Backyard Transformation. Concrete slabs to pond, fence, and grass.

[koiponder]

hi all! as requested this is the progress pictures of my back yard. i think you'll find this is a pretty good "transformation" illustration, and the general progress. it went from garbage, old concrete slabs that used to surround and inground swimming pool. it took me all summer to build it. i started the project in late april and i finished by the second week of august last year. where there was once concrete is now my pond, grass, a retaining wall, a dog run, a fence, 2 sets of stairs, 4 gates for convenience and lots of landscaping. it was a ton of work but so worth it in the end. it is a very functional yard and pleasant to look at. i hope you all enjoy, from what i hear, progress pictures are this forums favorite thing to look at!! -chris

 

[sissy]

great job and just think more land and you could have really gone nuts .Gosh I could just imagine what you would come up with .dream on dream on .

 

[addy1]

What a change! That is wonderful, now you are ready for your next pond and yard

 

[CountryEscape]

Wow, Chris! That's quite the transformation! Tons of work as well. Love the fish, huge koi you have there! And really like the plants you have chosen for your creation. Fantastic!!! Congratulations on a job very well done.

 

[j.w]

You do wonderful work! Love all that you've done. Your pond is beautiful and love your pretty fish! That's pretty clever making the dog run like that. Dog gets to run and view everything and be near you but doesn't get to jump into the pond. Quite the handy man you are Chris!

 

[Mmathis]

What an impressive amount of work, and it turned out lovely and functional! I like the bird feeder post.

 

[koiponder]

thank you thank you thank you!! when i look back at the pictures, i almost forgot how much work it took to do it lol!!! and i absolutely wish i had more land to work with, i live in a suburb, most of the houses on my area are 1/4 to 1/2 acre. my property falls somewhere in there. before i built my fence, i spent the $250 to have it surveyed so i could get as close to the property line as possible. ends up i gained 4' x 80' on the left side and 3' x 105' across the back, the old pool was fenced in in a way that lost property on the side and across the back! how dumb, it was like dead space, and my neighbors dumped their yard debris in those areas. when i rebuilt it, i took great pleasure in watching them carry their crapola onto their own property. split logs, pvc pipes, you name it, they were storing it on my property, behind the old fence so i couldnt see it. ugh! anyway, where i used to be ashamed of the look of my yard, i'm now proud of it, and i am glad to have shared these pics you nice people. thank you for all the compliments!

 

[sissy]

WOW neighbors gotta love them huh .They don't want it and figure no one will notice . :razz: Glad the hard stuff is far behind you .Hard to believe the before and the after

 

[koiponder]

You do wonderful work! Love all that you've done. Your pond is beautiful and love your pretty fish! That's pretty clever making the dog run like that. Dog gets to run and view everything and be near you but doesn't get to jump into the pond. Quite the handy man you are Chris!

thank you! however, i can only take the credit for building it, my father in law had the idea, and boyyyyyy am i glad he mentioned it to me! the dog run added almost $1000 to the project and another couple weeks of work, but it was so worth it. my dog, ginger, gets some big time energy bursts. her paws tear into grass and earth especially when she turns corners at full pace (she is a pitbull/greyhound mix). she also loves to poop. lol! she poops and pees like a champ the dog run prevents her from tearing up the new lawn, and i don't have to watch where i am walking outside because the poop is all in the dog run dog pee washes into the ground after even one good rain, so there is no odor or anything, i highly recommend it for those with dogs! ginger loves her dog run, i even built her own set of steps that goes down into it from the sliding glass door in the living room. she's standing on the deck in one of the pics in my post, i'll make sure to tell her everybody said hello. lol

 

[sissy]

hey she has great kidneys :razz: If you ever do get odor or bugs use 20 mule team borax for laundry and 100 % safe for pets .I use it on my lawn to keep fleas and ticks away from my pets .

 

[koiponder]

hey she has great kidneys :razz: If you ever do get odor or bugs use 20 mule team borax for laundry and 100 % safe for pets .I use it on my lawn to keep fleas and ticks away from my pets .

wow no way! that's awesome!!!!!! i will remember that thank you!

 

[sissy]

I live on 3 acres and back yard is fenced for the dogs but all behind my house is woods so lots of bugs around here and always have used natural way to keep them away from my dogs .You can also use it in rain barrels to keep mosquito's away and also great for grass and veggie gardens .

 

[addy1]

Sissy suggested it for getting rid of the poison ivy oils off of clothes, so I am starting to wash my mowing clothes in it, after this last mowing ivy outbreak I will do anything to keep it from happening again. Long pants, long sleeve shirt, strip the clothes as I walk in the house, straight into the wash.

 

[sissy]

my mom used it all my life and so did my grandma so i got that from them and doctor just reinforced the use of it .Funny but when I first moved to VA I could not get it here and had to go to the managers of grocery stores and now they are carrying it .I buy 3 boxes and more when I go shopping and funny thing is good bugs like it .It is good for worms also .I use it as a natural compost break down additive and also is great for towels and sheets and does not harm septic tanks .anti bacterial .I use it to clean my fridge and my countertops

 

[pondlover]

Backyard looks fabulous. I love the bird feeder post too! It's great to see other peoples ideas, which gives most of us new ideas.
Sissy great tip on the Borax... does it really help keep fleas and ticks away?