Landscaping

JohnP · August 28, 2013, 10:05:17 AM

Since I have given up on my rock garden landscaping at our new home I decided to go with a more â€œrusticâ€ look, railroad ties and whiskey/wine barrels. Purchased five half barrels so far and one pallet of railroad ties. When they delivered the ties the driver asked where I would want then, so I pointed out an area in the backyard that would be convenient for me. Little did I know that this was his first delivery of ties.

A few lessons learned when working with RR Ties:

1 Have a good chain saw.
2 Have plenty of chains.
3.Not a job for a seventy-two year old man.
4.Hire someone to do

Hawks Feather · August 28, 2013, 12:31:58 PM

5. Make sure the delivery person has insurance.

HaMeR · August 28, 2013, 04:22:03 PM

Well I'm glad you got the RR ties. Not the way you wanted them tho I'm guessing. Can't wait to see the finished product.

KySongDog · August 29, 2013, 07:55:22 PM

Just a small bump in the road of life, John.

FinsnFur · August 29, 2013, 09:45:53 PM

How big is that hole? Is it big enough for a middle aged, unemployed, self guided, illegal, drug mule to fit through?
How about a conibear? What size conibear would it take

nailbender · August 30, 2013, 12:11:18 AM

:doh2:One project at a time!

Dave · August 30, 2013, 04:39:44 PM

Keep us posted on how things progress. I'd like to see some of those half barrels and how you are landscaping with all this.
Also, make sure your doctor doesn't find out what you're doing or he may try and move you into a condo (and a center unit, at that).

JohnP · September 21, 2013, 12:59:31 PM

Got another pallet yesterday, no problems. Phase one is finished and I'll get some pictures up in a day of two. Phase two will start on Monday. Got a couple of teenage boys willing to do the heavy lifting.

Dave - So far I have two barrels planted, both with roses. The next two barrels will probably be fishhook cactus.

Jim - I was going to set my trail camera up there and see if anything did come in. Fortunately the company started on replacing the wall that same afternoon.

JohnP · September 25, 2013, 05:55:33 PM

Phase one is complete. We had a small postage stamp size back patio, extended it to 400 sq ft. My two buddies did most of the work, but I supervised and bought the beer. I probably could have had a contractor come in cheaper than what I spent in beer and snacks. Not as big as the one at the mountain house (800 sq ft) but sufficient enough.

Phase two was the back breaker. But well worth it â€" I think. I will be planting more in it but not until next spring. Not yet as elaborate or colorful as the mountain terrace but getting there. Next year should be a sea of color.

Phase three just started. Seeing how hunting season is just around the corner these ties just might be there for long while.

Hawks Feather · September 25, 2013, 06:23:30 PM

That looks really nice. Now if you would have just posted that there was FREE beer, we all would have been there to watch your friends work.

Jerry

FinsnFur · September 25, 2013, 09:13:51 PM

Quote from: Hawks Feather on September 25, 2013, 06:23:30 PM
That looks really nice. Now if you would have just posted that there was FREE beer, we all would have been there to watch your friends work.

Jerry

10-4!

Looks like they know what they are doing. It's nice to see that.
I see one guy has short pants and short sleeves and the other has long pants and long sleeves. So is it cold or hot out?

snafu · September 26, 2013, 05:30:02 AM

To bad about your wall, John. Yard is looking real nice. Toting around ties is some real grunt work. Let alone stacking them. Some yrs back I made two retaining walls in our back yard useing RR ties. A butt kicker stacking them high.

coyote101 · September 26, 2013, 06:45:28 AM

Things are starting to look real nice Mr. JohnP.

Pat

Hawks Feather · September 26, 2013, 10:09:01 AM

Quote from: FinsnFur on September 25, 2013, 09:13:51 PM
I see one guy has short pants and short sleeves and the other has long pants and long sleeves. So is it cold or hot out?

Jim, while I really don't know my guess would be that the temperature is around 70 degrees. They guy in shorts just came in from the north and feels hot while the guy in the sweatshirt is from the south and is cold.

Jerry

JohnP · September 26, 2013, 10:34:17 AM

If I remember correctly, and sometimes I don't, the temperature was well over 100. The guy in the long pants and sleeves has a very serious skin problem and is very prone to skin cancer. He's also a custom home builder and cabinet maker. When he is done with the inside projects I'll post some pictures of his exceptional work.

The wall with the grate on top is the one that was damaged. Took advantage of the situation and had the grate installed, going to do likewise of the opposite side of same wall. We have about a 300 yard wide wash outside that wall and it afford us some feeling of openness. Will at some time in the future put in a gate so that we can just walk out into the wash.

HaMeR · September 26, 2013, 06:02:59 PM

Yes things certainly are coming along nicely!! Looks like you have some purdy darned good Friends that do very nice work Mr. John!! Can't wait to see the colorful Spring pics!!

Best of Luck in your hunting adventures!!

Dave · September 27, 2013, 03:02:04 PM

Quote from: JohnP on September 26, 2013, 10:34:17 AM

The wall with the grate on top is the one that was damaged. Took advantage of the situation and had the grate installed, going to do likewise of the opposite side of same wall. We have about a 300 yard wide wash outside that wall and it afford us some feeling of openness. Will at some time in the future put in a gate so that we can just walk out into the wash.

Why not order some more RR ties and request the same driver. Then have him dump the load on the opposite side of the same wall.

Looks great, by the way.