wouldn't cover up the windows and reduce too much light coming into the house.
Dean and I tore up the ground a bit to open it up, then planted japanese ardesia as a ground cover. It is very hardy and can take a pounding from the basketballs. It grows rapidly and gets about a foot high. We will remove the decorative edging once it really takes off....which won't be long. It also won't need to be mulched because once it gets going it will choke out any weeds that try to grow.
In front of the trellis, we planted a climbing fairy rose....one of my favorite roses. They have pretty, tiny little blooms that bloom on and off until frost.
On the sides of the posts, I planted seeds for the Morning glory vine. It does exceptionally well in this area and will swallow up a post or fence very quickly. I am going to try and train it up the posts and keep it off of the trellis (fingers crossed.)
The best part is that all three species do quite well in this climate and although Morning Glory Vine is an 'annual', it acts a a perennial in this area! Less work for us!
Later in the Spring and then in the Summer, I am posting 'updates' to see how it looks once things start taking root and growing!