Yard work...
- Thread starter DMD123
- Start date
fishguy1978
Legendary Member
Replacing rock with block. My oldest supplying the labor 
fishguy1978
Legendary Member
@fishguy1978, looking good! I need to do a mini retaining wall and am looking at some options and one is the type of block you used. Did you just stack them or did you use adhesive also? Looks like you prepared with a layer of compacted rock as a base? Was this a fairly easy project?
Granted my wall likely only needs to be about two blocks high but a fairly long run. Just trying to see if this would be an easy way to do it.
Granted my wall likely only needs to be about two blocks high but a fairly long run. Just trying to see if this would be an easy way to do it.
fishguy1978
Legendary Member
I have an area of the yard that is covered in pea gravel so we used that for the base and back fill. We just stacked them since it’s a short wall. The bottom run is the most difficult since it has to be plumb. A two row high could get away with less finesse.
Wow, finally a break in the weather. With the heat wave down to more normal summer temps I can try to finish some projects. Got out and did a quick mow since the yard was looking long where I had been watering. I had raised the mower setting before summer kicked in and it helped the grass not burn as much.
I need to repair a sprinkler line. I must have nicked a pipe when I was planting a tree a while back. Found where the leak is but need to dig a bit more out to repair. Then some heads to move in the backyard still. New patio layout made that necessary.
I have some pavers to lay for a walkway off the patio to the side yard. Plus I need to still finish the little rock garden area.
I need to repair a sprinkler line. I must have nicked a pipe when I was planting a tree a while back. Found where the leak is but need to dig a bit more out to repair. Then some heads to move in the backyard still. New patio layout made that necessary.
I have some pavers to lay for a walkway off the patio to the side yard. Plus I need to still finish the little rock garden area.
Haven't really been 'working' hard in the yard. just trying to keep things clean and getting ideas. been wanting a privacy screen of sorts from the neighbor and really like this general idea.
Its a bit big so we are trying to scale it down. For fun I had scrap 2x4's and did a mock up and set in place. I like the general scale of it.
Its a bit big so we are trying to scale it down. For fun I had scrap 2x4's and did a mock up and set in place. I like the general scale of it.
Looks like that would also be good for providing some shade. Given the hot spells we've been having regularly for the last few summers I've endeavored to make my house more heat-resistant with sun screens on the skylights and west-facing windows, and it's made a big difference. The next project will be a retractable awning over the deck, which faces east, both to provide shade whilst sitting out there and also to cut down on the radiant heat coming off the deck and into the house in the morning.
More like yard play... Prepared an Indian seafood lunch served with Pinot Grigio for my Lady today, and enjoyed an afternoon on the deck. A bright, sunny day with a cool breeze blowing off Liberty Bay; just perfect. How lucky we are to live in this corner of the world. 
After living with the free standing privacy screen mock up for about a week, I asked the wife her thoughts. I wasn’t surprised when she said it was not really something she wanted. I had to agree, the thought was good but hid the yard and plants. She liked the thought of adding the big focal tree and spend the money on it instead. So now I need to try and find a nice one for that location
Today I broke down the privacy panel and measured out for a tree… Ive got an 18’ x 20’ area for the tree and the canopy can go further out if necessary. So I had my brother in law drive me out (used his truck) to Gig Harbor to a Japanese Maple nursery called Celestial Maples. Met the owner Dan and he was super friendly and helpful.
https://www.facebook.com/celestialmaples
Lots of trees to choose from but this one was the best shape even though it was smaller than I wanted.
This is the area in the yard where it will go. It will fill in and block the neighbors apt.
This is the Sango Kaku which is the larger growing of the coral barks. This tree is currently about 6 ft but can get 20-25 ft tall and nice and wide so it will create the perfect balance of shade and privacy for the yard.
Next project is to remove sod in the area where Im going to plant it.
https://www.facebook.com/celestialmaples
Lots of trees to choose from but this one was the best shape even though it was smaller than I wanted.
This is the area in the yard where it will go. It will fill in and block the neighbors apt.
This is the Sango Kaku which is the larger growing of the coral barks. This tree is currently about 6 ft but can get 20-25 ft tall and nice and wide so it will create the perfect balance of shade and privacy for the yard.
Next project is to remove sod in the area where Im going to plant it.
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That's going to be lovely as it grows in, but for more instant gratification I would have planted a Crimson King in that area, which would have filled the entire visual space in no time. I planted one at my former home on Mercer Island to replace a mature Doug Fir that PSE killed with their constant hacking. It was a good-sized tree when I bought it, but within 3 years it had grown into this glorious thing that provided shade for most of my West-facing back yard. You can see it's shade shadow, as well as a bit of the overhanging canopy, in this pic from 2008-
In any event, I always prefer vegetation for privacy over structures, so I think you make a great choice.
And on the subject of shade (and heat mitigation), I've decided to have a retractable awning made for my East-facing deck. A large umbrella has been OK for providing shade whilst we're eating outside, but the Trex decking radiates a tremendous amount of heat into the house on really hot days, even in the morning, so the awning will be great. Should arrive in a few weeks.
In any event, I always prefer vegetation for privacy over structures, so I think you make a great choice.
And on the subject of shade (and heat mitigation), I've decided to have a retractable awning made for my East-facing deck. A large umbrella has been OK for providing shade whilst we're eating outside, but the Trex decking radiates a tremendous amount of heat into the house on really hot days, even in the morning, so the awning will be great. Should arrive in a few weeks.
Hope to have the new tree in the ground on Saturday. I dug out a round hole in the sod and have installed a ring of landscape edge. Backfilled in around the edge and started to fill the area where the tree is to go. Still need more soil for the tree but making sure to mix in some of the native soil in there too. Some issues with the slope will require a bit of soil and grass seed to fix but going to wait on that till I move sprinkler heads around.
This is going to make a wonderful privacy block from the upstairs apartment.
The view from the other side
This is going to make a wonderful privacy block from the upstairs apartment.
The view from the other side
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