The next thing we did after laying the pavers for the BBQ was to have a look at the rest of the backyard.
Right... so it's not pretty is it? Leftover builders rubble, rocks, a couple of weeds. Not really something enjoyable, and we've left it a couple of years like this!
Anyway I was driving home one afternoon and was following a bloke who was towing his bobcat behind him - I contacted him and organised for a bit of a cleanup of the backyard. This was around the end of 2012.
Spying on him working from one of our surveillance cameras! First I poisoned all the weeds for 3 weeks, before he came in to level the backyard. Fortunately his bobcat could just fit through our garage rear access door.
So after a bit of cleaning up, we've got a base layer of turf underlay soil spread out with a slight fall towards the back fence. In the far corner near the unpainted fence I've left a section vacant for a shed.
Delivery of some buffalo grass waiting to be laid. While it's entirely possible to DIY turf laying now that the basic preparation has been done, I just don't have the time or energy to do it, plus the cost of turf laying is pretty cheap.
Aaaaand.... turf laid out! I had a huge water bill for that quarter, since it was in the middle of summer and you have to keep the turf wet for it to take well. Now it's early winter and the grass isn't growing so much there's only 1-2 weeds to pull out by hand.
We still have a lot of work to go of course... would love to have something done about the front landscaping, since it's nothing but a vast wasteland of black mulch right now! More to come.
On a final note for this entry, my condolences go out to those affected by the GH collapse - read more about their plight here on whirlpool.
t&t
Looking good Tim. I see you finally stained your deck - I was waiting for an update to the decking project to see what happened but now I see you've done that bit. Based on your DIY attempt at your decking (and a very successful DIY I should add), I did my own as well. Have finished the rear deck and now almost completed the front. Amazing what you can acheive yourself with some planning and research! It's not difficult just hard work! Paul
ReplyDeleteWow! I can't wait to get more into DIY home improvements! I worry so much about not having the time to finish them but just go for it and maybe you'll learn something!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspiration.