Backyard Landscaping

About this time last year, Chris and I started talking about a backyard remodel. We found that we really only used the porch and the rest of the backyard was left for the dogs. With beautiful weather in Phoenix much of the year, we can expand living space into the backyard. Sorry, dogs, we're taking our space back.

Like all projects, this one started with a lot of talk. We talked about what we'd like to have. We borrowed books from the library and looked at lots of pictures online. We started to collect images of things we liked. Chris, who is the better designer of the two of us, began drawing some plans up. His plans were good but we never felt like they were perfect. We weren't able to create transitions that we felt would make the space usable. So our ideas stagnated for awhile.

In April, we attended the Modern Phoenix Home Tour and expo. There were a number of items raffled off at the expo and we won 10 hours of landscape design from mrGspace Landscape. (Side note: I had a moment of premonition that day and knew we were going to win it. That doesn't happen very often but is so cool when it does.) Within a week, Matt Gonshorowski was over to see the backyard and sit down to talk ideas. Within a week of that, he was showing us drawings of the perfect design.

Matt's design included everything we dreamed of and he mastered the transitions that we couldn't get right. Thank goodness for professionals! The main part of the design extends the patio by using concrete pavers. This area leads directly from the kitchen and will eventually have a patio table for a large group to eat at. To the right, is a slightly raised area that will have a fire pit with a built-in bench. The pavers extend to the east side of the house where we needed a path to the gate. This area is wide so we incorporated a vegetable garden with raised beds. Of course, the most important part of the design was to bring in more plants for shade, privacy, and to improve the view. (Our neighborhood is great but I don't want to look at the neighbors' houses when I'm in my backyard.) Extra special features are a built-in BBQ with bar, a fountain, and a gas fire pit!

As you may know, Chris and I are not made out of money. (Shocking, I know!) So as much as we would have liked to hire Matt to implement this wonderful plan, we didn't. Matt, being a hard-working person like us, totally understood. He gave us lots (and lots!) of advice on how to do things ourselves. Empowered by an awesome plan and a professional's guidance, we officially began the backyard remodel in May by bringing in three new trees.

Over the next few months we did a lot of infrastructure work. Things like:

• moving & fixing drippers
• moving rock
• removing concrete border
• putting in sprinklers for garden
• french drain for sink in the BBQ
• water line to BBQ
• transplant existing plants
• plant new plants

It was a little frustrating to do so much work (digging!) without anything to show for it. Matt encouraged us to build the gabion bench so we'd have something nice to look at and feel inspired. (He's genius, it totally worked.)

The next step was building the steel boxes for the three raised beds. Two will be used for vegetable garden and one for cactus. We love our cactus and wanted a special place for them. I just love the two-tiered design! (I'm especially sentimental about the cactus since I planted them almost 5 years ago when I moved into the house.) Chris got a hold of a welder years ago but it's been collecting dust in the garage ever since. This project motivated him to learn how to weld! He did an amazing job with these boxes.

Unfortunately they sat empty for quite awhile. It got really hot (as it does every summer in Phoenix) and we couldn't get motivated to move dirt. Finally we resolved to rent a bobcat and knock out as much as we could in one weekend. Thank goodness for machines! We moved well over 10 tons of dirt that weekend AND dug a really long, 18 inch deep trench for a gas line. We never could have done this without the bobcat. It was truly the best $300 I have ever spent. Not to discount Chris, who worked really, really hard as the bobcat operator.

Next we hired a professional to put in the gas line. It runs from the front of the house down the side then splits. One line to the BBQ and another to the fire pit. Right now it's pretty unimpressive. In the pictures, you just see a couple pipes sticking out of the ground. With that final piece of infrastructure complete, we had Matt come back to do the concrete pavers.

Matt's team was absolutely amazing and in three days they got all the pavers done. It is such a huge part of the design and has gotten me SO excited. I finally feel that we have a great looking backyard.

After the concrete cured, there was a bit more dirt moving. (Will we ever be done!?!) Most importantly, we installed steel i-beams to separate and raise the right side of the yard. This slightly raised area will be for the fire pit. This weekend we plan to fill it in with gravel, which should signify the end of the dirt moving.

However, it's not the end of the work. We're planning on taking a pause to sit back and enjoy the backyard as cooler weather approaches. The more artistic pieces of the design still need to be built. We want to take our time designing and honing our construction skills. Here's what remains to be done:

• water fountain, which will spill over the gabion & into a large vessel (hence the missing paver)
• BBQ & bar, which will have a sink and grill
• fire pit
• bench, which will frame two sides of the fire pit
• lighting
• artificial grass between the pavers
• large patio table, which will seat 10 and we plan to make ourselves (though the chairs will be purchased)

So, that's a lot that still needs to be completed. I've always said this project was going to be a multi-year thing and don't mind at all. Once we get this last bit of gravel installed, the backyard will be livable again. I've already begun growing vegetables and can't wait for cooler weather so we can throw a party.

It feels great to have come this far and see how much we've accomplished. I especially love the before & after pictures. They make me smile. And so does my new backyard! Check out all the pictures from our backyard landscaping project.

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