Manscaping or uh...er...the "Manly Art of Gardening"

Dan in Pasadena · Jun 18, 2010

I'm a bit embarrassed to post anymore about my "landscaping" with you guys that have 1000 acre farms and big lots.

Be that as it is, I keep working on it. We're having a bridal shower in August for our son and we want the garden to look good so I decided to patch some dead spots in the lawn from a mis-adjusted sprinkler and my dog's attempts to "help" me by over "fertilizing".

Pardon the crappy cell phone picture. Is there a clue that the guy doing the patch job is a car guy? :bounce:

Later, closer to the shower a bunch of new annual flowers will be going in.

s_ontario · Jun 20, 2010

LOL Dan

Some of This years Garden

the lil ****** i was walking with not only stoped for a snack but thought some of the corn needed to be watered

colt zantop · Jun 20, 2010

heres some pics of a pond I helped put in...this one is at my parents, its 4 feet deep at one end and is home to about 6 koi fish...I also helped put one in at my inlaws last summer thats slightly bigger...someday I will have my own...

Dan in Pasadena · Jun 20, 2010

Colt,
I've always wanted to put in a pond. Is that one a thick poly liner, pre-formed plastic liner, or a wire mesh & concrete old school style pond?

I had a friend years ago that had a waterfall like yours and he built a castle for the top of the hill pretty ingeniously. He formed the castle out of 1/4"x1/4" wire mesh and then "plastered" the mesh with a concrete mix he'd poured pea gravel into. Once it began to set up, he carefully wiped off the concrete paste with a sponge and exposed all the pea gravel which made it look like a miniature stone castle. Then he planted Irish moss all around it and it looked awesome.

colt zantop · Jun 20, 2010

wow...that one sounds COOL! both of these are a poly liner......my opinion the only way to go now days....they have a long life span (10 years) and you can make your pond any shape and size you want. heres some pics of my mother inlaws we put in last summer....

Dan in Pasadena · Jun 20, 2010

Love that pond, Colt.

Do you line the hole with moist sand before smoothing the poly liner? And do you sorta fold the liner over on itself as you make the curves?

The drawings I've seen show a step cut in the soil around the edge of the hole where flattish rocks (I guess?) hold the poly in place and then other rocks are stacked on top of those rocks and around the perimeter. I'd have to figure out how one of those water falls works but I think I understand that the pump outfeed just feeds to the top under a rock of some kind.

colt zantop · Jun 20, 2010

we line the bottom of the holes with either old carpet or carpet padding before we install liner. I do know that most places you order your liner from also have padding you can get but old carpet is FREE!

this stops any rocks in the hole from possibly poking a hole in the liner. on the curves...you fold it over with the least creases as possible. your gonna have a few creases no matter what but if you order a large enough liner you will reduce the amount of creases. also most creases can be covered up once you install the rock and plants at the bottom of your pond.
you can do the waterfalls a few different ways but we used flexable tubing and just buried it. dont bury it under the pond liner itself incase you ever have a problem in the future...you can't get to it!

we just run it along the edge of the pond about 4-6 inches deep and it gets covered by grass or stone.

Dan in Pasadena · Jun 21, 2010

I never would have thought of old carpet but it sounds logical. No issue with smell when it eventually rots? Typically, how deep should the pond be? Deep enough not to get too hot in the summer & cook the fish, (& I suppose not freeze in parts of the country) and deep enough so cats can't reach down and swipe fish. What are you using for a filter
system? Another guy I talked to said to use a rebuilt swimming pool filter to keep them clear....but that sounds expensive.

Kevin54 · Jun 22, 2010

Dan in Pasadena said:
Love that pond, Colt.

Do you line the hole with moist sand before smoothing the poly liner? And do you sorta fold the liner over on itself as you make the curves?

The drawings I've seen show a step cut in the soil around the edge of the hole where flattish rocks (I guess?) hold the poly in place and then other rocks are stacked on top of those rocks and around the perimeter. I'd have to figure out how one of those water falls works but I think I understand that the pump outfeed just feeds to the top under a rock of some kind.

A lot of the designs that you see with the shelf dug in, is a plant shelf. A lot of plants are marsh plants and do not like real deep water. Other designs with the shelf are just what you stated...a ledge to hold the liner and rocks to anchor it.

If you are interested in ponds, check out this forum http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/ponds/ and there is a sub forum in it for Pond Galleries. A lot of people with some fantastic backyard ponds

Dan in Pasadena · Jun 22, 2010

Kevin, thank you VERY much for the link. I'm sure I'll be blown away by the creativity. I've got space for a small pond in a shaded area. Maybe I'll see something that will have me digging by Saturday!

Shaggie · Jun 23, 2010

I guess everyone always intends to take a before photo……

And only the best organized do…..

I am NOT that person….

How ever we do have a pic saved from the online listing for the house before we bought it

What this tiny pic does not show is the concrete block retaining wall behind the pool pump shed on the left which curved around towards the round-topiared bush behind the patio table. About 2 feet high and holding back a raised garden which does show in pics to come….

The entire paved area (including quite a bit of the raised garden) are on top of a concrete base – we have no idea of what the original owners were thinking!

So I broke up most of the concrete base with a jackhammer….i think my teeth rattled for days after!

The tree deep in this corner was probably 20+ years old and didn’t want to come along quietly….

(note the ‘extra’ concrete wall hidden under the dirt of the original raised garden…how pleased were we to find that……) and apologies for the bad stitching of this pic…

But it did in the end….

It’s looking a lot better in this pic

But there’s solar heating for the pool up on the roof now…..

Dan in Pasadena · Jun 23, 2010

Shaggie, nice pix. That work gave you quite a bit more flat patio area than before. Looks like it was **** kicking hard work though. I hope you recompacted really well or that patio is gong to develop settlement cracks. What's the plan for the new enlarged patio? Furniture? Shade arbor, other?

Shaggie · Jun 27, 2010

Hey Dan

no shade cloth or anything planned altho it does get pretty darn hot in there in the summer....the newly painted walls are quite glare-y in bright sunlight and so we have planted star jasmine to grow up over the face of the walls to reduce the glare and make the place smell nice when we sit out there on summer evenings

it's winter here now and so not much sitting out there going on! We had a spectacular autumn but it all went to hell in a handcart like there'd been a switch flicked :-(

the bright news is that the lawn i resowed (as in sprayed, dug up, re-rolled and resowed due to the solar panel installers digging a trench across it then spraypainting the roof frames ON the lawn!.... :shocking:

) has come up beautifully lush and green green green! (i confess to having a bit of a lawn 'thing'!)

I'll try and get a pic of that up but as I say the weather's a bit (a LOT!) grey so pics don't do it all justice....

enough waffle!

Cheers

Shane

ps - very keen to see other members manscaping work! :bounce:

BetterDays · Jun 27, 2010

lupinsea said:
Anyways, shortly after we moved in we ripped up out lawn and put in some "eco-lawn" which was a mixture of slow growing dwarf grasses and small flowering perienial plants. It was supposed to take 75% less water and 75% less mowing. And in between mowings (about once a months or so) you'd get a field of flowers that would spring up. It looked great but I didn't get all the old lawn out and patches have been creeping back. Now it's a mixed turf. I still like it but would have much preferred a straight eco-lawn mix. I might re-seed in the next year or two.

Couple of questions:
How long did it take to till the 7k sq feet of grass?
What is the growth rate on the eco-lawn mix?
Is the Eco-lawn mix available without the flowers, just slow-growing grass?

Kevin54 · Jun 27, 2010

Shaggie...Is that dirt or is that stone dust? I am assuming dirt as you now have grass in it but at first I thought is was finely crushed stone like we put down for a base for pavers.

I'm digging the coordination of clothing. Camo and flowered pink boots :lol_hitti

Fantastic work though, and it looks like there was a lot of it.You've made major improvements :thumbup:

Shaggie · Jun 27, 2010

Hey Kevin

It's dirt we removed from the raised garden we demolished.

and I'll pass on the fashion critique to the Project Manager

Yip it was a bit of work but am pleased with the result esp. now I have sorted my lawn to my liking....

the house has cool 70's style (NZ 70's style if that makes a difference haha) but some of the colours etc inside leave a little to be desired....it's an ongoing project!

there's never enough money in the budget!

Cheers

Shane

BetterDays · Jun 27, 2010

Shaggie -
Thank her for helping outside.

All outside tasks are mine (the garden, the landscaping, the mowing, etc.)

Shaggie · Jun 27, 2010

will do, BetterDays! :beer:

smedly · Jul 7, 2010

Before and after shots. About 8 years in between. Did everything but the wall myself with no real plan. (it shows a bit)

ddawg16 · Jul 7, 2010

Dan....nice yard......And to think I was afraid to post any picks of my yard in fear of loosing my man card....

I love yard work....good theropy...right up there with wood working and working on jeeps....we both love it....and when you consider that my wife is English....then you can understand why yard work is so important....though I do admit that I don't really care for the actual mowing....just plain grunt work....

We bought our house back in 2000....this is what the back looked like before move in...the previous (and original owner) basically ignored the yard after her husband died...

In the 'old days', most people had clothes lines....this is what is was left of that concrete pad....the wife and I removed every single piece....good workout...

Having babies slowed things down a little bit....but I did manage to put in this patio in the back corner....you can see the beginnings of the kids 'fort'....it's not real obvious...but in the center of the patio is a pattern for a chess or checker board...

And the picnic area for the kids.....

And a view of the back....from more or less the same view as the first pic....but before I tore down the garage...

And two of my 'ladies' slaving away in the front yard.....

smooth72 · Jul 7, 2010

My before is a empty field with a wooded gully. Lots of tractor work. I even flipped a track hole on to its side, but by doing it ourselves we can afford more. And it is done the way we want. The pool itself we had done all landscaping /hardscaping and shaping the land we did. The pond, 2 neighbor and I built. Overall 8-9 years and it will never be done.

View from pool to garage

View from garage

s_ontario · Jul 7, 2010

very nice love the last couple photos I'll trade you one of my fields for that LOL

damn i could retire there :bounce:

smooth72 · Jul 7, 2010

We are retiring here, that is were all the money went. :beer:

cat06 · Jul 7, 2010

Very nice place you have smooth72

Dan in Pasadena · Jul 8, 2010

smooth72 said:
...shaping the land we did. The pond, 2 neighbor and I built.

This is what you call "a pond"? That's Lake Erie in Southern California :bounce:

Man, that's SO nice. What kind of dimensions on that "pond"? How deep? Were you originally from Oklahoma or did you go there in retirement to make your dollar stretch?

smooth72 · Jul 8, 2010

Dan in Pasadena said:
This is what you call "a pond"? That's Lake Erie in Southern California

Man, that's SO nice. What kind of dimensions on that "pond"? How deep? Were you originally from Oklahoma or did you go there in retirement to make your dollar stretch?

Born and raised in Oklahoma. My wife and I like to do allot of DIY stuff so we decided to go broke and build our retirement home, so the things we do would always be ours. Plus I hate to move. The house is about 13 years old.
The pond on my end, out behind the dock is at deepest 10 feet, at the dam end, I would say it is 30 feet. We figure that it covers 8 acres. With my neighbors jet skies I have got up to 60 mph. Before we started the pond it was a spring feed creek that had over growth so bad under the trees and vines it was dark. The poision ivy veins was the size of a arms. I lost 30lbs clearing it off, that I have gained back +. As far as retirement, that will be a long ways off, lots of bills to pay. My attitude is to enjoy everyday the most I can. My wife got me a sign that says if you are not grown up by 40 you don't have to, I am almost 50 :beer:

naki kid · Jul 9, 2010

Very very nice,Been to Oklahoma to the Daryl Starbirds custom muesum.

babzog · Jul 9, 2010

I garden with a weedwhacker and my rideon. If it's on the lawn, it gets shredded.

I hate gardening. My parents used to make me weed this big-*** veg garden... swore I'd never pull another weed after that. Gardening is HER job, IF she chooses to do so. For the most part, we (that's 'we' as in 'she') have flower boxes.

mo2872 · Jul 9, 2010

smooth72 said:
Born and raised in Oklahoma. My wife and I like to do allot of DIY stuff so we decided to go broke and build our retirement home, so the things we do would always be ours. Plus I hate to move. The house is about 13 years old.
The pond on my end, out behind the dock is at deepest 10 feet, at the dam end, I would say it is 30 feet. We figure that it covers 8 acres. With my neighbors jet skies I have got up to 60 mph. Before we started the pond it was a spring feed creek that had over growth so bad under the trees and vines it was dark. The poision ivy veins was the size of a arms. I lost 30lbs clearing it off, that I have gained back +. As far as retirement, that will be a long ways off, lots of bills to pay. My attitude is to enjoy everyday the most I can. My wife got me a sign that says if you are not grown up by 40 you don't have to, I am almost 50

Newcastle.....is that in Cleveland County? My pops is the Sheriff there......Love your place, looks great!

smooth72 · Jul 9, 2010

mo2872 said:
Newcastle.....is that in Cleveland County? My pops is the Sheriff there......Love your place, looks great!

Just cross the line in Mcclain. Can you help me out if I get pulled over in Cleveland county' :bounce:

Skyline · Jul 9, 2010

smooth72 said:
Born and raised in Oklahoma. My wife and I like to do allot of DIY stuff so we decided to go broke and build our retirement home, so the things we do would always be ours. Plus I hate to move. The house is about 13 years old.
The pond on my end, out behind the dock is at deepest 10 feet, at the dam end, I would say it is 30 feet. We figure that it covers 8 acres. With my neighbors jet skies I have got up to 60 mph. Before we started the pond it was a spring feed creek that had over growth so bad under the trees and vines it was dark. The poision ivy veins was the size of a arms. I lost 30lbs clearing it off, that I have gained back +. As far as retirement, that will be a long ways off, lots of bills to pay. My attitude is to enjoy everyday the most I can. My wife got me a sign that says if you are not grown up by 40 you don't have to, I am almost 50

That is incredibly cool that you created that "pond", (more like a lake really). So can you give us more details on that and maybe some in-progress pictures and explanations? I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when you went to your local building department and tried to explain that you were going to build an 8 acre lake in your back yard.

mo2872 · Jul 12, 2010

smooth72 said:
Just cross the line in Mcclain. Can you help me out if I get pulled over in Cleveland county'

LOL, maybe......altho, last time I got pulled, it didn't even help ME!

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