Yard redo progress

Here’s where we ended last week with the yard project. 

The patio is slippery when wet so will be fixed and repainted with different colors on the two levels to help denote the step down. The missing bottom step and railings will be added. Plants along the fence and pots near the house.

Everything within the white flags in the yard area will be flagstone set in sand and provide play and other use areas by having a lower level patio and walkway. Then areas of gravel next to the stone and then planting beds with bark mulch. The main plantings will be along the back fence to screen the neighbors messy area from our view from the balcony. They won’t interfere with the expansive view of San Francisco Bay though. There will be other plants but a lot of open area. We aren’t focused on native plants per se, but definitely low water ones on a drip irrigation system.

The front and side yards are getting a drip irrigation system, being regraded so water runoff is better, and almost all new plants with bark mulch. We have discovered a couple of stumps that have to be dealt with and have more plants needing removal but the drip mechanism has been installed next to the faucet. The rarely used walkway to and down the side of the house will be flagstone stepping stones not a closely placed walkway like in the back.

Lots to do to make this a reality so we, the pup and family and friends can enjoy the outdoor part of our new home.

This week we are making decisions about the flagstone and gravel so it can be purchased and delivered. We are also setting up an appointment with a painting company to find out how to fix the patio and to get an estimate plus figure out how to sequence that work with everything else to be done in the yard. Hopefully more progress in the front too.

The need to redo the yard was a major surprise after moving in. A big expensive surprise but since we are doing it we want it to be something we really like. We are saving plants that we think can be used in different spots but there weren't many that were pet/child safe and the right size.