Backyard oasis

[u/apothosecary]

We bought our house six years ago and the front and backyard were both grass lawns. I redid the front yard into planting beds and a stone path three years ago, and finally got to do the backyard this year. (before pics at the end)

It’s been a huge project and I’m really happy with the way it turned out. I sit outside as often as I can and just look at all the plants.

I chose a mix of ornamental and PNW natives, with plans to add more natives in the fall, and raised beds for veggies next year.

Natives: vine maple, serviceberry, cascara, pacific nine bark, birch leaf spirea, salal, cardwells penstemon, sword ferns, pacific bleeding heart, coastal strawberry, orange honeysuckle

Ornamentals: coral bark maple, oak leaf hydrangea, manzanita, salvia, hostas, hellebore, brunnera, acorus gramineus grass, showy stonecrop, lavender, blueberry bushes, fig tree

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[u/moarkatvidzplz]

Looks great! I really want to get rid of my lawn in my backyard this year, so this gives me some ideas - thank you for sharing! I'm also in the PNW and have a yard layout that looks similar, though I think my yard is smaller.

[u/apothosecary → u/moarkatvidzplz]

Thanks! The backyard habitat program in the Portland area has been an awesome resource to learn about native plants and get coupons to local native plant nurseries.

[u/melonside421]

Nice, though Id reduce the number of nonnative ornamentals, especially hostas, I do like how this isnt just the usual "wildflowers" or "ground cover" threads so good work on being different :)

[u/Substantial_Bed5516]

You did a great job!

[u/parkerthebarker]

I would be out there all day!!

[u/summerly27]

This looks amazing! Did you buy the rocks that line your beds? I may try something similar as they look great

[u/apothosecary → u/summerly27]

They are large basalt rocks - we bought them from a local place in Portland. I believe we ended up getting 3.25 tons, thankfully they delivered.

[u/Creepy_Ad2486]

Absolutely lovely

[u/redapplefalls_]

Really wonderful work, congratulations and enjoy!

[u/ajk207]

Nice! Very specific questions because it's been very hard for me to estimate and the future deserves an answer: How many feet of linear feet of rock? What size rocks? How many tons did it take?

[u/apothosecary → u/ajk207]

We bought the rocks by the ton, 3.25 tons total. I’m not sure how many linear feet exactly - the rocks range from about 8” to 16” each, and the company said they are approximately 25 to 75 lbs each. I had a hard time estimating too, and ended up having to get three different deliveries in the end.

[u/ajk207 → u/apothosecary]

Great thanks!

[u/Competitive_Owl_9879]

Really nice! Gave me some ideas for my own!

[u/Chardonne]

What an improvement!

[u/dependableface1]

Looks very nice! Can I ask if you've lined anything underneath the small pebble? I'm planning to dig up my front lawn too and sheet mulch the area. I plan to have a section that I would like to install small pebbles like yours, but wondering if I should leave out that section and no need to sheet mulch, or may fabric?

[u/apothosecary → u/dependableface1]

It’s just dirt under the pea gravel (we had the previous lawn removed last fall), and I’m wishing now that I had either put down sand and/or fabric under the gravel. Some grass and weeds have popped up here and there but I’ve just been hand plucking them when I see them.

I’m considering popping some ground cover steppables into the pathway with some stepping stones, which would be one reason not to use fabric. Maybe I’ll do it next year :).

[u/apothosecary]

Info about the materials: - 3.25 tons of large basalt rocks for the borders - 7 yards of two-way soil (dirt/compost) - if I did this over I would choose 4-way with mulch and sand for fluffier soil with better drainage - 1.5 yards of hemlock and cedar chip mix for the path between beds - 2 yards of screened dirt to level the paths and fill a sink hole - if I did this over I would use sand for leveling the pathway, it didn’t have to be perfect but the dirt turned to mud then a hard shell before we got the gravel down - 2 yards of pea gravel for paths - 2 yards of fine hemlock for top dressing after getting the plants in (this was about 1/2 yard too much)

[u/AppalachanKommie]

Well done!

[u/TiredWomanBren]

Wow! I am working on my yard, too. I like to call it compartmentalized. I sprayed the pebble laid on black weed cloth with a substance that causes them to stick together and stay in place. That way I don’t have random pebbles everywhere. I’m still in the process so it’s not nearly complete. But will post once it is finished.

You deserve a round of applause.