Our Very Own Paradise (Plus I Need Some Advice)

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SummerTimeGirl

SummerTimeGirl

0
Dec 11, 2017
230
Pa
Hello Everyone!!

So I'm new here and figured I'd share some pics of our own backyard paradise. It's really got "almost" everything you could ask for.......

A solar heated pool
Large deck w/an automatic retractable awning
Several outdoor seating areas
Fire pit
BBQ
Outdoor movie theater
A spot and a dedicated electrical hookup for a hot tub on the one side of the deck (but no hot tub as of yet...lol)
Etc......

As you can see/imagine, we LOVE our yard and everyone enjoys it throughout the year. Even the dog. LOL

Anyway, with all of these wonderful things, I have to say there are a few things that bug us/we'd like to improve upon. One being the lighting!!! As you can see in a few of the pics, the only real lighting the backyard are those 4 lights that stick out of the ground. For one, I hate that they stick up and two, they're really not that bright at all so it's kinda hard seeing where you're walking once it really gets dark. Especially if the pool light is out.

The second thing that has really bugged me, especially this past Summer, is the river rock around the yard. This coming Summer will be our third Summer here and the first year those rocks stayed super clean. Not much debris in them at all. However, this last Summer it was nuts trying to keep them free of debris. And this year the weeds also ran rampant and we couldn't get rid of them no matter what we tried. I even did that home remedy with the vinegar, salt, and dish detergent. Nope. More weeds came. Maybe not the same ones/same spots but weeds nonetheless.

I'm really debating on whether or not we should ditch those rocks (although everyone says to keep them because it's the best kind of landscaping around a pool) for something else or is there a surefire way of keeping them cleaned up? I mean, the previous owners must have known the secret to doing so because when we bought the place there wasn't so much as a stick in the rocks. And I cannot see digging them out and sifting them or anything crazy like that. That would take forever.

Anyway, I guess I'm really just looking for some feedback and ideas on future lighting and possibly a change in landscaping or at least a better way of taking care of the rocks. For now we've just been using an electric leaf blower/vacuum but that doesn't seem to really work. Maybe we need a gas powered one? I don't know.

Oh and, what do you think about the idea of possibly putting a pergola at either the deep end of the poor or the end by the stairs? Or would that be just too much in the yard? If we did get one I think we'd need to lay down some large pavers over the rock so that it would sit even with the cement around the pool. That or maybe build a little "stage" of sorts for it to sit on that could go right on top/over the rocks and cement. But this whole idea I'm still iffy on.

But yeah, would love to hear your thoughts.

And if anyone is thinking about us turning that shed into a bar, yeah, that's a long term plan/goal of ours too. LOL


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MORE PICS COMING. 11 TOTAL
 
Hello! Welcome to TFP :handwave:

If this was all mine, I'd see about getting rid of the river rock and have the space turned into colorful gardens. Or enlarge the decking to fill it the space and use large and various size pots in groupings to spill over flowers. Low volt lighting can be put in around the flowers to solve some of the lighting issues. Then I'd have the cement deck stained/stamped to dress it up. Give it sort of a Mediterranean feeling?

As to the furniture area.... it's all matchy matchy. I'd toss out some of the pillows that came with the set and replace some with some more interesting ones in colors or shapes. Needs plants, flowers, texture, etc. Some things taller than the seating area, some lower, round shapes...more variety. (and cut the chair tags off) . Use the fence and house to help hang flowers (just one or two, not in line, but as accents)

Larger more interesting windows on the shed, some window boxes? I have a shed we've turned into a pool house with fridge, bar, etc and it sure needs dressing up too. You could enlarge the door and make it a Dutch door for bar service, lol. (I love Dutch doors!)

You've got great space there but it just needs to be personalized a bit, make it more relaxed.

Just my two cents :)

Maddie :flower:
 
Thanks so much for the suggestions. The matchy, matchy pics of the furniture in that area was taken our first Summer when we first got the stuff. Since then we have added varying pillows and things here and there around that area. We also have various flowers and pots on and around the deck in the Summer. Just not shown in these photos. I also noticed that I included a pic of the deck before it was re-stained. I will have to upload one of those to show the difference of it now from before. And I also have birdhouses hanging around the fence all year long and also (in the Summer) these little flower pails in various colors that hold one flower each. I guess I should have show more pics of the area "dressed" up. LOL

As for getting rid of the rocks and turning it into gardens, do you think the dirt/mulch would be an issue for the pool? From what we were told that's why the previous owners added the rock. They said the dirt that used to be there was constantly getting in the pool and on the cement. The landscapers we've hired to do work for us around the property also tell us we should keep it (we have the same rock on the outside of the fence too). They all keep telling us the rocks and flowers, shrub and tree selections the previous owners picked are top notch and low maintenance. But, like I said, the rocks have been a pain to keep clean anymore and I REALLY would like to explore other options. I'd also love to have the deck stained/stamped as you've suggested.

As for the shed, yes, I agree and also plan on adding flower boxes. But if I had it my way, I'd get rid of this shed altogether and bring in a new one with french doors (and windows) in the front! Would love that!! This shed also opens in the back. It has some sort of sliding/barn type door which is nice too for accessing the back of our property for playing horseshoes and whatnot if we were in the shed/bar. So much to think about!!! HAHA

 
Not sure if they did that or not but that area does sink/sit below the cement line slightly. They also had a dog that they said that would kick the dirt up and out. LOL And I can definitely see that being an issue with our dog too. And we can't let him out in the front because it's not fenced so he has to use the back enclosed part for potty.
 
If you take a look through our build thread (in my signature - later pages), you'll see we have about 80' of landscaping immediately adjoining our pool deck. One simple, low maintenance solution is to use a grass like Big Blue Liriope (it's the low green stuff next to the long edge of the pool) and plant it in offset rows 1' apart. It will grow together and form a nice ground cover which can withstand the dog walking through it (or rolling in it). We have the whole area mulched. It does get tracked in a little bit when our dogs are pool wet and run through it (mostly just the fine brown mulch dust really). But that's life and what a robot is for.

We have river rock around our equipment pad. Actually our equipment "pad" is river rock. And yes, leaves and all manner of debris do love to settle in it. I would never use rocks as general landscaping "mulch" if you are in an area that has lots of vegetation near it in the form of grass, plants, trees, etc. It will all eventually settle in it and hurt the look. Others I'm sure will disagree but it's not for me. Also, the purpose of mulch is to conserve moisture which larger rocks don't do that well at and they don't decompose to fertilize all of the plants. That said, mulch is an every few year task. But one that I'm ok with.

On lighting, also see the LED lights hanging from our pergola. https://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/147161-Cafe-Lights-and-Bluetooth-Timer-on-Pergola These days they have become awesome and are commercial quality. Heavy duty clear poly-something "bulbs". Super heavy duty cords.

Many brands and lengths. I could picture them hanging on your fence. They put out a lot of light. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYXQYU5/ref=s9_acsd_cdeal_hd_bw_bFhWP_c_x_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=PV47APQR66S07383RE26&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=736c5def-badd-5ae9-aa9f-b0ee176ecb34&pf_rd_i=3742221
 
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