Secret For a $100 Patio & Outdoor Bliss

in #garden7 years ago

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YOU CAN BUILD THIS PATIO FOR $100 - I'LL SHOW YOU HOW.

Nothing gives me more pleasure and peace than sitting outdoors in a BEAUTIFUL SPACE IN NATURE.
Because I don't live in a tropical area, I have done my best to bring the tropics to my own backyard.

PURSUING MY PASSION for gardening and ponds I have learned:

  1. It doesn't require a lot of space. Any area can become an outdoor sitting area.

  2. It need not cost a lot of money. My backyard has been created with a very limited budget.

  3. It evolves just as life itself. It is fun. It is rewarding. And the physical labor keeps me in shape. Well, maybe not the shape I prefer, but healthy.

"BACKYARD ON A BUDGET" is how I lovingly refer to my peaceful and picturesque backyard oasis.
Because I am fortunate to have a great deal of space, my backyard consists of many outdoor rooms.
Most have been created from raw materials I find on our acreage.

In this post I will walk you through how I constructed an attractive outdoor patio for $100. Most of the cost was spent in my own labor.

FIRST STEP:
What was once a vegetable garden needed to be cleared to make room for my new patio.

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Fortunately I enjoy the labor required to create, build and plant. Besides the physical exercise keeps me in shape.

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The red stones in this patio area were hand made using a form purchased from a local home improvement store.
Bags of cement were mixed in a wheelbarrow with a red cement dye to achieve the color.

Shovel some mixed cement into the form. It forms to a solid consistency almost immediately.
Simply lift off the form and place it for the next pour.

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Moving along as the form is filled. My dog, Laika, keeps watch over my progress.

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This is the completed patio. It looks pretty good except for that ugly black fireplace. It has to go.

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After the patio was completed the fun work began.
As you can see, the ugly black fireplace was replaced with an in ground burn pit.

Foliage was placed around it and moss was planted between the pavers.

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The look has changed from time to time.

Notice the contrast of BANANA TREES AND NW CEDAR TREES in the background.

I have since added a WATER FEATURE which I will share in a future post.

Now you can add whatever adds to your BLISS for enjoyment. Personally I enjoy a glass of wine while watching, feeling and listening to nature. Add whatever you wish, it is YOUR space.

The evolution of my backyard space is very educational and uplifting. I see how it parallels life in general; shifting, changing and growing. I see results of my efforts and I feel grace and gratitude when I sit and enjoy it.