Thursday, May 12, 2011

Once there was patchy green...

The new paving is on the left (the pathway on the right was always here)...there are still pavers and other bits of equipment on the far side of the pool waiting to be moved elsewhere.
Regular readers of Driftwood Ramblings will know that we were having our lawn removed in two sections of the garden and replacing it with paving this week. We had finally 'had it up to our necks' with battling to get our lawn to grow all summer long, only to have it die back and become a muddy mess at the onset of the winter rains each year.  With five dogs hurtling around the mud and ripping up the straggly bits of lawn, it was becoming even more a headache and so we decided to rip up the lawn and lay tiles instead.

Please click the Read more button below to continue reading this post...

 
Unfortunately, in my great eagerness to have the paving job done, it hadn't occurred to me to take any BEFORE pictures...so just believe me when I say that, where before there was some green...very patchy...with lots of mud and several large craters that Toby and the puppies had dug in their enthusiasm to catch the resident moles...we now have super-neat, smart paving and I'm delighted with the outcome. I'll let the pictures we took today speak for themselves. We still have a lot of rearranging and neatening up to do, but the main job is finished, bar the special sealant/protector that needs to be applied to the new paving tiles. All things considered, the job went very smoothly. The team we had were super efficient and pulled out all the stops, so we could have our garden back as soon as possible. I think they felt sorry for me being confined to the garage area with the dogs all day, each day :)
 
Coco surveying the handiwork.

The midsection is new...it used to be patchy grass and, more recently, excavated by the dogs in their search for moles.

The pool is covered for winter. The new paved section is between the pool paving and the paved pathway adjacent to the house.

The new paved area ahead. The existing driveway paving was done 27 years ago.

The dogs and I were confined to the garage area behind the gate where the bakkie is parked while the team were on site.

We now have an extra bay for visitors' cars where before we had patchy lawn.
We were incredibly fortunate with the weather this week. Had it rained, things would have been even messier whilst the work was being done and had it been very windy, all of the builder's sand and dust from using the angle-grinders to cut the tiles would have got into everything. As it was, my husband sensibly pretaped all of the wooden window frames to ensure a good seal. However, as was to be expected, everything in the garden was covered in a thick layer of fine dust. Thankfully, nothing that a good hosing down wasn't able to rectify and it all looks 'good as new' once again. I can't tell you how delighted I am with the end result and the thought of no more mud, or more accurately, no more muddy paws to be towelled down in haste, as the puppies try to bolt past us on their way into the house.  Tomorrow, we'll be planting the best of the grass sods that were removed in the bare patches of lawn at the wetland garden and the small section outside my greenhouse. I am on a mission to get this garden spruced and trimmed before our winter weather sets in, so for the next few days I'll be pretty scarce in Blog Land ;)

34 comments:

  1. I do remember that you said you'd pave that spot and it looks very nice. I think stone tiles are a lot nicer than cement and they create a lovely mosaic. The workers really did a nice job.

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  2. It looks so nice! Yay to no more mud!! Have fun with your gardening!

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  3. Des if there was an award for Best Kept Grounds you would have get first place. Taking it from someone who doesn't see it every day, I think it looks like paradise. I know Coco would agree. You two are to be commended for a job so very well done. Make sure you enjoy some of this great weather before it starts getting cold. Take care and I'll be right here when you get a chance to post again.
    My best always,
    Odie

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  4. Oh! It looks absolutely beautiful!!! Congratulations on your new digs!...Maybe I shouldn't say "dig"! LOL

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  5. Very impressively landscaped. Congratulations! When do the leaves go yellow?

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  6. It looks really great! They did a super job on it. I'm about ready to do that with my back yard. I can't get one of my bone heads to stop digging and the mud is just annoying. Poor doggies can't help getting mud on them but man i get tired of steam cleaning the carpets.

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  7. What a great home you have !! ...so nice your garden and big....nice for all the dogs.......love love Ria....xxx...

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  8. So nice to have nice fresh paving instead of scraggley lawn. looks like the puppies will enjoy the heat retained as the winter comes. have fun gardening!

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  9. Hi there. Wow! It all looks marvellous, and I can imagine just how thrilled you must be with it all, especially with having the puppies running into the house. I love the curve of the paving area. I bet the dogs were thrilled (not to mention yourself) at no longer being confined to the garage area! Wonder what our friend Carol is getting up to?!

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  10. We haven't been able to comment for a few days- but I just want to say, your garden is lovely.

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  11. A fabulous job!
    Isn't it a great relief to get a problem area all sorted out.
    Big credits to your husband for sealing everything against the grinder's dust ... good planning :D)

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  12. Oh gosh that looks beautiful. I love the cutout with the tree and bushes to break up the paving. Nice too that you dont have to have all the pool fences that we have to have.

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  13. It's like a little bit of heaven gazing at your gorgious property and realizing how much work it took to make it look so wonderful. You should be very proud of what you have accomplished. Have a wonderful weekend.
    Odie

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  14. Absolutely beautiful! When I think of the type of garden I would like to have someday, it looks so much like yours! I love the paving around the pool! I can't stop using exclamation points!

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  15. I thought I had commented on this one but maybe i'm losing my mind. lol I love this! It was beautifully done. Btw thanks for your comment yesterday. It made me smile.

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  16. Just checking in to see what you were up to.

    LOOKS GREAT!

    As for me, Things are settling down around here but still trying to get used to the noise and clutter two little kids provide.
    kt
    k

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  17. What a wonderful area to sit, relax, and watch the pooches play. It looks GREAT!

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  18. It certainly looks a lot neater and surely will be easier to care for and more suitable for dog traffic.
    I too am trying to get the garden spruced before winter and our trip away. However, I'm being hampered by a sore knee and back, sure slows me down...bah to growing old.

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  19. I guess my comment got lost in blogger's maintenance day. I wanted to say thank you for the card for pooch, it's really sweet of you.

    I like that you used tiles for the pavement instead of cement, it's a lot easier on the eyes and the feet. I hope the puppies won't make such a mess anymore, but who knows? They always seem to find new ways of messing about.

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  20. Hurray I'm back. Couldn't wait to come over and say hello.
    What a beautiful garden Desiree.
    XOXO

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  21. It looks lovely - and very neat. I'm sure you're going to be happy with it. I assume you still have a grassy area nearby for the dogs to run and take care of business... so to speak :-).

    Meanwhile, you will have less mud tracked in if they cross the pavement to get to the house. Another plus!

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  22. The pavers look fantastic I wish I could get hubby to pave part of our backyard the part that ends up being a muddy mess with holes dug by the dogs.........maybe if I keep nagging I mean asking nicely he will do it for me.......when he mows the lawn he only ever half does it says it takes to much oout of him and I think wtf if you can't do it all then pay someone else to do it or better still lay the bloody pavers and then you wouldn't have to do as much............

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  23. SHEN:

    Good question! We actually don't have a lot of grass left now, but our garden beds are wide and easily accessible. There is plenty of ivy groundcover and bark mulch for them to use. It just means I need to be extra vigilant, daily, with hunting down & cleaning up the parcels, which are flushed down the outside loo :) They do use the brick paving occasionally, too (at night), but I am easily able to scoop it up and hose the area down first thing in the morning.

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  24. EVERYONE:

    Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and to leave your always delightful and much appreciated comments! My apologies for having been rather scarce of late, but I really have been trying to visit as often as I'm able to. Things will eventually settle down here.

    Our puppies start their Puppy Socialisation classes this week on Saturday and every Saturday thereafter for 8 weeks...Toby will be going to training every Sunday as from mid-June. We've found a marvellous trainer...her school is Canine Concepts in Gordon's Bay...for anyone interested, you might enjoy peeking at her website, as there are some great tips and articles you might find useful/interesting ;)

    The link is:
    http://canineconcepts.co.za/

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  25. I hope they puppies will do great on training. I'm sure it's fun for them, meeting new people and dogs and learning new things.

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  26. Hi, I have just returned from a brief trip to the UK and am now enjoying catching up with my favourite blogs. I think the new look is great and you will really appreciate the lack of mud next spring.

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  27. I agree with Odie, your land looks like a little bit of heaven. I am inspired by the thought that being "up to your neck" in frustration can turn into a wonderful solution. I am reminded of a quote I read somewhere that says "don't be afraid of your problems, they are there to help you focus your energy."
    Thank you also for the truly amazing comments you left on my blog. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and am enjoying getting to know you here. Have a great week!

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  28. It's GORGEOUS! I just love every inch of it! And you're quite brave to endure all that work!

    I completely understand about pups and their muddy feet! We have grass (well, weeds) in the back yard except for under the magnolia. Where does Tucker go when it's raining? Under the magnolia. Then he darts into the house like a crazed animal to avoid the towel. LOL At least I only have the one to chase down and wipe off.

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  29. I love it, looks like old cobblestone! It is definitely doggy proof now. Makes me want to dig out all our so called grass...which is mostly weeds anyway.

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  30. Such a great work Desiree, I love how it look now!!!
    Let me tell you that we too have our parking area paved pretty much like you and it´s a great solution for mud and dogs making holes around. Wonderful selection of flooring!!! (sorry, don´t know if this is the right word)
    And good to know you are working in your garden a lot.
    hugs

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  31. I want to come and sit there, with you and the dogs. Looks so comforting and welcoming - and defined. Enjoy getting it how you want it.

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  32. I love how it turned out! It looks like it was supposed to be there. The trees in the middle of the patio look really pretty and will give you nice shade. Great job!

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  33. It is absolutely beautiful! I love it!

    Annie

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