Placing the Rocks

We purchased 4 boulders from the local stone company and they weighed in at over 4000 lbs. The first one, pictured here, was placed in the upper retaining area in the planting bed under the red maple tree. We planted 50 baby vinca plants all around it. I can hardly wait until everything grows in next summer.

The next rock was so heavy the contractor had his employee lay on top of the Bobcat as he brought the boulder down the hill to try to keep it level. They looked like they were having fun!

It was murder trying to get the big boulder up over the patio edge. After several tries and failures with the little Bobcat, the contractor went to get the big Bobcat and that worked. The second boulder is actually going to be a water feature in the planting bed. The stone yard drilled a hole in the rock and inserted a tube for water to spill out.

Above on the left you can see the water box (covered in cardboard) in a rectangle hole in the planting bed. A close up of the water rock is on the right. It's currently waiting to be placed on top of the box after it is completely installed. Also on the left you can see in the distance our new set of adirondack chairs under the trees in the lowest bed. I've wanted these chairs for almost my entire marriage, and now I have a set. Woo hoo!

The third rock was at the bottom of the sloping hill and is used to deflect a pipe of water that is draining from our gutters and driveway. It actually got placed upside down, but we like it better this way.

Some more shots of the guys getting it in the right place.

Here are some shots of the rock from a distance without the additional shrubbery. And below are several shots after we planted several bushes and moss around the rock.

 

 Below the fourth rock is next to the potting shed on the way down from the garage side of the house. The picture on the left shows before I planted all the bushes and moss around it and the shot on the right show it after. We're still waiting for all the grass to grow in and the fence to be installed. Hmmm....I wonder when that'll happen.

Feel free to look at older posts (mostly in August) to see many of the before and during pictures of the hardscape process.

Carolyn "Care Bear" King

Now We Wait for Growth

There's new grass seed on the right of the steps under the hay.

You can see the arborvitae across the fire pit deck level. When they grow in they will provide lots of privacy on the north side of the property.

There are lovely fountain grass plants along the base of the lower retaining wall. Each plant is lit up at night, lighting them very nicely.

Here's a great view of the 5 arborvitae plants down the sloping hill.

Traveling up the path by the garage are many plants of the perennial variety.

The front walkway is bordered by mums in yellow, burgundy, and orange. I let them grow too tall this year. I need to trim them short until the end of July next year instead of stopping on the 4th like I

 did this year. On the right I decorated the mailbox with a pumpkin cover. I'd like to get a different design for each month of the year.

Here are the rock-shaped speakers for the yard when the wires get hooked up. I like the brown speaker better. Time to get out some spray paint.

Carolyn "Care Bear" King

Almost done

We're getting ready to christen our fire pit for the fall. The steps come down off the deck stairs and lead onto the paver patio.

Here you can see an eye-level of the stairs and the two retaining walls.

Looking upward from the bottom of the yard. Some of the blocks in the upper retaining wall still need time to dry out. I figure they will match by next summer. The sun was setting behind me. I make a great shadow.

Moving around to the North side you can see the slant of earth, the two retaining walls, and the deck in the background.

The steps curve around the upper retaining wall on the North side of the property. Here is also another eye level view of the fire pit.

The cat, Pepper, enjoys all the new levels. I like to sit on the wall where the cat is now and look out into the farmers field.

Here is a view of the path that was originally pea gravel. It's the upper level of the top planting bed. On the right are the steps leading up to the driveway on the side of the house.

On the left these are the steps from the top of the path looking down the property. On the right is a picture of the path as it begins from the driveway and curves around the bushes.

Carolyn "Care Bear" King