Last month I wrote about the start of our first major landscaping project. It has been going well over the past month, when the weather has cooperated, and is nearing completion!
So, we went from this:
To this:
Now we have new ground drainage and retaining wall! And with the rain we’ve had to test the drainage, it seems to be working well… Progress has looked like this:
The excavation eventually hit rock, as expected and the jackhammer came out!
Drainage laid, with hardcore over, and gravel filled trench for wall…
Building of the new retaining wall begins…
Layer of hardcore…
Topsoil arrives…
Ready for the edging gravel…
And, this is how it looks right now (well, not at this precise moment, as it’s currently covered in snow!):
I think it is looking fantastic. Although I miss the green and the plants, these can be replaced, and I don’t miss the standing water damaging our house!
I can really visualise the lower and upper terraces now. The lower terrace will be turfed with a gravel edge, and the upper terrace levelled and reseeded. I am already imagining beautiful shrubs in pots along the bottom of the retaining wall and new plants adjacent to the top of the wall. And once the house is painted grey, it will all tie together nicely…
These plans will all need to wait for spring, but it is amazing to have such a big project almost complete. It has transformed the back of the house; it already feels cleaner (despite still being rather muddy!) and more contemporary.
While I want to retain the character of the house, I want to complement the original features and create a beautiful, easy to maintain (!) outdoor space.
I have lots of ideas and I am finding myself truly excited about my garden. It’s still all a bit overwhelming (I’m planning a post on ‘the rocks’ next…) but it has the potential to be something really quite special.
Although I suspect for the immediate future it is likely to just be snow covered :)
Joining in with Annie over at Mammasaurus for the wonderful How does your garden grow? Not that mine is actually doing much growing at the moment, but hey ho!
Snow will make it look beautiful even if its not finished x
Thank you Louise x
Wow, what a change! I’m thinking you may well not see it free from snow for a while now though?
Well, this first snow was pretty early, so I’m hoping we won’t see anymore until at least Christmas… but we’ll see!
Whoa, that’s some impressive progress! Will look wonderful once all your plans come together. Hope you’re enjoying the snow!
The landscapers have been doing a fabulous job!
Wow! You’ve done so much since posting your last update!! It’s looking really good and you can look forward to planting some new plants :)
Progress is really good, we’re really pleased with the work that’s been done. I am looking forward to planting :)
That does look do lovely and neat, no wonder you are pleased. It must be so nice to look forward to spring and completing your project!
It is indeed, it will be a different garden next summer x
How exciting to watch the changes, it must be lovely to see it all coming together x #HDYGG
It really is, it looks so different, and so much better already x
That looks so much cleaner and must be better to not have water damaging your house! Will you have snow for long?
Yes, the drainage is good, and is after all the main priority of the work, but I’m pleased with how it all looks too :)
Oh my what a change – and such hard work too, you really are going for it! I bet it makes a huge difference having that clean space at the back now.
I know just how depressing having a mud bath out the back is at the moment – hard work going on here too. Just think though this time next year and we’ll both have finished all the outside work and be admiring our new spaces :)
Thanks for sharing Sara, it’s great to see how work there is progressing x
I know, I keep thinking about how different the garden is going to feel next summer, I’m sure you’re the same. It will all be worth it in the end :)
Massive changes then! Love your clapboard house, grey will look great. Looking forward to seeing future changes :)
I can’t wait to do more work to the house itself, but need to work through the priorities!
Wow – what a transformation – you must be so pleased to have got that done before the weather turned.
Absolutely, they need to finish a few things off, but the bulk of the work is now done :)