landscape design 01 (backyard in progress)

landscape design (og)
i have a big yard for seattle; 9ks of flora & fauna (the role of fauna will be played by my 2, dogs & cats aka a way to sneak in their fotos). i call it therapeutic (for that mental dis. i mentioned above or... it's my clever way of getting to spend what i'd like on the yard). it's a calming space where i can isolate my thoughts to only my surroundings & feel an overwhelming sense of euphoria (that or the jbcoke i am drinking kicks in).

corol & rex

4/25 planted the annual veggie bed w/everything already pokin' its little head up! there is a bit of instant gratification to raising plants. don't emphasize the word instant cuz seasonally, it is about 10hrs+ a week of labor to keep the grounds (sounds huge-aye) looking perty. my two young coonhounds definitely do not help.
fern & karmel

this year it seems i have finally beaten them in regards to the veggie-garden-wars 2003 & 2004. they like to squeeze in there to find worms to roll on & eat fresh compost etc... so, i made 4ftby4ftish independent fence sections framed in 2" cedar with willow screen affixed to the face (very japanesey, in my book).

i added more sections in the major dog run areas to lessen the trampling. i used costly materials but labor was only about 4 days. they were not cemented in cuz i thought i might pull them in each winter & removing balls of cements from the earth, sucks. instead we created a rebar/ziptie method, not perfect but it works for now.

veggie garden 2005

"lower main path" -dog traffic control (south side)

"lower main path" -dog traffic control (north side)

north side entry to compost stations & detached shop/garage

north side fruit & berry nook (brick path planned for 2005)

i hit my fave local nursery http://www.swansonsnursery.com/ to add to my hebe, hellebore & euphorbia collection. also some strictly chartreuse (i got hooked) selection of shade plants; to (re)fill the problematic wet, shade area on the south side of the yard. i move plants around alot & they haven't seemed to mind. you never really know the plot where they will live happiest till you try it out &... i like to test the "rules".

looking up from the east gate entry towards the back of the house

upper southern nook (facing southern section of fence)

upper southern nook (west side)

lower southeast of yard

hammock nook, posts added 2002 w/brick laid 2004

lower southern nook (west corner)

our current project is locking down the major east/west bull-run. a 5ft by 100ft section right down the middle of the yard. we started this week with the "upper main path" by laying 18" square cement stones (a tormenting 95lbs ea). it took about 2 days to do the dig prep work then only a day to pick-up supplies & lay the stones. we had put down cedar chip as a filler on the first day but it was an orange freakin' nightmare so...the next day we scooped it all up, moved it to the veggie garden & put down a respectable brown, md. bark. we still hurt bad enough to skip yoga. if only the original owners had put in a gate w/a truck entry. not sure yet, what we are going to do with the lower section of the main path.

lawn before dogs

lawn after 1yr w/karmel (& visiting friends on her first bday)

earlier this week, when we were prepping to lay stone in the "upper main path"

"upper main path" complete

entering from the side gate into the yard

side gate (west entry)

the above section up to the west entry gate will probably be 3 large steps that we "envision" as bricks encased in wood frames w/a wheelbarrow/drainage ramp integrated in the design. i think we are putting that off till 2006 & will cope with the mud (it's seattle) by laying more chip. we have found the excess piles that the city leaves around parks to be a great resource (& our $500 beater truck). probably have brought in a good 30 truck loads in the last year. i have no idea where it goes.

we rely on the course chip for the lower main path (for now) & gate entry at the end of yard too. no plans of adding stones there cuz of large tree roots in the way. we do plan to create some sort of barrier to keep the chip from getting in the lawn & out the mower in 2005.

east gate entry

the dust & mud, that was getting into the house, from the dogs; drove us to adding this brick patio late in the summer of 2004. greg decided to take a week off work & do the full dig himself. so, he was elected "project manager", it's the least i could give the guy who dug up the dead pan & added old marbles to my collection. but, i would not want to hear a recording of our work relationship.

brick patio, right out of back door (basement level)

patio leads to a little japanese garden put in at the same time (fountain to be installed 2005)