I know, the mind reels that it has taken me this long to get around to posting all of our finished backyard. But in my defense, it just wasn't completely finished until last weekend when Matt and I (yeah, I even helped a little) stained the playset. And then I wanted to wait till it was actually sort of sunny out to take these but it appears we are back in Forks for the next week or so, so overcast photos it is! I know I mentioned before, but we had quite the plan for this backyard. Oh the enormity of the plan!
Here is an aerial view of the finished back yard as seen from David's window....
What did we do, you may query? Well, I shall tell you.
Removed old fire pit.
Rebuilt fire pit on concrete slab.
Moved playset.
Seeded where playset used to be.
Seeded around birch in the back corner.
Had someone come and install the pool (wow, what a game changer that was).
Built the deck around the pool.
Built sliding barn door type gates.
Stained the deck.
Stained the playset.
Landscaped all around the pool, including moving around twelve already established bushes from before.
Mulched.
Installed outdoor speakers.
Installed solar lighting around base of pool.
Installed solar lighting on deck steps.
Installed hooks on either side of steps for towel drying needs.
Got locks for all deck gates/fence gates.
Planted a zillion arbor vitaes. By a zillion I mean 28.
Got all new chair cushions.
Got all new towels.
Planted all the pretty flowers.
Got palm trees (any palm tree parents out there? I need help with these, I think they got a rough windy spell when I first brought them home and they look sad to me).
So first up is this gate. My dad actually came up with the general idea and then Matt implemented.... and I came in as Debbie the Downer with wanting it to be basically like my own Fort Knox out there. Pool safety is something that keeps me up at night...So... closed:
Open! Just look at that wide open pool viewing area:
Up close all locked up tight:
The main deck area:
The lower deck area which is all new of course:
The view ground level as one walks around the pool, including all those new trees:
The new fire pit area and play set:
My many flowers! So in love with my flowers! Some on the deck and some
down in my garden and give me all the blooms please! Including my
favorite rose bush that's going rogue and a hibiscus that is being shy
about blooming and that dahlia! Salmon geraniums! Yaaaaaay!
Taken at night to show a bit of the lighting:
So there it is! The finished product! In a few years when those evergreens get all nice and big we will have quite the private oasis back there! It's a dream and it's awesome and we couldn't be happier with how it all turned out! Matt says that from now on he is always going to need a pool in his life. My little cabana boy; I may just agree with him.
And just for fun, the backyard as seen in October and then as seen on Sunday afternoon...
