This year, I decided that there was a lot of work out there I could do, but not a lot that I would do. So I did what any able-bodied person would do and I hired out the work. Jason from Urban Landscaping came -- he does sustainable landscaping and aims to reduce water usage and focuses on environmentally sound yards, etc. I might give him a call back when I decide to take out my little strip o' front yard.
Anyway.
I tried to get photos of the before, sometimes during, and after of the areas he worked on. Because there are some folks coming out in a couple of weeks to work on pond construction, I didn't focus too much on the pond. Stay tuned for that. And I also plan to stain and seal the deck -- I've had some volunteers for manual labor. Just need to get some time.
Side yard:
I really like how this turned out -- opened it up and gave the planted areas/vines some definition.
Side yard on the other side of the house:
After Emily and I went out there at night to dig some of the rocks away to save some labor hours. We thought we accomplished more than we actually did. But I think it helped.
After Jason moved the rocks to put down landscape fabric so that I will never have to weed again. That might be a little exaggeration. Hopefully I'll have sold my house by then, though, and will move into, oh, I don't know. . . a houseboat. I don't think there are weeds on a houseboat.
As of today, the roses are blooming like crazy. When they're done, I will cut them way way back. After it's pretty much done on that side:
Look across the deck to that lovely green area -- I don't have shots of just that area, but just picture this: a small sandy area that looks like it might have been useful at one time (as more than a litter box) that is now packed with weeks so thick and so strong and so full of thistles that one cannot get close enough to dig out to the sand, but even if one did, all you're really left with is a giant litter box.
In progress -- with industrial strength landscape fabric going down.
A bit of a side-view of the finished product. He made it so there's a little side-area to the deck, which is great, but to me, it still looks like a (nicer-looking) litter box. I think that when I eventually (that is: before retirement) take out half of my deck and put flagstone down, it will actually blend nicely into that plan. I will adjust until then -- as long as there are 1) no weeds and 2) no cats.
So here is where they earned their over-priced labor hours. First, they took out the dead or dying (or only mostly dead) palm tree that doesn't like the 19-degree nights we had this winter. What a mess this is.
Takes lots of tools and whatnot to get this done.
See how it would not be relaxing at all to spend a summer evening back there?
In progress. The tree is gone.
Lots of those weeds that completely took over the cute little flowers that used to be here are also gone. Super-duper weed blocker. I pray to it at sunset.
I like how the rocks all went back in first. Looks only half dressed.
This is after the landscape fabric and the sand went down -- they are trying to replace the flagstone and make it look like it did before they picked it up. Hard puzzle.
Looking good. Grapevines did great. The flagstone looks nice this way -- wider because they backed up this planter area. They took those border plants, that I really like, and used them in the planting area rather than as a border.
Some shots of the pond area -- but nothing close up because it still needs work! But lots of the weeds are gone. I would have been a little happier if he hadn't stepped on my little wildflower plantings. They are trying very hard. I will pray for them too.Here's one side before:
And the other side after:
And even longer after.
Over by the veggie garden (which is getting some love this weekend. I am not hiring out this work. No sir. I bought me some child slaves.)
I think that's all for now. More updates when the pond folks come figure out how to get 10 more years out of the pond!
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