Thursday, September 30, 2010

Landscape done!


It was a multi-month project, but relatively painless compared to indoor remodeling. Far fewer details, more margin for error. Still, overseeing any project is a big time sink. And like most homeowners, we were really burnt on the bleed. It just keeps costing and costing.

Still, the satisfaction level is very high. Even with the inevitable "gee I wish we'd done this a little differently," or finding out what spaces you're attracted to or not, I just love looking at it. I like coming home and seeing the pretty arrangements. I like walking around on the weekends and looking for weeds or trimming back flowers. I like the idea of replacing some of the plants I don't like or that have died with something else. If we made any mistakes at all, it was by not insisting on a lot more privacy, but I think we hesitated at that because it'd completely change the feel of the place. The openness and park-like-ness of it are what's so appealing. Then again, I don't actually spend much time out there, but then again, that could because whatever little time I spend relaxing is done in bed watching TV, if at all.

But I sure do like looking at it, and that's what counts!

More photos later, I just had to get that punchlist off the top :).

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Landscape Punchlist

Punchlist Items:
----------------
++ = "extra", please propose cost

* West yard: Rehinge gate so it opens to walkway, not lawn. Add brace. Cut arch.
* West yard: Move phontina from right side of steps to outside West fence
* West yard: Move escallonia next to West gate (right side)
* West yard: Plant hibiscus (behind the garage) next to West gate (left side)
* West yard: Fill in dirt around square flagstone steppers
* West yard: Plant lemon thyme around square flagstone steppers

* Front yard: Arch arbor needs anchoring and protection from soil; wobbly.
* Front yard: New hopseat to screen shade arbor in place of escallonia
* Front yard: Move escallonia to right side of West gate
* Front yard: Bush to block PG&E Smartmeter
* Front yard: Fountain: Cut post by hose bib
* Front yard: Fountain: Rotate hose bib to point into basin
* Front yard: Fountain: Add drip line to fountain basin
* Front yard: Remove almond tree
* Front yard: 2 more uplights on birch trees
* Front yard: Additional boulders in birch area, cedars, perhaps others
* Front yard: Adjust lawn sprinklers in a few weeks when lawn edges established

* Front porch area: Move coral bells to East yard south raised planter
* Front porch area: Colorful cranesbill geraniums in brick planting area
* Front porch area: Plant rosemary on left side of brick steps

* North garden: Change irrigation to drip
* North garden: Add boulders
* North garden: Move lemon tree to East yard, in corner near storage gate area
* North garden: Add flagstone steppers ++

* East yard: 2 more podocarpus along south fence
* East yard: 2 podocarpus in raised planting area to block fence bump-out
* East yard: Hydrangea in far SE corner in raised planting area
* East yard: Two 3' bushes, shade-tolerant in raised planting area (behind coral bells)
* East yard: Lattice on side of deck
* East yard: Plant dwarf lemon tree near storage area gate (relocate from behind garage)

* South strip: Drip irrigation to vine in front of kitchen window

* General additional plants (park strip, West fence)


Additional items (please propose cost):
---------------------------------------
* Install post by garage corner ++
* North garage garden: flagstone steppers ++
* Move bricks/pavers back into storage area, onto 2 pallets ++
* New: Re-hinge existing gate to north garden from right to left ++
* Pre-emergent all dirt areas, including park strip ++
* Mini-bark on all dirt areas ++
* Fix sinking pavers at the end of the driveway (~50 sq.ft.) ++
* (Remove erroneous 4th "T-ARBOR", no location indicated, $1250)
* (Remove "Lattice install square style," (80 LF), $1760)