In the last post we described the nightmare that was our backyard retaining wall replacement project. This post will talk about the work done to make the backyard usable again.
Between September and October in the backyard we:
- called in the pros to remove a dead bush, fix the irrigation system, and till and seed our yard since grass was not growing from the cheap stuff put down by the contractor
- weeded the hill (which had been neglected during the retaining wall replacement) and sprayed the backyard and wall for weeds
- distributed dirt evenly between the first and second tiers of the new retaining well, as well as the rock across the upper tier’s hillside to cover bare spots
- bought and installed fencing (our first time doing this) around the backyard
- bought and spread mulch across the first tier as a stop-gap until next spring
- purchased hollies that will eventually turn into a nice evergreen “wall” on the second tier between the neighbor’s yard up on the hill and ours (we paid to have these bad boys planted and I’m so glad we did! I can’t imagine hauling 20+ 5-gallon plants up that hill)
- painted the cedar swing set a fresh coat of paint
- bought and installed a new swing set accessories as well as built our little man a “rock climbing wall” so he could actually climb up to his slide (I wish I had a picture of what this thing looked like before we fixed it up because it was not fit for play)
- had the very small and badly cracked concrete patio torn out and a new, larger one poured
- built new stairs from the backdoor to the new patio
- painted the exterior door and trim
- cleaned and set up our patio furniture from our old house until we can find a new set
- engaged a landscaping company to design some landscaping for the hill to help all that dirt and rock look more welcoming in the spring
WHEW!!
Once we finally get some grass to grow, the hollies take root, and we get some landscaping in next spring it will look better, but we’re on the way.
In addition to everything else, our A/C finally kicked the bucket (it was original with the house) so we had to replace that, we both had big things going on at work, our son had a birthday, and, because we are gluttons for punishment, we got a new puppy.
It’s time for a break!!
Not Tomorrow 