Working toward two landscaping goals
This weekend I went outside to make progress toward two landscaping goals: completing the leveling of the northwest corner with MF's gate installed and leveling the southeast corner with a bricked three foot walkway.
It meant moving sand and bricks around under warm, humid conditions.
The results were a front fence line without sand, leaves and weeds clogging the sides of the sidewalk. I pushed what sand I could back under the retaining wall (it had been dug out by moles) and put the rest in the plastic bucket. To finish the job I will need to pull more weeds along side the sidewalk and edge the park strip...also paint the bottoms of the posts.
Also, I de-constructed the west side of the fake dry well, using the retaining wall blocks to effect the fake 4 foot wall which I am using to mark where we plan to extend our stairwell (someday). I removed the bricks which once did that job to the southeast corner and laid them down as a 3 foot wide walkway.
Along the way I pulled and scraped off many weeds and threw them into the compost bin, clearing the way for my growing evergreen trees. Also, I removed the fake wooden window well from the southeast corner basement window, making a 4x4 kitty deck along the north side fence (so-called because the cats like to lay out in the sun there).
With one side of the fake dry well gone I can carve away the dirt to level out to the fence line an additional three feet, then can dig down three feet for the post holes, plant the posts and set up the gate.
The next tasks will be to deconstruct the holding well for the river rock under the juniper (?) tree and use those black stones for the southeast corner path. With those stones I can complete the corner path all the way to the southeast corner of the original house.
Then I can move the mound of dirt, weeds and rocks to the northeast property corner and stack all my bricks and stones in that place temporarily. This will allow me to dig out an area for my walk way and level it properly. I have enough paver base for three feet of the three foot wide walk way, so will start the walkway three feet, digging 9 inches down from the base of the grass for three feet. The rest of the walkway will be down only 3 inches so I can place bricks in to roughly approximate the walk way. The three feet, however, should allow me to get a nice even walk way using base, sand and bricks.
Given some moderately warm dry days I will paint the back trim and fix the siding shingles by the drier vent. I have the paint, so after I paint the bottoms of the front posts, I should do this: won't cost any money. When that trim is all done I can install the solar clothes drier!
I figure by the time I get all of this done I might be able to spend money for paver base, fence hardware, and new pickets to match the northside fence. Then I can complete the Southeast corner walkway and the gate/fence at the Northwest corner!
Additional tasks:
* buy new heuchera (coral fire) for the front triangle. I should buy probably six more of the red leaved varieties which have done well for the past almost two years now.
* plant the rest of the bulbs come September
* buy verigated leafed plants for dappled sunlight in Delbert's garden.
* dig out Marvin's Garden and put in new drainage.
* finish deconstructing the old dry well and connect the downspout to the new drainage.
* put in the southeast corner patio (between the house and the walkway).
* buy lattice to construct enclosure around the deck and continue on around the add-on basement skirt with some sort of masonry and wood base.
* fix up the railing on the deck and stain, including new steps and railing for the deck.
* throw out crappy stuff on deck.
* buy new threshold for back door.
* fix back door bottom (it is sticking).
* stain Adirondack chair and footstool.
* construct rock garden.
* front walk way to north and south west corners and through gate.
* flatten area to fake wall and to fence line.
* finish paving to garbage center.
* construct wall between garbage and rest of the area along the North fence line.
* plan and construct tetherball court, flag pole.
* complete northside walkway.
* southside property line drainage sloping to new deep dry well in back.
* remove old dry well in back and reseed.
* back shed.
* lawn/side planting area separator
It meant moving sand and bricks around under warm, humid conditions.
The results were a front fence line without sand, leaves and weeds clogging the sides of the sidewalk. I pushed what sand I could back under the retaining wall (it had been dug out by moles) and put the rest in the plastic bucket. To finish the job I will need to pull more weeds along side the sidewalk and edge the park strip...also paint the bottoms of the posts.
Also, I de-constructed the west side of the fake dry well, using the retaining wall blocks to effect the fake 4 foot wall which I am using to mark where we plan to extend our stairwell (someday). I removed the bricks which once did that job to the southeast corner and laid them down as a 3 foot wide walkway.
Along the way I pulled and scraped off many weeds and threw them into the compost bin, clearing the way for my growing evergreen trees. Also, I removed the fake wooden window well from the southeast corner basement window, making a 4x4 kitty deck along the north side fence (so-called because the cats like to lay out in the sun there).
With one side of the fake dry well gone I can carve away the dirt to level out to the fence line an additional three feet, then can dig down three feet for the post holes, plant the posts and set up the gate.
The next tasks will be to deconstruct the holding well for the river rock under the juniper (?) tree and use those black stones for the southeast corner path. With those stones I can complete the corner path all the way to the southeast corner of the original house.
Then I can move the mound of dirt, weeds and rocks to the northeast property corner and stack all my bricks and stones in that place temporarily. This will allow me to dig out an area for my walk way and level it properly. I have enough paver base for three feet of the three foot wide walk way, so will start the walkway three feet, digging 9 inches down from the base of the grass for three feet. The rest of the walkway will be down only 3 inches so I can place bricks in to roughly approximate the walk way. The three feet, however, should allow me to get a nice even walk way using base, sand and bricks.
Given some moderately warm dry days I will paint the back trim and fix the siding shingles by the drier vent. I have the paint, so after I paint the bottoms of the front posts, I should do this: won't cost any money. When that trim is all done I can install the solar clothes drier!
I figure by the time I get all of this done I might be able to spend money for paver base, fence hardware, and new pickets to match the northside fence. Then I can complete the Southeast corner walkway and the gate/fence at the Northwest corner!
Additional tasks:
* buy new heuchera (coral fire) for the front triangle. I should buy probably six more of the red leaved varieties which have done well for the past almost two years now.
* plant the rest of the bulbs come September
* buy verigated leafed plants for dappled sunlight in Delbert's garden.
* dig out Marvin's Garden and put in new drainage.
* finish deconstructing the old dry well and connect the downspout to the new drainage.
* put in the southeast corner patio (between the house and the walkway).
* buy lattice to construct enclosure around the deck and continue on around the add-on basement skirt with some sort of masonry and wood base.
* fix up the railing on the deck and stain, including new steps and railing for the deck.
* throw out crappy stuff on deck.
* buy new threshold for back door.
* fix back door bottom (it is sticking).
* stain Adirondack chair and footstool.
* construct rock garden.
* front walk way to north and south west corners and through gate.
* flatten area to fake wall and to fence line.
* finish paving to garbage center.
* construct wall between garbage and rest of the area along the North fence line.
* plan and construct tetherball court, flag pole.
* complete northside walkway.
* southside property line drainage sloping to new deep dry well in back.
* remove old dry well in back and reseed.
* back shed.
* lawn/side planting area separator