From Pool to Haven, Pt 2

“A garden must combine the poetic and the mysterious with a feeling of serenity and joy.” Luis Barragan

Turns out one of our neighbors does landscaping. “What do you want?” he asked.

A good question with many answers.

Low maintenance
a container garden
an herb garden
a meditation garden
lawn
someplace to sit in privacy and write
Did we mention low maintenance?
Oh, and could we extend the patio with pavers?

First step: remove the sand and gravel that housed the pool for so many years.

Then he put in a low wall of flat rocks–shale, I think.

Yes, we’re going to keep those bushes–cypress? cedar? They hid the base of the pool; now they’ll provide privacy from the street. He brought over some plants. And yes, my maple tree had to go: chlorine poisoning, we were told. It was slowly dying. The stump is visible in the first photo below.

Turns out autumn is the best time to plant grass. Who knew?

To be continued . . .