the one... with an update on the front yard

February Challenge: $0 Spend

I know I'm starting with a PS: but this is a long post, probably the longest I've done but it is needed. You'll see why.

Well, I don't mind admitting the front yard has been hard work.

Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed seeing the progress and knowing I'm doing most of the work myself. My parents have been wonderful in volunteering to come over and help dig paths, remove plants, lay pavers and move the mulch. I honestly wouldn't be this far along without their help so a very big THANK YOU xxoo

There is still work to be done but I'm happy to say that the really big jobs are complete!

To give you an idea of what's been happening...

It all started back in my October holidays. The first job was to have the supllies delivered from a landscaping company Nuway. Then the 'real' work started.

The first job was to lay the retaining wall down the driveway. DONE.

I then started to remove the grass and dirt from up the centre of the driveway.  I borrowed Dad's pick to dig up the grass and dirt to 50mm below the height of the driveway.  I then cut black plastic to fit, ensuring to overlap where needed, and then covered with 50mm of pebbles. DONE.

The next job I tackled was the front garden closest to the street.  Using the existing fence as a guide, I measured 1.5mts back into the yard and put up a string line from the driveway across to the entry path.  This was my very first attempt at laying pavers so it took a little longer and looking back over my work, I think there are a few pavers that need adjusting.  Wait... I forgot a step.  Before I could even started onthe garden edge here I had to cut down the very large hibiscus tree.  The stump still has to be removed and at the moment the garden is being used as a place to dump the rubbish to take to the tip.

Next...  this is when my parents came over and Dad dug up a trench along the entry path from the front gate all the way to the house.  The plan was to put the pavers along the path to give the feeling of a wider path (great idea Mum) and then place the retaining wall bricks on top of the paver.  This gives the large garden bed behind a wall to hold the mulch back.

While Mum and I got to work laying the pavers and putting in the retaining wall, Dad got to work on digging a path from the entry path across the front of the house to the driveway - that's about 7mts.  This path runs parallel to the front garden and is about 7mts from that garden bed.  I thought the path from the driveway to the front path would be so people didn't have to walk across the grass to get to the front door.

That job saw us finish a day of hard work.

On an afternoon during the Christmas holidays I went out and layed the border pavers for the new path from the driveway to the front door.  This took about 4 hours to do because I wanted to ensure it was perfectly level.  The first paver was layed to the same height as the driveway and then I used the string line and a leveller with each paver to make sure it was perfect (well close enough).

Another day over the holidays I got back out there and did the stepping stones and pebbles.  Can I say that I enjoyed this part because I could finally start to see the picture I've had in my head come together.  What I did was measured 30cm from the driveway and the paver to place the first stepping stone.  From then it was a matter of ensuring the ground was level and each stone measured 30cm from each corner of the previous stone and the paver edging.  Once I had a couple of stones down I brought in the black plastic and layed it over the top.  I put down a barrow of pebbles to hold it in place before cutting the plastic around the stepping stone.  I continued this process until I got to the end.

It's looking incomplete at the moment but just wait... it's almost there.  This past weekend my parents and I got the mulch you can see in the photo above.  Now, to get the grass to grow.  There is also some final pavers and retaining wall to go in but it's getting there.

Lisa xo