A Quilting Distraction: Landscaping Project

July 2020

July 2020

Owning a home is always a work in progress, and after almost 25 years in our home, the backyard definitely needed work.  Our home was brand new when we bought it and as such there was zero landscaping in the back.  We added the pool, the lattice patio, walkways, and block wall within the first year. We also added a lawn and some ground cover on the slope - minimal landscaping.

By 2020 everything was falling apart due to our deferred maintenance - except for the block wall.  The sprinklers were no longer working and our lawn and slope were fields of weeds.  The pool pump needed to be replaced and the pool was in general disrepair. 

The back had been an eyesore for many years but now that I was retired with an empty nest, I could no longer ignore it.  With my tolerance level close to zero, DH and I decided that 2020 would be the year to address this eyesore.  Then the pandemic hit and everything was put on hold.  We did, however, hire someone to do weed abatement before the 4th of July (above pictures).

October 2020

Then in October 2020, the wind finally knocked down the wood fence on the south.  I was happy that the neighbor agreed to a white vinyl fence since the year before the fence on the north was replaced with a white vinyl fence.  It took a few months but it finally got done in January.

January 2021

It was the beginning of finally getting this major project completed.  The next phase was to get our pool refurbished and in good working order. The pictures below show the original pool in January, the work in progress, and finally filling the "new" pool with water.

January-February 2021

Our next project was replacing the old wood lattice patio.  I originally just wanted to add a roof cover but it had dry rot and termites so it really needed to be replaced. 

March 2021
Look at those weeds!

After some research, we decided to go with an Alumawood covered patio.  I would have loved a wood one but the cost of wood was sky high due to the pandemic and it also requires more maintenance.  

June 2021
Wood lattice is gone!

It took 3 months from the time we confirmed our order to the time the new patio was installed.  Part of the wait was due to the city permit process but also because of the limited supply of Alumawood, again due to the pandemic.

In the meantime, we were busy replacing the broken sprinkler system with a new drip-irrigation system for all our new trees and plants.  DH works so on the weekends you could find us at various nurseries and home improvement centers.  We hired someone to plant the trees and plants on the slope plus install the new lawn with sprinklers, but DH also did a lot of the work, in particular the drip system. I helped as much as I could, even if it was just to make sure he had plenty of water and stayed hydrated LOL.

The new patio was completed by Father's Day and by the 4th of July weekend, we were enjoying the fruits of our labor!

June 2021
What a difference a new lawn makes!

June 2021

I would say we are about 85%-90% done.  DH is fine-tuning the drip system and I still have some planting to do by the patio.  I'd like to have a butterfly garden and a rock succulent garden in the area by the patio.  And, the front yard still needs some work as does the raised bed in the side yard.  But, as I said in the beginning, a home is always a work in progress.  Stay tuned for an update and I'll show you pictures of the Monarch butterflies we raised.  So beautiful!

Until next time ... be happy and keep on quilting!

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