Creating my first ever dry creek bed has been a labor of love and a lesson in patience. Between rained-out weekends and pesky root systems I was able to slowly make progress.

Step One: The Trench
The main job was the trench. Digging along the fence line proved slow and back-breaking. Every few feet I fought with rock-hard top soil, pockets of clay and various roots. Once the trench was dug several waves of rainy days hit the Dallas area. The rain was a blessing. The downpour highlighted areas that needed modifications.

Step Two: Landscaping Fabric – not this time
For some, the second step, would be to place landscaping fabric to help control weeds. I opted to pass on this step, just means I will be pulling weeds, which is fine.

Step Three: Layering The Rocks
First, was boulder placement. I picked random areas along the trench to place the boulders. The boulders add visual interest. Second layer, pea gravel. It’s a cheap base filler. Third layer, large river rock. I used the larger river rock to edge the trench. Layer four, medium river rock to fill the balance of the trench. The final layer, small river rock randomly thrown over the medium river rock to add texture.  All in all, I shoveled, lifted and placed 3.5 tons worth of rocks.

This was my final backyard project requiring a crew of strong, experienced men wielding jackhammers. The ask was simple. Remove existing concrete and replace with extra-thick slabs of flagstone.

The patio facelift turned out to be anything but easy. The homeowner before me covered the original 1964 patio with another layer of concrete. The removal was slow and extremely difficult. This “simple” project took 8 men, working in shifts for a total of six hours. When the project was completed, I was advised by Randy, he would have never bid so low, If he had known about the older concrete hidden underneath.

Randy honored his original bid. (thank you Randy)
I now have a wonderful space to work with.

Many thanks to Randy Johnson and his team.
Johnson’s Landscaping Services

Before photos:

During photos:

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After Photos:

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First item on the agenda: clearing the fence line.

Trees growing into the chain-link fence were removed along with a hackberry against the back. An old mulberry tree lying on it’s side was reduced to just the base. I plan to utilize the trunk for seating later in the renovation process. 🙂

I did not cut down the trees, this project was left to the professionals.