Landscaping

 

A spiral jetty inspired approach to the fire pit. 

I moved into my new home in South Salt Lake last October. Here is how the back yard looked. One of the first things I did (before moving in and with the help of a work crew) was to tear down the covered patio with the green corrugated top siding, the long barn-turned-work shop (tan siding) and the nearly collapsing green house (right). 

Behind the barn was significant space for fruit trees and other plants. 

The green house on the left was about ready to collapse (rotting pressed board base) and crackle (brittle corrugated roof) apart. I kept the two more modern sheds and the cute white above ground root cellar for storage since my home lacks a garage, basement, or attic. 

From the demolition I kept a big pile of barn wood (not the cool weathered type) to cut up and use for firewood. I also stacked up all of the paver stones used in the covered porch and throughout the yard. There was also a big pile of coal (this is half of it) and plenty of terra cotta pots that I gave away on marketplace. 

Taking down those three structures really opened up my yard. It gave me all kinds of options. I viewed it all as a painter's white canvas just waiting for the addition of color, pattern and texture. Slowly over the year I started to plan what and where I would plant. I knew that I wanted to have the whole yard (except the vegetable garden, raspberry patch and fruit trees) to be xeriscaped. Notice the stack of grey pavers behind the shed that I kept from the previous patio

Last fall I hauled in a mix of topsoil and mulch to fill in where the patio and barn had been. 

Then this spring I started out with the planting of a dozen trees, bushes and raspberries (many from nearby Mill Creek Gardens). I strategically planted a chitalpa (desert willow and catalpa hybrid), walnut, apricot, chokecherry and two filberts (one a volunteer from our Springville yard) to eventually shade much of the yard and to also try and hide the neighboring apartments (maybe it will happen before I die). Also planted were two peach trees and a plum. Over the summer I planted lots more shrubs and flowers--all drought tolerant. My first planting was last fall when I planted iris, blackberries, rhubarb and poker plants that I brought from our Springville yard. This spring I started with mail order plants from High Country Gardens. I then turned to local Deseret Nursery Perennial Farm which specializes in a large variety of drought tolerant perennials. I went four times over the spring and summer--each time filling up the back of my Outback with a few plants I had in mind but then also just looking to see what was blooming at that time of the year and what caught my attention. 

So happy to have a yard without big rocks or even little rocks lurking beneath (like our Springville yard). My neighborhood was originally used as farm and orchard land. 

I may want to move the rhubarb to a sunnier spot. I transplanted it here last fall where I knew it would be out of the way. 

Before planting most of the flowers, I had to figure out the location and formation of a fire pit area. I knew I wanted a sitting place somewhere in the garden. Financing was a limitation. I decided to do it myself and use what was on site, if possible. When we demolished the covered porch, we stacked the gray square pavers alongside the shed. I thought they might come in handy. There were also red pavers and scalloped border masonry scattered and stacked about the yard that also provided options. One day I started laying the gray pavers. A Spiral Jetty type structure is what seemed to work. I laid it all out and liked the look.

On a family road trip to the Spiral Jetty, 2015

But after a few weeks I decided that it was too jumbled in the center of the spiral and so I decided to use red pavers and borders (placed on their side) to make a geometric (sort of) floral type arrangement. I just eye-balled it all. Going back later to place them into the dirt as level as possible.

Initial layout with all grey pavers. 

Rethinking the center.

New center.

Finished product. I also then added side paths radiating out from the spiral. Again, I used whatever used pavers were in the yard. 

What Kentucky blue grass lawn looks like after a summer of no watering. 

Next I planted creeping thyme between the red pavers and then other flowers along the paths. 

I dug out some lawn along this path to make room for a few more raspberries. Eventually (this fall) I will dig out (with my new pick--just like the ones used to pick away snow and ice at Deer Valley) all of the lawn in preparation of planting drought tolerant buffalo grass in both front and back yards. 

My hope is that most of the areas will be filled with flowers and shrubs. I'll let what I plant fill in and spread out and then I'll fill in with more plants as I go. 

The trumpet vine on the fence to the right was not here last year when I bought the home, but it sure sprung up this year. The Virginia creeper on the far fence I grown significantly. I think I will keep them but will work to keep them under control. Good thing the previous owners left their 100-foot hose--it reaches to every corner and every new plant in the back yard. 

When I bought my small white home last year, I commented to my siblings that it reminded me of our mother's childhood home in Brigham City. Her parents. Bill and Veara Fife were master gardeners. I have fond memories of playing and exploring in their yard, of splashing in the "turned in" flood of irrigation water (that came once a week through pioneer installed irrigation ditches) that covered the lawn and flower beds, and of sitting under a trumpet vine tree enjoying root beer floats. 

Their award-winning yard had grass paths running through magnificent flower beds. I wanted my yard to have a similar feel. A yard where kids (including hoped for future grandkids) can explore and enjoy. 

Grandparents Roland and Harriet Emmett also had a cool backyard. Grandpa Emmett served a mission in Japan and thus decided to install a koi (goldfish) pond in their backyard in Logan to remind him of his time in Japan. That pond was surround by a path of square pavers (with enough room for a bridge club or tea party gathering) and arbor covered pathways. By the time I was born widowed Harriet had turned the koi pond into a swimming pool that we cousins thought was so cool (and so big!).

My parents also had similar motives of creating a welcoming, fun and beautiful backyard. Their large yard in Logan was landscaped to include a cement path that passed a sand box turned dog pen turned vegetable garden (behind the curved fence) that then wound its way to a square-ish walkway and bench that surrounded first a huge horse chestnut tree and then a red ski monument made from the trunk of that tree. 

Their yard was a great gathering place for neighborhood night games, and then later soccer, croquet and badminton games among cousins. 

The first gathering in my new yard was an end of July Sunday evening garden tour for the Alternative [Gay] Garden Club. Every month in the summer we tour the beautiful yards of club members. My yard was billed as a work in progress for a drought tolerant/xeriscaped garden. I served homemade and homegrown zucchini bread and SunDrop tomatoes from my garden, plus root beer floats. Notice the vegetable garden to the right/east side. Hopefully the trees that I have planted will one day provide more shade (now it comes from my neighbor's box elder tree on the left above the sheds) and more seclusion from my neighbors in the apartments to the north. 

On Labor Day I hosted an Emmett Family gathering. It was an opportunity for many to see my house and yard for the first time. Midday was the most convenient time, so the car port was the only shade. We had taco salad with garden fresh homemade salsa. I also made traditional peach ice cream using peaches from Brigham City.

Fun to see the next two generations enjoying the spiral trail. 

Notice the small branches of the walnut tree to the right. One day I hope it will shade the fire pit area most of the day. 

I planted some heirloom tomatoes this year. I made a batch of battled salsa with tomatoes and peppers from my garden last week. 

Sarah came all the way from Boston for some fresh homegrown tomatoes (she took a few back with her). 

I love harvest time. This year I've enjoyed a few peaches from my new tress and few handfuls of raspberries. I've also enjoyed plenty of tomatoes as part of almost every meal. Butternut squash seems to be my greatest success. I plan to have a grape arbor running along the white fence.

Tried planting some Thai chilies. Anybody need some heat in their life? Come on over. 

Yesterday on my birthday, Joel and Emma helped me plant a few more raspberries and lots of tulips. 

I've also worked on the front yard flower beds--filling it with drought tolerant plants. I planted the columnar blue atlas cedar last fall. The only tree in my yard when I moved in was the parking stirp flowering pear whose branches can be seen on the far right. 

Gardening and landscaping are great therapy. 

I took out the sprinkling system in both front and back yards. Also going is the broken gas lamp post. 

Come on by if you need some tomatoes or chilies or want to learn about xeriscaping. If you want shade trees to sit under that may take a few years.