A Landscape Plan for the Backyard

We had to have a new sewer line installed in our backyard and though it was financially devastating, it does allow us an opportunity to landscape the yard. Now, landscaping is just about always an expensive venture, and we are, of course, broke. So how do we take our backyard from a chaotic and cluttered space to an appealing outdoor oasis on a near zero budget? Well, I'm not sure yet.

Plan with the wish list added

I do know that having a plan is essential, for both the project and the budget. So since I don't have any money, I'll start with a wish list plan for the project.

The first step, then, was to create a drawing of the space, complete with measurements. My husband and son tackled that task, and the drawing gives us a foundation for what we can -and can't do- in the space.

I scanned the drawing into my imaging program, and added what I want in the new landscape. That's depicted in red.

We would like a covered patio and a work space for Bob for cutting wood and doing building type things. We would like a grassy area and a small rock garden on the west side of the house.

Future Site of Bob's Workspace

We can't extend the roof over the patio, because that costs about a bajillion dollars. So we're opting for shade sails, and we'll make a video showing you how to install those.

For the work space, we'll pour a smaller concrete slab next to the shed, using the tree to the south side for shade. We'll add a frame work of sorts to create a drop shade facing west. This gives Bob a space to work in without having to stand in the heat of the sun. We'll share video on that part of the project as well.

We'll cultivate a lawn in the area directly behind the house, and create a grassy area, using rye grass in the winter and Bermuda grass in the summer. The lawn is smaller, and won't require much water, an important consideration here in the desert.



The Mess on the West Side

A rock garden in the small area on the west side seems a viable solution, and for now, that's the plan. But the large evergreen there drops needles by the pound, and keeping the garden tidy may be a problem.

Shifting to the east side, we have a strip of land that lies between the sidewalk leading to the shed and the block wall fence. A section of the sidewalk had to be removed when the new sewer line was installed, and we'll have to pour a new section.

Right now, the east strip is a lumpy, rocky pile of nutrient deficient soil. The sunlight is brutal in that space; during the summer it gets about 12 hours of direct sunlight. I don't want flowers, or cacti or succulents or really, any living thing there. So right now, it's just a big question mark.

So that's my basic plan for the backyard. The shade sails provide relief from the sun; the work space keeps the construction zone away from the house; the lawn softens the landscape; and the rock garden to the west means Bob doesn't have to try and mow the lawn back there.

Now I just have to figure out how to pay for all this.