The "Show us ya Garden - Landscaping" Thread

[Spada]

Before I started the outhouse reno, I'd not long finished another little backyard improvement. Our block is on a gradual slope (about 1 in 20). The retaining walls that I built behind the house a few years ago gave us a bit of level ground off the back deck, but the ground rolled off to the side from there and there was a bit of a hollow between the house and the shed. In June I used a pile of old pine sleeper that I had behind the shed from when I replaced the shed retaining wall with blocks, and put in a small wall from along the fence line to claim back some more level ground.

[Spada]

Then added 50m3 of topsoil to claim back some level ground and smooth out the hollow up to the shed 

I hope this rona thing ends soon, being stuck at home is killing me.

[Fizzie]

being stuck at home is killing me.

Maybe so, but point out to the Boss how much $ you've saved doing all this work yourself, rather than paying somebody to do it!

[Spada]

Bench top poured today. Just finished troweling it off......... beer o'clock now, so I'm off to the neighbours for Friday drinks 

[Bird]

I hope this rona thing ends soon, being stuck at home is killing me.

so I'm off to the neighbours for Friday drinks 

oh the hard life we lead...

[Spada]

oh the hard life we lead...

If it'll make you feel better, I'll have one for you too 

We're allowed out now, up to 10 people together  Social distancing guidelines are..... if you can smell my fart, you're too close

[Hairs]

Use to be an Above ground pool here.
Slowly making it a usable outside area.

[Steffo1]

Bench top poured today. Just finished troweling it off......... beer o'clock now, so I'm off to the neighbours for Friday drinks 

Do you want some quad guttering for the barbie shack? It's in good nick as only a couple of years old.

[Spada]

Use to be an Above ground pool here.
Slowly making it a usable outside area.

You promised us a firepit Hairs? is that what the paved square is for?

Looking good 

[Spada]

Do you want some quad guttering for the barbie shack? It's in good nick as only a couple of years old.

Funny you mention guttering Steffo, we were discussing just that in yesterday mornings showers. If you've got some to get rid of I might be keen 

With the oven stand finished, that's the main construction work done. So this weekend we started to do some of the finishing works to try and tidy up the appearance a bit so it doesn't like like a construction site. Put a row of sleepers along the front and filled it with stone to tie it in to the existing fire-pit area, and filled the hollow in the ground with a bit of topsoil. Got all the 12v lighting in place and wired. I'll spread some lawn seed on the new dirt this afternoon.
The oven is due to arrive this week, but it will have to go in the shed until October when I'll have time to build it. In the mean time, there is still a lot of trimming work to be done. I'll add a roof over the oven stand and enclose the back corner to weather proof the cooking area, and once the form work comes off the stand I'll use that ply to make some shelves along the back wall. The 2 old windows are only sitting there at the moment so I can see what they look like, so they've got to be framed and hinged. And the granite bench-top needs to be cut to size and fitted, but I'll wait until after the oven is built for that, clumsy me would most likely drop a brick on it if I did it first? I'm sure there is a heap of other things that will end up being done, but I suspect this is going to be an ever-evolving project

[Hairs]

You promised us a firepit Hairs? is that what the paved square is for?

Looking good 

Hi mate,
The fire pit will be to the right of the pavers, outside of the stones.

[Fizzie]

we were discussing just that in yesterday mornings showers.

I'm sure there is a heap of other things that will end up being done, but I suspect this is going to be an ever-evolving project

Easy for me to say, because I'm not the one doing it , but could I suggest extending the front roof out 1/2 - 1m or so, particularly over the "bar"

That way, when there's a shower of rain, people will still be able to lean on the bar, & enjoy their drinks, without getting wet!

[Spada]

Easy for me to say, because I'm not the one doing it , but could I suggest extending the front roof out 1/2 - 1m or so, particularly over the "bar"

That way, when there's a shower of rain, people will still be able to lean on the bar, & enjoy their drinks, without getting wet!

Cheers Fizzie, it's a good thought and something I probably didn't plan enough for originally. There's a 500'ish overhang at the front and the roof line is about the same line as the sleepers on the ground. I have thought about going out a bit further but that'll need either another couple of posts or some form of bracing back to the existing posts, and a bit more tin. Unless its a driving rain inside should be OK, but standing outside will have you in the drip line I think it'll be OK as it is for now, but that's not to say it wont change

[Steffo1]

Funny you mention guttering Steffo, we were discussing just that in yesterday mornings showers. If you've got some to get rid of I might be keen 

Might pay to do some measuring (Twice ) as one length of gutter is 7700 long. Can then cut it to suit for transportation.

Other lengths are shorter, various lengths. All free, to a good home.

[Spada]

Might pay to do some measuring (Twice ) as one length of gutter is 7700 long. Can then cut it to suit for transportation.

Other lengths are shorter, various lengths. All free, to a good home.

Awesone Steffo, will keep that in mind. I think I might have a length stashed under the house and will check that first and get back to you 

[rags]

Might pay to do some measuring (Twice ) as one length of gutter is 7700 long. Can then cut it to suit for transportation.

Other lengths are shorter, various lengths. All free, to a good home.

Is that colourbond guttering complete with the protective plastic covering still attached, exposed to the sun so never to be able to remove👍
I say that with a 😀 as nothing more frustrating when I was roofing than trying to pull the plastic of aged guttering and capping, where it breaks into pieces the size of a 10c piece

[Spada]

This weeks update 
Pulled the form work off the oven stand and cut in some control joints. With a bit more beer and thinking music, A plan was hatched to extend the roof line to cover the oven stand. I was originally going to leave this out in the open, but decided it would be a more practical space if it was less exposed to the elements. I also framed and sheeted the end of the wall around the back side of the oven stand and hinged a pair of old sash windows into the back wall (one at each end). This is just to let in a little light and breeze so things dont feel too enclosed.

And Fizzie, thanks for planting that seed and messing with my head. While I was extending the roof over the oven stand I also pushed out the roof over the bar by another 500, so the overhang is now 1.1m.

Today is fathers day and I'm under domestic arrest, but this morning I'll still try and glue in the false floor under the oven stand and sheet the gable end of the new roof section to finish that off. I'm also hoping to salvage the form ply and use that to make some shelves for the bench along the rear wall, but that might be a job for ron.

[GGV8Cruza]

Looking great, the concrete from afar came up well, happy with it. How did you vibe it in the end??

GG

[Fizzie]

And Fizzie, thanks for planting that seed and messing with my head.

You're welcome!

I'm good at thinking of jobs for other people to do

& on that topic ...

Looking at the overall photo (which looks awesome btw! ), spotted your man sitting on the bench over the back, & was just thinking that if his mate was leaning on the outside corner between the stove & the bar, with stubbie in hand, then you'll always have somebody to have a chat to while cooking ...

[Spada]

Looking great, the concrete from afar came up well, happy with it. How did you vibe it in the end??

GG

Thanks GG, yeah it came up pretty good, just a few tiny bug holes here and there, but they'll be covered when I dress the edges in timber. In the end I hired a little whipper snipper type vibrator. I was able to get an afternoon hire at a good rate so it worked out well.

[Hairs]

That looks great mate.
Well done.

[Hairs]

I got the water feature sorted this morning.
Pump and all
Fysh is a happy girl

[Spada]

I got the water feature sorted this morning.
Pump and all
Fysh is a happy girl

stone work looks great, must have taken hours.

Looks like  agreat spot to sit and enjoy 

[Spada]

V8's will start soon, so I downed tools and did a tidy up and washed the concrete dags and sawdust off everything. Got a few more things on the "to do" list done, next big ticket item will be the oven in October. I'm just not quite sold on the closed in corner on the right of the oven stand, think I'll keep my eye out for an old door and pinch a glass panel out of it to let some light in and open the corner up. I'm thinking of a door glass cause they are only 240 wide so will fit between the studs, and you can get them with a kookaburra picture printed in the glass.

Anyway, here's some show off pictures 

[Spada]

and the inside