Men at work…and Charlie…grrrrr

Posted on by aprescconwhyte

 

 

Poor Charlie!  She’s completely worn out after trying to put the run on all the workers (intruders, by her account!) doing the landscaping project of expanding the walkways in the back garden.  Her circuit was repeated all day from the front to the back door to the kitchen window.  And she has barked herself out…

Although she is completely exhausted (and I’m almost deaf), she has found a spot to recover while still keeping watch.

 

 

 

 

First up was picking up and stacking all the existing paving stones.  These hexagon pavers are old and no longer available, but I wanted to incorporate them into the new plan.  It’s not that they are special or fabulous (by any means), but I laid all these stones years ago.  It took a LONG time, and it was hard work.  It was the first step of my vision, and I’ve become sentimental about them.

 

 

The progression…

 

Finding a complimentary border paver was stressful…I lost a few nights’ sleep over this decision.  I didn’t want the border to be a focal point…I wanted a seamless look. Finding something to blend in perfectly was probably (definitely) unrealistic, considering the age of my existing pavers.  The border pavers also had to blend in with the fountain, which was stained with a rustic finish.

  1. Dofino Grey         2. Mountain Ash          3. Grey                         4. Victorian

These were the colours (photos above) I had to choose from.  At first, I thought the Dofino Grey would work with my existing pavers until I laid them side by side (too light).  The Mountain Ash was too much of a contrast, and the solid Grey was too bland.  The name “Victorian” scared me off, but in the end, it was the best option.

This was not an easy project for the crew.  The supervisor said this was the hardest job he’s been on.  The actual labour wasn’t the problem…trying to get everything looking square was a nightmare.  As I have mentioned before, when I laid out the garden (with the help of my mom and dad), we didn’t have the proper tools or instruments.  It was done only by our untrained eyes.  Also, it turns out that the cement pad the fountain sits on is not square either!  It’s still not perfect, and that’s OK.  As I look around now, I will remember the heavy sighs of the guys, the smiles once we came up with a solution to a niggly problem and the sense of accomplishment they felt as they drove away.

This was my inspiration.  I saw this photo on Instagram last fall.

I’ve wanted to get rid of the grass for a long time but wasn’t sure what to do with that area then.  Pea gravel would have looked great, however, with dogs racing around, I knew the gravel would be flying in all directions. What I liked about this photo was how tidy it looked, it seemed manageable, and the boxwood was still highlighted.

 

 

 

As you can see, I now have my work cut out for me!  The elevation has changed going towards the greenhouse, which must be disguised with planting material. I’m not exactly sure what I am planting along the walkways, but I’ll keep you posted!

xox Judy

 

 

18 thoughts on “Men at work…and Charlie…grrrrr”

  3. Wow! That’s looking fabulous! You know you’re giving me ideas right. I can hardly wait to see what you come up with to finish the project.

  5. Love it Judy! So exciting to have a new landscape to work with. I look forward to seeing how you finish the landscape with plants etc. I hope Charlie has recovered from all the guard work she had to do!

    1. Thank you Pat, I’m happy that the European influence is coming through. My favourite gardens are in France and England and I have wanted to bring that style back home with me. xox Judy❤️

  9. Oh my gosh Judy, it looks beautiful and I love the way you incorporated your previous tiles in with the new ones. Choosing colours and styles can be so stressful but great decision with the Victorian…it’s absolutely stunning! Poor Charlie! It’s so upsetting and agitating when they have strangers in “their” territory. I can’t wait to see what you plant along the walkways as well. Once Charlie gets out and has a good sniff around I’m sure she’ll love her new garden too! Hugs, Karen xo🥰

    1. Thank you Karen, I’m more than relieved that the Victorian pavers blended in fairly seamlessly with the old pavers. Charlie is still on guard, just in case someone invades her territory. She is very curious about what is going on in her backyard! We can spend the whole weekend undisturbed in the garden and she will be happy. xox Judy❤️

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