DIY Firepit area

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I love my propane fire table that I use on the patio. But there is something about a log fire pit, am I right? This past fall my kids dug up an area in the side backyard for a new fire pit area. The labor was a belated birthday present and my DIL killed it! She is a worker and easily outworked my boys!

Digging up the sod.

Found this as we were digging. No idea what it
connects to, however we have  indications there
used to be a sprinkler system in the back yard.

Laying brick border.

This is the river pebble we used in between the limdstone.

Using limestone for old retainer
wall to form a rug look.

Finished, sans the grass seed and landscaping
that will happen in the spring. Center area is for the fire pit.

Done! And just before Thanksgiving!

Anxious for spring to get back out and landscape the area, add the firepit, and the pergola.

Thanks for looking!

Linking up to:

Grace at Home

Funky Junk Interiors

One Thing Leads to Another

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One thing we never thought of, when renovating our backyard, was replacing the limestone retainer wall that runs at the back of the patio. But little did we know that it would start imploding last summer! Honestly we probably did not help the situation by having several junipers removed that were quite old and planted in the top part of the wall. This was probably part of the reason as the root system was likely holding things together. Yeah, we saw signs of that happening but still...

I guess, looking back at old photos, it was in a lot
worse shape than we realized. But in it's own way
it had its charm with all the aged layered limestone.
All the hostas in this photo (and much more on other side)
was thrown in a pile that sat in the hot summer weather
for 6 weeks. After the new wall was finished, I replanted
 them and they all lived.

After removing the limestone.

Boy, did we have limestone!
Every bit of it was used in other parts of the yard. 

This is along the length of the north half.

Lining up the new retainer wall block after
a load of gravel was put down as a base.
That black 'pole' is actually the gas line to an original
gas grill. It didn't work and we had the gas line disconnected
but no way to tear it out.

Progress!

After many weeks of part time work, it was finally finished. Well the wall was finished anyone. Next was my turn in replanting all the hostas and new plants and landscaping the top. I love how it turned out and so happy that our old wall imploded after all!

This is a view along the top of the wall as it runs to the
north side of the patio. Replanted the hosta from previous
wall that was torn out, bought some new hostas and perennials.
Used limestone to edge the planted area.

This view is the patio side of he wall and how it
seamlessly rolls into the pond area as well
as the patio area.