The Big Dig + Spring Home Tour

Hello!

I gave you a peek at the work that was started last week to eliminate the decorative pond that we had in our backyard, and thought I would share the progress.  What a difference a week makes!

Let’s take a look at where we started.

Then they brought in the heavy equipment and my yard was a mud pit for the week.  Thank goodness my boys are old enough to where playing in the dirt is no longer one of their hobbies.

They were able to move all of the big boulders and set them aside for future use.

Then we got the big rocks and boulders situated into the landscape, and it looks great.

Now, add gravel, so it’s ready for the paver patio (which is going to happen sooner rather than later).

So, here it stands now.

A huge difference! Do you notice anything else missing in the photo below?  The gazebo – we had them remove it too.  It’s another one of those great ideas in theory – the reality is that it was filled with carpenter ants, wasp nests and wild cats that liked to hide underneath it and reproduce.  The one thing I do miss about it is the fact that it helped block the noise of the road behind us.  So, we’re working on a landscaping plan.

The paver patio is the next step, and the fireplace will be the final phase.  At least with the pavers in place, we’ll be able to use this area.  We can always throw a fire pit out there in the meantime, which is what the kids want anyway.

The landscape architect we’re working with is going to put together a design plan for plants, trees and shrubs since we took out a good deal of stuff along with the pond.  I’m excited to see what he comes up with and to finally put this area to use!

So a quick recap – before:

And the current “after”:

Before (with gazebo tucked in the back left):

The gazebo-less after:

I’m hoping it will become a great outdoor space for all of us.  My oldest is already talking about hanging out back there with friends, which is one of the things I’m looking forward to most.

Come on over to Goodwill Glam and check out my Spring Spruce Up Home Tour!