Giving the kids some space to run

Ground zero: too many trees, no play area, rotting retaining wall

We started the upgrade of our backyard this past weekend. Right now, it’s all trees and vines and weeds and a mixture of leaves, pinestraw, and rocks.

And I have no clue what I’m doing. I wandered around Home Depot tonight for about 30 minutes and walked out with a bold purchase: weed killer.

I’m pretty sure these are the elements though:

1. Clear out the pine trees and the puny hardwoods, leave the big oaks: I’m nervous about some of the towering pines. Probably shouldn’t cut them down myself.
2. Replace the rotting railroad ties with a stone block retaining wall.
3. Kill the weeds.
4. Put up the privacy fence.
5. Till the soil.
6. Seed the lawn.
7. Let the kiddos run wild.

It’s the doing of 1-6 that I’m going to need to read a book for or something.