*Caution* Woman Brick Layer at Large

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Was frustrated every year with the front lawn, attempting to plant at the corner slope next to the driveway. Some things would last alright, but mostly weeds would take over toward the end of summer. So this year I said enough is enough, and decided to build small a retaining wall, raise it up a foot, and plant some of my premier natives in that spot.

First I salvaged what I could from the area and dug up all the weeds. Then trenched it on the edges down to the level ground. I dug deep holes in 3 places at the weight bearing foot side next to the sidewalk and poured concrete all along the edge and in the holes and pounded in 4' x 1/2" rebar and let it dry a day or so. I used the Maxumizer concrete which would have the best flex power.

Thumbnail by debnes_dfw_tx
Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

When the rains dried up good enough, I began laying the cinder block with mortar putting the holes over the rebar and setting them into place.

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Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

I laid some 3" tiles over the top to conceal the holed in the top of the cinder blocks, and filled the area in with compost and topsoil.

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Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

I planted the larger native specimens into the area first...

Amorpha fruiticosa
Hercules Club Z. clava
Salvia greggii Cherry Red
Desert Willow
Desert Bird of Paradise

Thumbnail by debnes_dfw_tx
Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Then I covered all the ground with professional grade Weed-free fabric... and planted more things... then covered all the Weed-free with fresh River Birch Mulch.

On a roll, I wend ahead and made the two curved triangles by the driveway into xerascapes with Autumn Joy Sedum, Red Yucca, Little Bluestem, and some small crawling Sedum. Covered it with Weed-free as well, and topped it off with red lava rock. I did both sides of the driveway the same.

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Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

WOW! I'm so impressed. You even used caution tape! LOL

It looks really great! You'll have to share pictures of your new beds as things grow and fill out.

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Yeah! What a job this was! I worked sun up to sundown until it was mostly done... I made this shot bigger so you might make out the plant markers.

I have Echinacea and Coreopsis grandiflora in front, then Texas Betony and Yarrow, and some Mealy Blue S. farinacea.....

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Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Thanks Stephanie! I will try to keep up with this thread as things fill out for sure. :-D

And I have to mention the spot up by the porch... The Peony I planted back in 2003 decided to bloom this year. We had enough freezing days apparently, but it was so worth the wait!
Oh yeah, and that is Tradescantia (Spiderwart) next to the Peony... I just love those too!!

This message was edited May 1, 2010 11:58 AM

Thumbnail by debnes_dfw_tx
Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Are you going to grow anything to hide the wall or paint it or anything?

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Nice job Debnes!! Looks great....got to promote those natives!

Arlington, TX

Wow!
A handy man, gardener and brick layer all in one. Seriously I applaud you taking on a big job like that and doing it so well. Only one question...when can you come to my house LOL. I am inspired to take on some of the bigger issues in my own yard.
Cheryl

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Now that ya asked Stephanie, I had an idea to paint a mural on the wall when my DD is ready to help me with it. I agree it needs something, tho my plants are glad to be out of pots. I am giving my arm a rest before I use it up again.

Thanks Sheila :-S

Thanks Cheryl, this is a very inspirational bunch of people we are among here! They all gave me the plants which inspired me to build a place to put them, rofl! Some of them have been saved for over 3 years.

Austin, TX(Zone 8b)

Very impressive!

Definitely update us with photos as the plants settle in and start to bloom...

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

I think a mural would be great!

That peony is a gorgeous color!

Rowlett, TX(Zone 8a)

Nice job, Deb. That area is beautiful.

Carla

Josephine, Arlington, TX(Zone 8a)

Wonderful job Deb!!! you are really a woman on the go. I am impressed!!
Josephine.

McKinney, TX(Zone 8a)

Great job! Very encouraging. I have issues like that in my yard.

One warning about those larger specimens - they all get very large. Are they all in that new bed? My Amorpha fruticosa that I planted 2+ years ago as a 2 gallon pot is spreading (underground) and already 6 or 7 feet wide and the one I bought as a gallon is catching up fast. I have seen specimans in the wild that are 15+ feet wide. Hercules Club is naturally medium size tree. The other two (bird of paradise, if red & yellow, and Desert willow) get over 6 feet wide too.

Rowlett, TX(Zone 8a)

I have a Hercules Club (z. clava) at the corner of my house. It was there when I bought the house in 1994 and it's now well over 20 feet tall. And it's a plant that you want to keep *well* away from -- those thorns hurt like the dickens.

Carla

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

That is great though Carla. They are one of the host plants for the Giant Swallowtail. So if you have what looks like blobs of birdpoop, they could be caterpillars. LOL!

Rowlett, TX(Zone 8a)

It's been pruned to a tree shape, so the branches are way above my head. I've looked but never seen caterpillars. Right now it's in the best bloom I have ever seen (all the rain, I suppose?) and the smell is just heavenly. The blooms are loaded in bees and butterflies, too. I just love that tree ... though it has poked me a time or two or three.

Carla

Dallas, TX

Deb you go gurl! you are one tough cookie. I cant wait to see the mural that you and Jackie do.

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

If you decide against doing the mural, you could always put some potted plants there.

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Thank's y'all!
Wow Carla, the Z clava must be a sight! I will keep the pruners to it and see what happens. Same with Amorpha, they can be pruned back and if anything gets moved, it will be everything except the Hercules, lol. Yeah Sheila, the cats camouflage very well on the bark.

My canon S5IS got scratched the other day, yeah, a big gash in the center of the lens. I am getting the upgrade next Monday. DH is letting me use his, tho it is a video cam that takes stills too.

Sylvia, the DH artist is Valerie... she is an outstanding artist.

I have so many projects to get done that I'm spinning. Next the garage. It will take a special miracle, but it will be an albatross until it's had a major makeover. Prayers would be deeply appreciated.

:-D

Arlington, TX

LOL I have prayed for many things, but never a garage!
C

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

LOL C!

Well it worked! A friend that has a landscape business came over yesterday and helped. He took everything out and back in, only a lot more organized. And hauled off a pick/up bed full and took it to goodwill for me. Yaay!

Now the next leg of this adventure... About 18 years ago Kev and I went east to Florida to visit his Nana, we had all our belongings in our RV and the van we pulled behind us. When we got there we got a space to store everything while we went up to New Jersey to visit his parents. When we moved back to Texas a few years later we came straight here from NJ, so we left our stuff in storage in FL. All these years we have been paying for that space.

In January Kev and my SIL went with our Cargo-mate trailer to FL and cleared out the space bringing everything back here. At the time our garage was so full that we had to wait on bringing everything here to the house.

The trailer is a veritable 'time capsule', and it looks like today is the day Kev can finally bring it here for me to go through. So now you all might have a clearer picture of why I was anxious to make it happen. It was an albatross for Kev I know, and I am so thankful and relieved!! Tho it took a village, and a few prayers indeed, lol!

Sweezel!! I missed you at this roundup girl! I can't make the ETXRU :-(, but I'll be with y'all in spirit.

:-D

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Can you send that guy over to clean out my garage?!? It's a disaster area. I told DH he has to clean it before he opens the doors so no one will see all the carp in it!

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

lol Stephanie~ How did the carp get in your garage?

Arlington, TX

Evolution!

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Husband is a packrat. I'm NOT! LOL We've been married 10 years and he's had a gas stove in storage all this time. Do we have gas in our kitchen???? Nooooooo, but he won't sell it or give it away because, "we might want to convert to gas". Ummmmmmmmmmmm...NOT!

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

rofl!!, @ gas stove in a total electric house, your probably right!


and evolution hahaha! C that was a real classy answer!

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Stephanie....I don't have "carp" in mine, but have crap; doesn't everyone? I have made sure that there is always room for my vehicle though. But then we have a large shop out back and it collects the junk too.

Debnes.... I can relate to the storage payments....finally said enough is enough and donated stuff to Goodwill for weeks last year. I had a lot of country knick-nacks that I had packed up when we remodeled and went to a more modern look. I tried a garage sale and it was more work than profit. I just wanted it gone. I no longer stop at every garage sale.....now my passion (or compulsion) is plant sales!
Kevin.....Give up the stove, someone on Craigs list needs it!

Colleyville, TX(Zone 8a)

I have incentive to clean the garage... at least so the car can get in. Lots of storms forecasted this time of year. It is such a mess, I can't find all the good garden amendments....hope I don't find carp!

Arlington, TX

My husband is a packrat too and can't stand to throw away things. I have accepted my fate for the most part but I do have areas that are off limits in the house and yard and that keeps me happy and my life more peaceful. I was looking at my own garage and though there weren't any fish around there is a lot of garbage that really isn't useful anymore.
C

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

We can't get a car in our garage. In addition to being a packrat, which he comes by honestly since his parents are packrats, DH has the insane tendency to never put anything back where it came from! I've tried throwing stuff away, but DH sees that as not allowing him to have his space. I told him he can have his space in the 16' x 24' shed in the backyard! LOL It's not working so far.

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

I used to be heavy into crafting and had two 6 x 8 foot shelves loaded plus some. After not crafting for years, I went through and picked out items that I thought might be good for crafts with my great nephew or neice to keep. Then I called a senior citizens home and asked the activities director if they wanted them. She did come out and took a lot of the items, which made me feel good.
Opps.... sorry we got this thread so far off topic...but it was your fault Deb!

Rowlett, TX(Zone 8a)

Deb, here is my Hercules Club (z. clava). It came with the house I bought (1994) and was already trimmed into a tree shape. During the year it's pretty innocuous (unless you lean up against it - ouch!) but when it blooms in the spring .... oh my, the smell is amazing. I know you're going to enjoy yours.

Carla

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McKinney, TX(Zone 8a)

Thanks Deb. I wish I could have come to Arlington. It's been a crazy spring so it looks like I am going to miss both swaps. We were moving our business out of the garage into an actual office last weekend so could not come to Arlington. I have an almost empty 3 car garage now! :)

This Saturday is my daughter's 16th birthday so not going to make it to Jacksonville either.

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

Love the Toothache tree Carla! Mine is so tiny now, not sure I will ever see it that large, but there is always hope.

Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a)

That was an excellent thing to do Sheila! No prob with subject....

Apologies for not being here much, but the house has been very busy in every way. Slowly but surely updating each room (inside the house). A lot of crafting is going on here these days. It takes much more time when caring for and working around 6 people, so I hope y'all understand.

Carla! That is a very nice size Z. clava tree:-). Mine is about 5 years old and only about 4-4 1/2 ft.

Josephine, Arlington, TX(Zone 8a)

Good to hear from you Deb, don't be a stranger.
Josephine.

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