NanRudnik's Backyard garden

Our backyard is our little paradise to come home to and unwind after a hectic day at work. Every year we love to see how the perennials surprise us and fill in more, as we add annuals for color and harmony. Our small pond with a double-decker waterfall was my husband’s design, and it’s absolutely beautiful with the colorful flowers all around it. And the sound of the rushing water is so soothing, especially from inside the sunroom where we sleep on weekends. We call the sunroom our “cottage.” Almost everything in our yard has a story… from the clematis that came from my mom’s old railing on her house, the large pine trees that were brought back from our land in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan years ago, the sedum and bearded iris that were rescued from my sister’s house when she moved, the twisted mulberry tree that a neighbor gave us from their yard 20 years ago, and various flowers that were gifts from friends and family. We have lived in the same house for 35 years, so we have the luxury of seeing our plants mature and evolve over the years. I feel most relaxed when I’m weeding my flower gardens or standing and watering with a hose. And of course, I LOVE to photograph God’s beautiful creation that He has given us to care for. The beauty of it all never ceases to amaze me.