Backyard Makeover: How I spent my Summer - The Series

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wletson
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Backyard Makeover: How I spent my Summer - The Series

Post by wletson »

Okay, I'm not totally done yet, but had to start sharing...

I bought this house last October, and spent the Winter deciding what to do with the backyard. I am someone who likes to spend time outside in the warmer months and the 6x12 foot deck outside the patio doors just wasn't cutting it. :lolno:

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I have always been a deck person. Never had much use for the look of patios. I like wood. I like looking at wood, I like working with wood... you get the idea.
No matter what I came up with, I could not envision a deck on the back of this house. It really was quite bothersome. Nothing made sense in my mind, but I could not for the life of me figure out why. So, after spending waaay too much time trying to figure out a deck I would like, I started playing with the idea of a patio. Within hours I had a good working sketch of what I loved! Again, totally outside my comfort zone.
Around the beginning of May, I started digging and moving around dirt.

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My Summer was doomed. (just a quick note: if someone ever suggests to you that a patio with next to no straight borders is a good idea... they are not your friend. Just sayin')

A couple of weeks later... I actually had the retaining wall up. Yes, weeks later, and I only had part of the retaining wall up.
I should pause here and say that up until May 17th of this year, I had never laid a patio stone in my life. Never! I swear.
So, it did take a while to get used to grading the dirt, tamping the gravel, hauling the sand....
But, I did have the project to this point by the end of May.

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In one of the next installations, I will explain why pieces like this became part of the grand master plan of the backyard.
What started off as a quick Spring project was slowly taking on a mind of its own. What had I done?

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Sorry to do this as installations, but I am hoping that by the time I finish this story, I will have actually finished the project. (putting pressure on myself so it is complete before the snow flies)
Warren

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Gothichome
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Re: Backyard Makeover: How I spent my Summer - The Series

Post by Gothichome »

Warren, I can incision the complete patio. Going to be grand. Looking forward to the progress.

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Don M
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Re: Backyard Makeover: How I spent my Summer - The Series

Post by Don M »

My neighbor just built a new patio---what a lot of work but it looks great! We did ours several years ago & love it.

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Mick_VT
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Re: Backyard Makeover: How I spent my Summer - The Series

Post by Mick_VT »

Gothichome wrote: I can incision the complete patio.
I love your iPad's edits to your messages Gothic :lol:
Mick...

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Gothichome
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Re: Backyard Makeover: How I spent my Summer - The Series

Post by Gothichome »

Ya, to busy watching were my fat fingers go white typing to notice the corrections. Never notice the auto fill corrections on my very brief proof read. I would turn auto fill off but my spelling is as bad as the auto fill.

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Nicholas
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Re: Backyard Makeover: How I spent my Summer - The Series

Post by Nicholas »

I like the curved wall. I have done similar landscaping things in the past, with curved walkways and walls around garden areas, hidden trails and hideaway patios.

Curves in landscaping can accent the 90 degree angles of any house in my opinion.
1915 Frame Vernacular Bungalow

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SkipW
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Re: Backyard Makeover: How I spent my Summer - The Series

Post by SkipW »

Love it so far!

Looks like too major a project for me to undertake....I just build a few stone walls when I need them, nothing close to this ambitious.

Looking forward to the updates.
Etta says "WOOF"

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