Our 15 step landscaping program

With the official start to summer just around the corner, we are finally finishing up our landscaping.  This is all Devin has been working on for weeks now but his hard work is paying off! We are almost done!!

By the way, nobody around here gets a free ride.  Including 2 year olds:

Here's the transformation in pictures

1. Take rocky hard dirt

My best before picture.

2. Trench the yard & have cement poured

Back circle framed out for cemented fire pit

3. Put together sprinkler system:  according to Devin, grown up legos.

Nell is super helpful!

 4. Pay too much money for more dirt & spread around the yard.

 

5. Put in fence posts (much of this work is done at night with help of headlamps, which often scares the neighbors into thinking they have a Peeping Tom - honestly).

  6. Spread more dirt around.  Devin used hand signals and got this excavator driver (who was working next door) to help spread some dirt around.  It was very impressive to watch how well he maneuvered it!

7. Have cement curbing poured, then spend too much money on plants and try to figure out where to plant them.  Think a few times that this is why it is good to pay someone to figure this part out!

8. COMPLETELY neglect your children for days on end...

Nell saw me working with my gloves and went to get her own "gardening gloves"

Clara built a fort in the trampoline pit.  Perfect place to read Harry Potter!

More pictures from the fort.

My  homeless looking child.  Literally the dirtiest she's ever been!!!

9. Plant plants.  Like crazy.  Have incredibly kind neighbors offer help.

 

10. Build planter boxes and throw some seeds in just to see what happens.

11. Have 16 tons of lava rock delivered.  Wonder what on earth you are doing to do with that much rock.  And how will you get rid of the leftovers?  Enlist a 2 year old to help shovel, that will help! (Along with a much-appreciated visit from Jeff after finishing a shift at the fire station.)

Spread rock around.

Once we finished spreading our rock, we still had large piles in our front yard.  Our very funny and generous neighbor Joe did some negotiating for us.  He talked a nearby landscaper into moving the rock to an empty lot with his bobcat.  In return Joe offered some free DeWALT tools (Joe works for DeWALT).  Devin was at work while these negotiations took place.  I asked Joe what we could do in return.  The answer?  Make cookies.  :)  We have very nice neighbors!!!

 Much of the rock is now gone due to our neighbors putting it to use in their yards.  It worked out perfectly!

12. Final grade of the yard in prep for sod!!  Enlist Barrett's help.  Barrett is one of Devin's closest and oldest friends.  They have been friends since 5th grade.  Barrett lives in Ithaca, NY now but came out to run a marathon and stayed with us.  I'm pretty sure this is what the professionals recommend you do the day before a marathon, right?

 

13. Have lots and lots of sod delivered.  Wonder how you will pull this off and how long it is going to take you.  We had 13 pallets.

14.  Be amazed at how nice your neighbors and family are.  Ronae & family showed up to help followed by many neighbors.  But the biggest help by far?  Dexter, a huge St. Bernard, from next door.  With barely any grass down, Dexter came running over to leave us a present.  Nice, huh?  I had to laugh!!  We were finished with the sod in less than 4 hours!!!

 15. Make lots and lots of treats to say thank you to everyone who helped! 

We still have to finish the fence panels and put together the fire pit, but the hardest part is over!  So glad Devin was willing to work so hard.  I am excited to spend the summer outside enjoying our yard.  Now I just need to keep these plants alive.  I think I'm better with children than I am with plants.