Another Project? Why yes!

When we bought our home a year ago we knew the front yard was not going to meet our families needs.  For one the rose bushes that divided the small yard was not conducive for the kids to be able to run through the yard.  Second, we weren't in love with the large amount of flagstone.  So being the master of destruction, I set out to demolish the front yard.

Front yard when we bought the house with the small pond that didn't work.

Rose bushes in the middle of the front yard

My nephew Tyson helping dig up the rose bushes to give to my niece.

Strong roots is all I can say.

The house with the rose bushes removed.

 So lets move forward to spring of 2012.  Time to remove the brick wall supporting the flower bed, rip out all the sandstone, and pour a sidewalk to the front door.

Flower bed wall coming down

Neighbors got in the demolition process

Kids always love a good dirt pile

Brick debris mess

Beginning to remove flagstone - man some of this was HEAVY!

Getting ready to make form for sidewalk

What a mess.

Kids were great to help load debris in the truck

New sidewalk going in

Scooping concrete - again HEAVY.

Neil rocked the sidewalk.  This was his first time doing concrete and he ROCKED it.  We also found that we were having drainage problems in the corner by the steps.  Neil dug, trenched, planned, dug and dug some more for a new drainage system.  This was an extra step in the yard makeover I wasn't planning on but in the long run will prove beneficial.  Oops forgot to get pictures of the trench :(  I am so grateful I have such a handy and hard working husband.

This is the current status of the front yard.  Now to get that heavy clay managed.  I cannot believe the amount of clay in the soil.  We hauled in two cubic yards of topsoil, 2 cubic yards of gravel, and for the rest of the plans - line flower bed with flagstone path, plant grass, put in plants etc.  There is so much more work to be done1/2 a cubic yard of sand thus far.  Needless to say, I am sick of scooping and using the shovel. So we plug along and hopefully the rain will not continue to halt work.  I think the TV show on HGTV Curb Appeal should come and finish our yard.

More pictures and another post as more progress is made....hopefully we will be able to plant grass seed this week.  The flagstone path is complete and I love the way it turned out.  I will try to get pictures updated soon.