Garden transformation and Alex turning 70!

Part of my challenges this spring has been to transform my back yard  into "my oasis"!  I had the grass taken out last fall and wanted to wait till I was sure how I wanted it completed ( also what was affordable ). So this spring I contracted with my landscape guy to complete the work based on a photo I had seen in a magazine. That was March. Very wet spring. He was planning for late April, early May. I had wanted to have it done prior to Alex' 70 birthday so that we could have a little do. Then Mom got sick and the landscape guy got busy trying to complete his regular work load between rainfalls. Long story short, it was finally completed June 3rd. The "do" was on Saturdays June 4th!!! Much of what I had wanted to move will have to wait. I also got rid of the BBQ and the old outdoor furniture and was able to get just the set I wanted!!! Here is the result.

 
And here he is at 70 with me!