You will not see many blog posts about my landscaping DIY. I do not like anything about landscaping. I do not have the best lawn in the subdivision, but the grass is green and weed free. I dread cutting the grass. If I thought it looked good, I would have artificial grass.
Lately, I been trying to put just a little bit more effort in my lawn, especially the front yard. People see the front lawn when they walk by. I spray for weeds and I do have a regimen for fertilizing. Occasionally I would skip a step, so I would not have to cut the lawn too often.
I have a mulching lawn mower. The lawn mower does not mulch, as much as it leaves a trail of grass clippings. The lawn looks terrible as the clippings become more evident as they brown up over the next couple of days. So, during those fast-growing periods, I would attach the mower bag and bag the clippings. Add the dumping of 3-4 bags of clippings, I hate cutting the grass even more. Nonetheless, the lawn looks better. I do not bag the backyard. Let the grass clippings show. It is the backyard.
I have worked on hardscaping. I have installed fences, retaining walls, and a brick paver patio. The brick paver patio was a major fail. I have tried 3 times to reset the pavers and the patio still looks bad. Also, I believe the sand base eroded down to the house’s drain tile and clogged it.
I tried my hand at grading. I rented a BobCat® skid steer and attempted to grade our backyard of another home we owned. The ground was still wet, and I just moved clumps of mud from one spot to another. I spent most of my time trying not to tip it on its side.
I have done my share of laying sod. Actually, laying sod is instant gratification. You start with dirt and suddenly you have grass. If you get good quality rolls of sod and butt the edges tightly, the lawn looks great. (Just make sure you water it.)
I planted trees and bushes. I also have pulled out trees and bushes. I prefer the former. I remember Efiwym, (my wife), roped me into removing tree stumps. Removing tree stumps can be exhausting. You dig. You tug. You twist. You look for that one root that is keeping you from getting that stump out. With sweat rolling down your forehead and your elbows deep in dirt, you finally get it removed. Now you only have a bunch more to do. Not fun.
Efiwym is the landscape DIYer. In the past you never gave her a plant because it would surely die. Over the last several years, she has put together a bountiful garden providing us with pickles, tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers. During the late summer, when I go by the garden while cutting the grass, I would stop by and graze on cherry tomatoes.
Her approach to landscaping is so different than mine. She would use a hand pruner to trim bushes, while I will use the hedge trimmer to hack away at them. She will plant flowers and put out garden ornaments and solar lights. For me, the less clutter, the better.
She recently spent many hours on her hands and knees cleaning up around the bushes in the front yard and by the side lot line. I would not even offer to help. I would find anything else to do. Meticulously, she would clean up the edges, pull weeds and unwanted vegetation, trim the bushes, and remove mulch from the surrounding lawn. I admire her hard work. The landscaping never looked better. I hope she is pleased of her work as I am proud of her.