Getting Ready for a Wedding--New Paver Patio
Last spring our daughter, Madi, announced she was getting married in September. We were thrilled. Her fiancé is a wonderful guy, and we know they'll make a great couple.
Madi also told us she wanted to have her wedding reception in our backyard. That was great too because it gave us a good excuse to tackle all of the projects we've been wanting to do in our yard but that got put on the back burner while we worked on other people's yards. That's what happens when you're a landscape designer.
I thought it would be fun to share on my blog the projects we work do, starting with the one we finished last week--redoing our paver patio.
Madi also told us she wanted to have her wedding reception in our backyard. That was great too because it gave us a good excuse to tackle all of the projects we've been wanting to do in our yard but that got put on the back burner while we worked on other people's yards. That's what happens when you're a landscape designer.
Our original patio was made from red 8" x 4" pavers. These were still in good condition. If you use quality products, you'll find you can often salvage and reuse them when you're ready for a change. That is what we did.
We outlined two areas with 9" x 7" pavers and filled in with a herringbone pattern made from the red pavers and a paver mix called harvest blend. You can see how well the red mixed in with the newer pavers.
The original shape of the patio was a long narrow rectangle that only extended about ten feet from the house. It was cut in half by the steps, creating two small areas. One was an okay size for a seating area, but the other was much too small for the grilling and dining area we used it as.
I would have liked to extend the entire patio out, but we had a challenge--the lid to our septic tank sat just off the edge of the patio on the east end. We didn't want to put in a brand new patio and then have to tear it up because of septic problems. Not that we're expecting septic problems, but better safe than sorry, don't tempt fate, and all the other clichés that go along with Murphy's law.
To get around the problem, we designated the east end as the new seating area and left it the size it was. When the beds around it are filled with plants, it will have a cozy, intimate feeling. Then we extended the area in front of the steps and the west end of the patio out six feet, creating an area large enough for dining and grilling. The result was a nice shape that, along with the paver pattern, defines each area.
So the patio turned out great. We'll have the cake and gift areas on it for the wedding. BUT, notice how torn up the planting beds around the patio look. And look at what the construction did to my lawn.
Our original patio was made from red 8" x 4" pavers. These were still in good condition. If you use quality products, you'll find you can often salvage and reuse them when you're ready for a change. That is what we did.
We outlined two areas with 9" x 7" pavers and filled in with a herringbone pattern made from the red pavers and a paver mix called harvest blend. You can see how well the red mixed in with the newer pavers.
The original shape of the patio was a long narrow rectangle that only extended about ten feet from the house. It was cut in half by the steps, creating two small areas. One was an okay size for a seating area, but the other was much too small for the grilling and dining area we used it as.
I would have liked to extend the entire patio out, but we had a challenge--the lid to our septic tank sat just off the edge of the patio on the east end. We didn't want to put in a brand new patio and then have to tear it up because of septic problems. Not that we're expecting septic problems, but better safe than sorry, don't tempt fate, and all the other clichés that go along with Murphy's law.
To get around the problem, we designated the east end as the new seating area and left it the size it was. When the beds around it are filled with plants, it will have a cozy, intimate feeling. Then we extended the area in front of the steps and the west end of the patio out six feet, creating an area large enough for dining and grilling. The result was a nice shape that, along with the paver pattern, defines each area.
So the patio turned out great. We'll have the cake and gift areas on it for the wedding. BUT, notice how torn up the planting beds around the patio look. And look at what the construction did to my lawn.
Can a lawn recover from this kind of abuse in seven weeks? We're going to find out. Stay tuned for updates.
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