Before and after landscaping rock

[Bartman]

It looks fabulous!  I'm glad I went with the more expensive and little used rock.  It has cleaned up nice after the 4+ inches of rain so you can see some of the blue tint now even when it isn't wet (when it is raining the blue really comes out).  Compliments the grey areas of my siding perfectly.  I then added some low voltage lighting through this area.  I had wanted to go with solar, but this area is pitch black and I need light here in the winter especially.  The solar variety just wouldn't cut it.  The lights are small and the colour blends in with the rocks so during the day there isn't much of a statement, but at night the area is lit up nice.

This weekend my front yard should get the hydroseeding over it along with all the areas that were ripped out when the sidewalk and patio went in.  Hopefully it takes well an I have grass again that looks like grass and not the half dead stuff it is now.  It will still take a lot of work to keep it ahead of the undesirable stuff that grows around here, but hopefully I am on the home stretch.

That will be it for landscaping this year.  Next year will be the trees along the fence and possibly some planters between the garage and the house that will compliment the rock.  Right now I'm thinking of three identical modern containers - square and black.

Bart

[miguynmkoi]

Very clean and contemporary.  Did you get help placing the rocks?  Perfect place for sculptures around the rock area 

[Esther]

Yup Bart, looks good. I agree with Annette that area needs some knic knacs.

[Bartman]

I had the church youth group help wheelbarrow the bulk of it into place then I did most of the final leveling and picking through it to remove stones like river rock that didn't go with the rest of it.

I could have used about another half to full yard and specifically told the company that I didn't believe their conversion from volume to weight was going to provide the correct final volume, but they insisted it would.  Guess they were wrong.  I had it calculated to exact tolerances plus a big error margin.  I managed to get it placed well enough that the shortage won't be noticed and next year I might add to it in the thin spots.

I am not one for the knic-knacs.  Will do the planters for sure by the garage, but probably nothing along the long narrow area since nothing happens on that side - just the walk from the front to the back.  The only thing I have toyed with for there beyond the rock is square pavers up the centre and 90 degrees to the garage where the planters could sit on.

Damn, now you have me thinking that planters all along there could look quite contemporary if I stick with the square pavers and square metal planters.  Need more money!  Will have to consider selling myself on the street corner now.  Wonder how much I could charge.... 

Bart

[miguynmkoi]

  Coffee shops!  My favorite for listening to clean talent.   

Contemporary planters sound great! 

[Sandye]

It looks very nice, Bart!    I love the color of that rock.   

If you do decide to sell yourself on the street corner, don't forget to tell us all about it.   

[Bartman]

How much detail do you want?

Bart

[landey1230]

Very nice.  I was hauling the rock from the driveway to my backyard in the middle of our summer and my neighbor felt so bad.  He came out and helped me.  Well, I made a new friend and the 5 tons of rock was moved.  Good times.

[Sandye]

Welllllll....not a lot of detail, now that I think of it.   

[Krista]

What a change Looks great and can't wait to see it with the planters too beautiful rock

[Bartman]

Thanks everyone.

I'm still deciding on how to layout the planters.  I'm thinking 6 of them now curved around to fit the sidewalk curve.  Still thinking square, metal and black though.  I'm going to be in Regina July 5th and hope to either find said container or get some leads on ordering something from around here.  If I can find something and the price is good I'll probably buy them and just store them until next year for phase II.

Bart

[Mikey]

Have you considered making your own planters from hypertufa recipes?  It's quite inexpensive and there are lots of different recipes out there.  The recipes will determine how rough your texture will be.  For example if you use lots of perlite you will have a rough texture but if you increase the amount of cement and add sand instead of perlite then you get a smoother......and heavier planter.  You could add black dye to the mix to make them black.  I've made a couple of small planters (bowls) for succulents and I also made a mill stone out of hypertufa.

[Bartman]

No tufa - all contemporary style in this yard so sleek lines only.

Bart

[EagleEye]

tufa is no more than a recipie for making a planter. make it any shape / lines that trip your trigger.
It would be ECONOMICAL

Steve

[Bartman]

Yeah, I know what it is I just don't think it is any more contemporary than a wagon wheel would be in my plan.  IMO of course based on my vision of the finshed product.  It would be pretty much impossible to get clear, crisp corners and lines with the tufa and that's the direction I'm going with it all.  Might have worked in one of the gardens back at the farm, but not this one.

Bart