Yard Makeover
We decided to redesign our yard - front and back - to provide more visually interesting spaces for our guests. Oh ... and to reduce the amount of grass Jeff has to water and mow.
Our January 'break' focused on implementing this plan. Jeff hired a licensed contractor (Green Magic) to reduce the amount of grass. This work entailed moving a paver border, creating a new border surrounding a mature tree and adding new sprinkler system. Then, once that work was finished, our friend & neighbor, John, used his handy tractor to move about 70 tons of gravel (which Karen & Jeff raked into place). Relaxing, the break was not. But the outcome - especially the labyrinth near the front tree - will be worth the effort!
Please enjoy these photos which show the progress of our work this January!
![A simple, rock-lined walking labyrinth lies near a mature tree leafing out in early spring, with a hammock in the background and mountains in the distance.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7fd4b2_bd164f5c84534d2eb569c6f200c8a4fa~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_551,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/7fd4b2_bd164f5c84534d2eb569c6f200c8a4fa~mv2.jpg)
![A field of grass, bisected by a shallow trough, with wheelbarrows and other tools evident in the distance.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7fd4b2_92a0bf3f3ac74962a7a8902568e1a886~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_551,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/7fd4b2_92a0bf3f3ac74962a7a8902568e1a886~mv2.jpg)
![A dirt mound in the middle of a grassy area, with a trough dug around it and drip line hoses and several tools lying nearby.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7fd4b2_25df54d876c44ecebedaf90889749d85~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_551,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/7fd4b2_25df54d876c44ecebedaf90889749d85~mv2.jpg)
![A view of the same area as the past two photos, but with gravel partially covering the space.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7fd4b2_b1367f26a0f74f2f9a1f9dbcea86902d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_551,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/7fd4b2_b1367f26a0f74f2f9a1f9dbcea86902d~mv2.jpg)
![Two shades of gravel (one forming a pathway within the other) cover the area that lies outside the paver border.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7fd4b2_cacd9e403230456c8f8090dbeb23d0af~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_551,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/7fd4b2_cacd9e403230456c8f8090dbeb23d0af~mv2.jpg)
![A tree is surrounded by a field of gravel, with puddles of standing water.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7fd4b2_15016c7cfa924f6da7e12b0f8e2d061f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_551,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/7fd4b2_15016c7cfa924f6da7e12b0f8e2d061f~mv2.jpg)
![Two photos of the front yard, the top one highlighting yellow dormant grass and the bottom one showing two kinds of gravel where the grass had been. The snow-covered Black Hills rise up in the distance.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7fd4b2_66588c3381874039a812ee95a73fc188~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_561,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/7fd4b2_66588c3381874039a812ee95a73fc188~mv2.png)
![Panoramic view of the backyard, showing how the far edge of the grass yard has been converted into a gravel area incorporating a walkway to the seating plaza at far right.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7fd4b2_c1cb3ddbf4774b9f8f348dc516819099~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_515,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/7fd4b2_c1cb3ddbf4774b9f8f348dc516819099~mv2.png)
Comments