My Backyard Oasis Disaster
Most people want the picture perfect backyard oasis, you know, the one pictured in magazines that is a dream come true. Where you can rest, entertain and forget the world exists. But for one reason or another you may not have it.
@ Denise Grant
It could be time, money, the fact you rent or all of the above. Or your backyard problem may have been helped by Mother Nature.
I must admit I have a Backyard Oasis Disaster.
Working a time-consuming summer job for several years left the yard in tolerable condition. This summer I was planning to redo the front and backyard and Mother Nature give me a kick to make me “do it now.”
How it started
Three weeks ago our county suffered heavy rains for about a week. Add this to a month of rain and cold and the ground could no longer take any additional rain. I was out on a Saturday morning two weeks ago watching the troublesome ravine, hoping it would hold, when it broke, bringing rocks, branches and mud into the road.
one ravine can shut down a busy road for hours
I had four other streams that overflowed and brought debris into my yard.
As it stands now I have 10 piles of dirt and three clogged streams that will only create more problems if they are not cleaned out. I also have several areas of my yard that cannot be mowed.
The backyard plan
I am fortunate to have a brother that has a small backhoe and Kubota so arrangements have been made to bring the equipment over and start cleaning up the mess.
I also inherited a pile of flat rock from the mud slide that will be used to create a new patio off the back of the house. A design plan that has taken a back seat for years.
And with all the plans I have for the yard one is to keep prices down and recycle when I can. Found garden art, foraged item and found or bartered plants and shrubs are a goal for the backyard makeover.
You may be interested in watching the backyard take on new life.
This project, broken up into stages, will take all summer. And it may inspire you to add a new patio or garden area.
.png)
Wow Denise! When it rains it pours…so sorry about the problems you’ve had and the massive clean up that is required. Really hope that the clean up starts soon and you will be able to get back to normal.
Diana
Hey Diana,
The mess didn’t get in the house and no one wrecked from the debris in the road, so it could have been a lot worse.
And the free dirt piles and rocks are nice. I have been wanting to put in a patio area with rock but hadn’t picked it up. I had it delivered to my front door (almost) for free!
It will take this year and a bit of next year to get all the work done, but my motto, one project at a time. Denise
Sorry to hear of the disaster but looking forward to seeing the Phoenix emerge