Living in the rolling hills of the Appalachia foothills has proven to give me many challenges. One of the biggest it that most of my yard is either a gentle slope or an out and out bank that is close to impossible to maintain. I also have runoff problems after a rain so the solution to this problem was to terrace several of my hillsides. I have now made my hillsides beautiful, productive, safer and easy to maintain.
photo credit: brewbooks

The idea of terracing a hillside is to make the hill into giant flat steps that will allow for the areas to be safely worked and to keep soil from washing away. You may decide to ground cover most of your hillside or add a lot of rock with just a few plants. You may also choose to add low sprawling bushes that choke out weeds and need little care. One other option is to turn the hillside into several different gardens.

Terraced hills are more appealing to the eye if they are laid out in interesting shapes. They could be several mini gardens surround by rock or they could curve around a seating area. If the area has enough sunlight you may choose to put your vegetable or flower garden there. And a larger hillside garden doesn’t seem complete without a stairway wandering up the hill. It’s beautiful and functional for watering or working with plants.

To terrace a hillside, start at the base. You will need some sort of retaining wall material. This could be wood, railroad ties, stone, brick or cement block. The decision of material will be based on cost and your landscaping theme you have.

When planning your terrace design,  cut very wide step-like areas out. Usually this is done starting at the base. Flatten out the top of a raised area and move the dirt towards your newly positioned retaining wall. Even out the soil. You may want to add another row or more height to you wall and add additional compost or rich soil for growing plants.

You will want your terraced area to be wide enough to work and plant. Three to four  foot areas are a good size. A terrace area under two foot isn’t as easy to work with. When your first terraced area is even and you are happy with it, add another terrace. Continue this procedure up to the top.

Make sure that your retaining wall is firm and will not tumble forward. Soil will add pressure to the wall so the wall needs to be secure. Installing drainage at the time you put the wall in too will help with any added pressure on the wall area. This is more important in rainy climates or area that freeze in the winter

I added a drainage pipe and gravel to my higher slopes I terraced and a buffer zone of 10 inches of gravel behind the back of each retaining wall in my smaller terraces. This will keep water from backing up against the retaining wall and pushing the wall out causing damage.

Terracing a slope can be a practical landscaping solution to keep hillside erosion free. It adds beauty to a backyard or can turn a usable section of the yard into a garden area for relaxation or other uses. A terraced area will also help for small space design idea where every foot of yard is invaluable.

Technorati Tags: backyard design, backyard oasis paradise, childrens backyard projects, small space design

As the weather is improving and children will soon be on school vacation this is the time to be planning new backyard activities to keep you children happy and busy. Here is an easy to make backyard summer activity game that is perfect for those days when children are restless or for parties and family reunions. You can also involve your child in creative project.
photo credit: Conor Keller

Drop-Cloth Tic-Tac-Toe Board Game

Supplies:
5-foot by 8-foot canvas drop cloth
1-inch painter’s tape (painters tape is better but masking tape will work)
paintbrush
cardboard or vinyl pieces
1 pint semi-gloss paint

First measure and mark a 33 inch square in the center of the drop cloth to create the border of your backyard tic-tac-toe board. A yardstick and pencil will be needed for this step. Draw lines inside the larger square to create nine equal 11-inch squares.

Next place the one-inch tape along the outside edges of the large square, and center along the interior square lines making the game grid. Measure 1 inch from the tape along the outer edge of the large square and apply another border of tape.

Using semi-gloss paint, paint the nine inner squares and the border of the large square between the painter’s tape. Allow the paint to dry and apply additional coats as needed. Once the paint is dry, remove the tape.

Now it’s time to make the make the game pieces. Trace around a smaller six-inch paper plate on heavy cardboard or pieces of vinyl. Make 12 round pieces and place a painted X on 6 pieces and a painted O on the other six pieces. You may want to paint the X’s and O’s different colors and you may want to paint the background of the round circles a different color for each X or O too. Seal the pieces with clear varnish to protect the paint. You will not need these many pieces for each time the game is played, a few are extra pieces.

Tips

• Using thick cardboard or vinyl game pieces create game pieces that should not hurt children. Vinyl pieces can be picked up at most hardware stores or interior design stores.
• Select paint and varnish with no lead
• You may find it helpful to use tent stakes or long nails in the corners of the drop cloth. This will hold your backyard tic-tac-toe board in place if it’s windy.

Your children will enjoy helping create and paint this backyard game. Let them choose their favorite colors for painting the game pieces and game board. This game can also be used on patios and indoors.

Technorati Tags: backyard Childrens Area, backyard play area, childrens backyard projects

Watching birds is entertaining and educational for children and birds control insects and pests in the backyard. By add birdhouses, birdbaths and birdfeeders you can attract birds to your backyard and the family can enjoy the birds antics and may enjoy trying to identify the different bird varieties.

One simple and easy birdfeeder to make is the coconut birdfeeder. Your children would enjoy this easy backyard project, but since sharp and electrical tools will be used children will need to be watched carefully.

Start by punching a hole in the coconut with a hammer and nail. It’s best to trap the coconut in one place to prevent any injury. Its will also help if you choose one of the dark spots on the coconut to make a quick hole. Pour off the coconut milk.

Nest place the coconut in a vise and saw it in half using a hacksaw. If you use clean tools you can use the coconut meat once you have removed it from the shell. Children will enjoy trying the coconut.

Carefully drill three evenly spaced holes near the rim of the coconut half. You will want to attach three 18- to 24-inch pieces of garden twine, small chain or thick wire through the holes Tie the loose ends together to form the hanger for the bird feeder. It will also look nice if you add a wood hoop or bead at the top.

Next select a section of the yard for the feeder. You will want it near or in a tree and if possible a small bush or two in the nearby vicinity for the birds to rest and have protection. Make sure the birdfeeder is low enough for your children to fill with seeds but high enough for the birds not to be threatened by cats or dogs.

Your children will enjoy feeding different varieties of seeds to the birds and seeing which they prefer. They may even want to try tidbits of dried and fresh fruit.

It’s best to keep the birdfeeder and surrounding area clean to prevent diseases spreading to birds and to prevent other animals from bothering the feeders. If the family enjoys the birdfeeder you may want to add birdhouses and a birdbath.

Technorati Tags: backyard oasis, backyard projects, childrens backyard projects