Flashback Friday 10.28.11

Part 2 …

Last Friday I shared a project that I worked on about Landscaping. You can find it here if you want to look back at Part 1.

I thought I would walk you through the steps that I did to make the gardens just in case you want to make something similar at your home.

1. Map out with a hose where you want the garden area to be and what shape you will want. (Remember, if there will be lawn around your area, you will not want to have sharp curves or your lawn mower will not be able to reach some of the inside corners.) The reason to use a hose is that it is flexible to move into different shapes yet stiff enough to stay where you put it when you are ready to cut out the pattern.

2. I like to use a flat nosed shovel to remove the sod. I cut straight down into the ground about 3 inches and once the shape is cut out I make cross cuts across the area to help me when I remove the grass. It is easier to handle if the pieces are smaller squares. Depending on the size of the garden … you will need to take a water break here and there. It really gets the heart rate up!

3. Once you get the lawn cut out it will look like this …

(Just so I don’t confuse those of you who are looking close at these pictures … I didn’t take start to finish pictures on one particular area so I am piecing them in the order in which the steps should be done. I will show all the completed gardens at the end.)

4. I make a trough around the outside to make room to put in landscape edging. Once it is seated at ground level I pack in the dirt next to it to hold it in place. I wanted this garden to be raised so I brought in top soil to make the mound. Below, is the best picture I have that incorporates all the steps. Once the dirt is in and to the height you want, plantings go in, and then the mulch. If this were an area that were not going to reseed (anything other than a flower garden) I would place landscape fabric before the mulch to help keep weeds out. I wanted the two front flower gardens to keep seeding year to year. I planted perennials as they come back every spring 🙂 unlike annuals which have to be planted new each year.

***The yellow flag in the middle of the garden? I had called the utility companies, before I started, to mark the lawn so that I didn’t hit a pipe or cable. ***

Ready to see all the finished landscaping?

This was an area in the back yard where we laid down landscape fabric and then the rock. Score another one for this family as they found “Free” rocks on Craigslist if they were willing to do the work of hauling it away. We laid out the landscape fabric as we went so that the rocks would hold it in place.

If you have a question that I did not answer in this blog please feel free to ask questions!

Have a great Friday and a Happy weekend. I will be working on the Under The Stairs Playhouse
and I hope to have updated pictures for you to see on Monday.

Hugs,

‘Joy‘