# Who landscapes their own yards?



## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

I landscaped my first house in West Jordan and eight years later as the last rock was put in place and I had just sat down to relax and enjoy my accomplishment. My wife said it was time to move.:shock:
I was dead set on buying an existing house with a finished yard but we ended up finding a great price in Grantsville with a new house on a 1/2 acre lot.
So the landscaping on the new house began. It's been a lot of hard work but sure is gratifying to see the end results. Anyone else feel the same way?
Here's my front yard from start to finish. It took about six years to complete. It would have been done much quicker if I didn't scout so much during the summer months.:mrgreen:


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## twinkielk15 (Jan 17, 2011)

That is absolutely beautiful. I edge my lawn... Does that count?


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

It's a known fact among hound doggers that one can tell the quality of another houndsman's dogs by looking at their yard. If a fellow houndsman has a neat, manicured yard and a happy wife you know his dogs aren't worth a pinch of snuff. On the other hand, if his yard is neglected and trashed out with broken and half finished dog tack equipment with a screaming ornery wife (assuming, of course, she still hasn't left him yet), you can bet his dogs are top notch.

Yup, one is not even in the discussion for who's the best houndsman in the county without a handful of notices from zoning enforcement officials to clean up, shape up or else. I've only had one, but I'm still working at it!


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Nice looking yard ridgetop.
Last year I persuaded the wife to allow me to improve the yard some. I then proceeded to have 5 of 6 trees removed as I was tired of raking leaves and picking up fruit.
This year will be to get rid of the last of the flower beds.
Next year if I can keep to schedule I will replace all the grass with cement.
I'm getting too close to retirement to have to keep up a yard :mrgreen:


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## bekins24 (Sep 22, 2015)

Turned out pretty good! Nice work. I like the rock work.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Kevin D said:


> It's a known fact among hound doggers that one can tell the quality of another houndsman's dogs by looking at their yard. If a fellow houndsman has a neat, manicured yard and a happy wife you know his dogs aren't worth a pinch of snuff. On the other hand, if his yard is neglected and trashed out with broken and half finished dog tack equipment with a screaming ornery wife (assuming, of course, she still hasn't left him yet), you can bet his dogs are top notch.
> 
> Yup, one is not even in the discussion for who's the best houndsman in the county without a handful of notices from zoning enforcement officials to clean up, shape up or else. I've only had one, but I'm still working at it!


I also heard that those who spend a lot of time on their yards and keep them looking nice, seem to find more mature mule deer bucks throughout the year.;-)


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Nice yard. I grew up learning how to landscape, tend the garden/orchard/arbor/berry patches, and build water features (good sized pond with a stream and a 10' wide 10' tall waterfall, plus a fountain in the front). I love it and can't wait to buy a place to start creating my paradise. The really nice thing is I won't have to deal with irrigating crap up in Anchorage!


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

Good job Ridge!

I did landscape maintenance/install for 12 years...high profile landscapes such as the Governors Mansion and our State Capitol grounds. Now I work here on my own yard.

Had to remove 5 trees this spring mostly because the previous owner planted too close to structures. I find it rewarding to look across the yard or see others enjoying the fruits of my labor.

May you enjoy your self installed environment for years to come!


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

Looks great!

My wife lets me do a little landscaping in the back yard now and then.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Finished 2 yards and 2 basements. If we decide to build again at some point, I want everything finished inside and out.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

I finished my yard when I was out there in Utah, my biggest problem was getting rid of the sand burrs in the backyard, but after getting my privacy fence across the back and a couple of rounds of MSMA, I got rid of those suckers. 

I did a lot of landscape beds along the house to boost resale value but I stayed away from flower beds, I went low maintenance. I did have several huge rose bushes in them as well as planted a few trees


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

bekins24 said:


> Turned out pretty good! Nice work. I like the rock work.


I wasn't planning on doing the rock wall at first but a few days before sod was to go in, we had a flash flood. The river of water was about 18" deep and washed out all the gravel from my driveway and topsoil about 10' back from the street. Those trees in the picture were still upright but just a root ball remained on top of the remaining sediment. At that point, I started building the retaining wall. I hand gathered all the rocks from surrounding areas of Tooele county and three years later, it was finished. Probably 20+ pickup truck loads.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Fowlmouth said:


> Finished 2 yards and 2 basements. If we decide to build again at some point, I want everything finished inside and out.


I know what your saying. I hope I never move again.

Bowgy, that's an awesome yard.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Looks awesome - nice work!


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

I have my degree in Horticulture, but my yard doesn't show it. It seems like everyone's comes before mine. But I do mow mine 3 times a week though.

Yours looks great, you did one heck of a job!


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## Greenhead_Slayer (Oct 16, 2007)

Looks great. We bought a house that had been foreclosed on 3 years ago and are just finally wrapping up the landscaping. It hadn't had any upkeep for a good 10 years or so. Prior to our ripping everything out all the beds consisted of arborvitae, bishops weed, and some big nasty barberry bushes. My spring fishing time has been severely hurt by it though :?


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## OKEE (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks good !!! but I don't see any elk antlers !!!!


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

I stay in my house just because I do NOT want to do another yard. 
Plus, I waited 20 years for my shade trees to get mature, now the back yard has been delightful the last 5 years. 
My street has a lot more traffic than it used to, don't like that much as well. 
Used to be on the edge of town, now we are pretty much in the middle of town.-O,-

Got the wife talked into selling and getting out of town, not sure I want to now......


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

OKEE said:


> Looks good !!! but I don't see any elk antlers !!!!


Here's some other views of the front yard.
How many shed antlers can you see?
For some reason, every few weeks, many of my "yard" antlers end up in the garage.:-?
But then they find their way back out into the flower beds.:mrgreen:


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Just sold the house on a half acre. We had a house built that has a HOA and they take care of everything. They mow , edge, plant flowers, fertilize and remove the snow off the porch and driveway. Leaves more time to shoot, hunt, fish, camp and travel. I'm loving it.8)


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

Al Hansen said:


> Just sold the house on a half acre. We had a house built that has a HOA and they take care of everything. They mow , edge, plant flowers, fertilize and remove the snow off the porch and driveway. Leaves more time to shoot, hunt, fish, camp and travel. I'm loving it.8)


Your lucky.
My HOA allows my neighbor to complain about how many dandelions are in my lawn or if I haven't edged it more than a week.:RULES:


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