We have been wanting to make the upper part of our yard more usable. Our back yard is a hill shaped like a triangle. About half-way up the hill, it turns from lawn to indigenous plants.
STEP 1: Clear out the indigenous plants. Get the city to mark our underground wires. Lucky for us, all the wires were along the fence.
STEP 2: Get the small backhoe into the backyard. Tight fit!
STEP 3: Dig out a 20'x40' flat area for a playground. The digging goes slowly at first as we learn how the controls work.
Step 4: Dig, dig, dig...
STEP 5: Put in the retaining wall.
STEP 6: Back fill behind the wall.
STEP 7: Wood chips are delivered.
STEP 8: Move wood chips up the hill to the backyard. This became a community effort with neighbors both young and old helping.
STEP 9: Dig the trench for the front wall and put in the stones. This also was a community effort.
STEP 10: Plant a mountain variety strawberry as a ground cover for the little hill between the wood chips and the top patio. This also required a tube-style spray system to water it. We got about 100 plants from a neighbor who was thinning.
That concludes our fall remodel. Actually, we finished the front wall and spread out the wood chips. We have about 8-12 inches depth everywhere, so we are ready for the playground to go in. I am designing it using google 3D sketch and a google template that comes with all the standard lumber pieces. Here is a picture. The design incorporates all of the fun stuff we have seen in other playgrounds and also does not restrict any of our neighbor's views of the valley or temple. The four swings will not all be the same, as shown below. And there will be angle supports for the swing support (I just haven't drawn them yet.) This is version 6 as our family has negotiated down each design aspect to our individual desires, including safety, afternoon shade, what is fun, etc. See you in the spring.
