Garden from scratch

For this project we built a fountain, planted a garden, and constructed a fence - simply a way to enhance a small backyard, but keep it safe from roaming pets! Make sure to check out our blog for detailed instructions and other great projects!

You'll need:

• Pump
• PVC pipe
• Shower Curtain
• Pond Rocks
• 2×4′s
• Wood Sheet
• Sand
• Shovel
• Cement
• Plants
• Mulch

Step 1: Where?

Dig a hole for your fountain and pond area.

Comments

[WoodsyGirl]

To make the fence a more permanent feature (i.e. to avoid replacing it the summer after next) I suggest digging a hole for each fence post about twice as big around as the post itself and about a third as long, and filling it half full with concrete then insert the post and fill concrete around it. Make sure it's plumb and true before the concrete hardens.

This additional step will help prevent rapid deterioration by wood-hungry bugs as well as water damage.

[opticalfx]

You shouldn't set the post on top of concrete in the hole as it will accelerate decay. use gravel(tamped) on the bottom and concrete around the post. That way any water that makes it to the bottom of the post can drain away.

[myhomelifemag]

This is very true!

However, with a small garden like this there is little room left to maneuver. When pruning the various herbs you want to have some access to the bed that does not require walking through the mulch.

For this reason we chose to build a fence that would keep pets out of the garden, but that could easily be pulled away leaving wide open access to work from.

[whait86]

ive got a couple of removable fence posts so i can get my car in the back yard, I basically dug a hole about 10 inchs wide, 10 inchs deep, but i covered the end of my 4x4 with saran wrap, stuck it in the hole and filled with concrete, every so often during drying i wiggled it a bit. after the concrete hardend i could pull the post in and out with about a 1/4 gap.. it keeps it sturdy yet removable.

[WoodsyGirl]

If you are willing to make your own concrete mix (instead of using the "quick" variety) you can make a hypertufa mix which weighs about half the amount of regular concrete.

Basically, hypertufa substitutes some of the aggregate and/or sand (depending on which recipe you use) with vermiculite. Google "hypertufa" for specific recipes.

[myhomelifemag]

That's a great suggestion!

[WoodsyGirl]

There seems to be some ambiguity here in step 13 with the positioning of the slab and connecting it to the pump. Can you elaborate?

[myhomelifemag]

Absolutely! If you look back to step 10 you'll see where we ran the tube through the framed space before filling the slab. What you just brought to our attention is what you can't see in the photo. There is actually a lot of leftover, wound-up tubing which will run from the top of the concrete where the water pools and will stretch down to the pump.

With the tubing properly in place it's just a matter of connecting that tube to the proper spicket which will send water to the top of the fountain.

[WoodsyGirl]

Please note, I am new to this site and did not realize my comments would appear at the beginning of the article as well as under the steps in which I made them.

The hypertufa comment was intended to reference steps 11 & 12, creating the rock slab for the fountain, not the fence post holes in step 16.