This is the wall that G+K built...
After having lived here for just over a year now (i know! Can you believe it's been that long already?), we are finally moving forward with the rear garden! I've spent months debating whether we could manage any of it ourselves, or if we'd need to save squillions of dollars to pay someone else to do it all.
Well, i am happy to report that, despite our best efforts, George and I are growing 'handy genes'!
A couple months back, we started work on our stone retaining wall. We could have managed a sloped garden bed to deal with the incline, but i wanted something a little more formal for that edge. With a little help from knowledgeable family members, to start us off in the right direction, George and i have managed to build a stacked stone wall with stairs! We still have the last meter to complete (poor weather and other commitments has caused the project to grind to a halt over the last few weekends) but it is complete enough that we can really see how the final thing will look. I have already enjoyed sitting on the wall, in the sun, with my cuppa...and gazing about at the garden that will be. :-)
Click on the below pics to see a larger version.
The Great Wall of Ivanova
We have also booked a company to build our deck! It will run alongside the family room doors, then come almost all the way out to the stone wall. Whilst it was a project well beyond our budding skills, i did a lot of research so i could make some good choices about design and materials. We've actually chosen one of the more expensive quotes....but i was impressed with the carpenter's attention to detail and workmanship.
In readiness for the deck, we need to hide the old red brick wall...those handy genes kicked in again and on Saturday we bag rendered the wall ourselves! Or should i say that George did the lion's share...it was a mammoth task and we were utterly buggered by the end of the day. Another render coat will go on next weekend...then we'll paint it the same 'Woodland Grey' of the other fences. It would have cost us $2K to have it properly rendered...and only $200 to do it ourselves. Worth the savings to have a slightly more 'rustic' finish. :-)
In these pics you can also see the Golden Robinia tree i have planted near the house (it's just a 7" stick atm!)...the deck will be built around the tree and it will provide glorious lime green summer shade.
The next project is my Vegie House. We have a lot of wildlife around here that has snacked on our previous produce garden efforts...so i decided to quit the stopgap measures (shadecloth slung over stakes) and build a conservatory frame over the garden area, covered with chook wire. That will keep the blasted possums out! The Vegie House will be 4.9m x 5.5m, containing two raised beds 4m x 1.3m. There will be 4 dwarf fruit trees espaliered along two inside walls, and room for climbing produce (cucumbers, beans etc) on the other two walls. The builder doing that job will also be patching a fence for us and building a side gate (so we can finally secure the backyard). That project due to start next week! I'm am excitedly planning what to sow for my first crop. :-)
My Japanese-esque garden is slowly starting to take shape. :-)
Well, i am happy to report that, despite our best efforts, George and I are growing 'handy genes'!
A couple months back, we started work on our stone retaining wall. We could have managed a sloped garden bed to deal with the incline, but i wanted something a little more formal for that edge. With a little help from knowledgeable family members, to start us off in the right direction, George and i have managed to build a stacked stone wall with stairs! We still have the last meter to complete (poor weather and other commitments has caused the project to grind to a halt over the last few weekends) but it is complete enough that we can really see how the final thing will look. I have already enjoyed sitting on the wall, in the sun, with my cuppa...and gazing about at the garden that will be. :-)
Click on the below pics to see a larger version.
The Great Wall of Ivanova
We have also booked a company to build our deck! It will run alongside the family room doors, then come almost all the way out to the stone wall. Whilst it was a project well beyond our budding skills, i did a lot of research so i could make some good choices about design and materials. We've actually chosen one of the more expensive quotes....but i was impressed with the carpenter's attention to detail and workmanship.
In readiness for the deck, we need to hide the old red brick wall...those handy genes kicked in again and on Saturday we bag rendered the wall ourselves! Or should i say that George did the lion's share...it was a mammoth task and we were utterly buggered by the end of the day. Another render coat will go on next weekend...then we'll paint it the same 'Woodland Grey' of the other fences. It would have cost us $2K to have it properly rendered...and only $200 to do it ourselves. Worth the savings to have a slightly more 'rustic' finish. :-)
In these pics you can also see the Golden Robinia tree i have planted near the house (it's just a 7" stick atm!)...the deck will be built around the tree and it will provide glorious lime green summer shade.
The next project is my Vegie House. We have a lot of wildlife around here that has snacked on our previous produce garden efforts...so i decided to quit the stopgap measures (shadecloth slung over stakes) and build a conservatory frame over the garden area, covered with chook wire. That will keep the blasted possums out! The Vegie House will be 4.9m x 5.5m, containing two raised beds 4m x 1.3m. There will be 4 dwarf fruit trees espaliered along two inside walls, and room for climbing produce (cucumbers, beans etc) on the other two walls. The builder doing that job will also be patching a fence for us and building a side gate (so we can finally secure the backyard). That project due to start next week! I'm am excitedly planning what to sow for my first crop. :-)
My Japanese-esque garden is slowly starting to take shape. :-)