Backyard Project Update!

Part one of "Operation Privacy" has begun in the back of our property! The very back of yard has been an eyesore for the whole time we have lived here so not only will this project give us privacy, but will also make the space functional as a storage area. The most we have done up till now is spray for weeds, mow the weeds, and put up planter boxes to hide the weeds. So here is what we have done so far... our backyard project update!

Leveling

We had a friend of a friend come and level the back. It also helped get rid of the weeds!

Cleaning up!

We borrowed a log splitter from a good friend and went to town on all the tree limbs and such that have been collecting back there for years. It is so nice to have to giant pile of wood organized.

My son is convinced we now need a splitter for ourselves :)

This is about ⅓ of the wood we have!

Gravel & Trenches

We had two loads of gravel delivered. Most of it is raked out, but the other half won't get raked out until the other things are done.

We never added drip lines to the planter boxes for the raspberries so since we needed to add sprinklers back here for the landscaping, we went ahead and dug the lines for the boxes as well. And by we, I mean Shane ;)

Landscaping

We bought 8 of these weeping white spruce trees. They will be planted 9 feet behind the planter boxes (4 per side) to create a screen for privacy. The are about 4 feet wide and 20+ feet tall when full grown.

The Rest of the Plan...

So the full plan is to plant the trees far enough away from the raspberry planter boxes that even when they are full grown, we still have a clear path to walk along the planters and pick berries. We also will be storing the firewood back there. The composters will be on the opposite side as the firewood as well as our trailer. Every where will have gravel except right where the trees are.

Eventually, we will add a shed where the planter boxes end. There is enough room to have up to a 14x18 shed and still allow for the 8-10 foot clearance before the neighbors fence. The area in this part of our yard is 27 feet by 76 feet so there is a lot of room! I love that we have access to the road and can drive in this part of our yard.

We will be adding a temporary fence where the shed will go one day to keep the deer out. Eventually the shed will act as a fence and block and visitors. If you remember, last year was the first year we have ever had deer in our neighborhood. They munched on my garden and ate/killed my pear tree.

I am hoping to have most if not all of this project done this weekend. Fingers crossed!