Hi,

I have a new home with a very large plain backyard. I am planning and
preparing to add character, but must do
in tiny steps. I don't have a lot of time or budget, so hope to create a
warm welcome backyard over time.

The first thing I would like to do is create 2 "hard" areas.
I have a 10x10 covered patio and off to the left of it I need a 10x8 area
for grilling and expanding off of the
patio. in another area I would like to create a space 6x4 for a bench under
a group of small trees.

For both of these areas I would like to use crushed granite.
It's cheap, and it looks good. For the area off of the patio I may someday
want to add paving stones,
and this would be the perfect first step to that idea.

I know it durable enough, but I'm not sure how to install it properly.
Once I cut away the st. Augustine, how deep should the crushed granite be?
Do I need to rent a compactor and compact it? I would like to define the
area with some
sort of drought tolerant border plants...do you have any suggestions?

Thanks for any help on my project!
jojo

jojo wrote:
Once I cut away the st. Augustine, how deep should the crushed granite be?

Ours is about 3-4 inches deep.

Do I need to rent a compactor and compact it? I would like to define the

Yes. However, a manual compactor makes for a really good workout...

area with some
sort of drought tolerant border plants...do you have any suggestions?

Agaves, yuccas, grasses, etc. Visit yuccado.com for ideas, they have an
awesome selection and great service. Local sources include Barton
Springs Nursery and Gardens. Make sure you get cold-hardy species!

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

I really would like something that looks similar to Mexican heather (and a
similar size)
but that is perennial.

http://photos.yahoo.com/cgv_2000
You can see my landscape plans here and critique if you will.
look in the album called landscape plans.

jojo




"Victor Martinez" wrote in message
...
jojo wrote:
Once I cut away the st. Augustine, how deep should the crushed granite
be?

Ours is about 3-4 inches deep.

Do I need to rent a compactor and compact it? I would like to define the

Yes. However, a manual compactor makes for a really good workout...

area with some
sort of drought tolerant border plants...do you have any suggestions?

Agaves, yuccas, grasses, etc. Visit yuccado.com for ideas, they have an
awesome selection and great service. Local sources include Barton
Springs Nursery and Gardens. Make sure you get cold-hardy species!

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

Why do you not want the heather? It looks great most of the year.

"jojo" wrote in message
...
I really would like something that looks similar to Mexican heather (and a
similar size)
but that is perennial.

http://photos.yahoo.com/cgv_2000
You can see my landscape plans here and critique if you will.
look in the album called landscape plans.

jojo




"Victor Martinez" wrote in message
...
jojo wrote:
Once I cut away the st. Augustine, how deep should the crushed granite
be?

Ours is about 3-4 inches deep.

Do I need to rent a compactor and compact it? I would like to define
the

Yes. However, a manual compactor makes for a really good workout...

area with some
sort of drought tolerant border plants...do you have any suggestions?

Agaves, yuccas, grasses, etc. Visit yuccado.com for ideas, they have an
awesome selection and great service. Local sources include Barton
Springs Nursery and Gardens. Make sure you get cold-hardy species!

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

Yes, I agree...but I need something I do not have to replant every year.
Sometimes heather will come back and sometimes it won't.
jojo

"Sew-Sew Lady" wrote in message
. com...
Why do you not want the heather? It looks great most of the year.

"jojo" wrote in message
...
I really would like something that looks similar to Mexican heather (and
a
similar size)
but that is perennial.

http://photos.yahoo.com/cgv_2000
You can see my landscape plans here and critique if you will.
look in the album called landscape plans.

jojo




"Victor Martinez" wrote in message
...
jojo wrote:
Once I cut away the st. Augustine, how deep should the crushed
granite
be?

Ours is about 3-4 inches deep.

Do I need to rent a compactor and compact it? I would like to define
the

Yes. However, a manual compactor makes for a really good workout...

area with some
sort of drought tolerant border plants...do you have any
suggestions?

Agaves, yuccas, grasses, etc. Visit yuccado.com for ideas, they have
an
awesome selection and great service. Local sources include Barton
Springs Nursery and Gardens. Make sure you get cold-hardy species!

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:29:58 GMT, "jojo"
wrote:

Once I cut away the st. Augustine, how deep should the crushed granite be?
Do I need to rent a compactor and compact it?

I would just level the surface and lay a root barrier fabric beneath
the granite. I bought a roll of gray fabric from the rock place on
Hwy 1325 and it has lasted a while now and seems to work well.

As far as depth 2" is likely as deep as you would want and you might
get away with just 1" if the area is fairly flat.

Also, you want the granite to drain and compacting the underlying soil
might preclude that.

Rusty Mase

Rusty Mase
Paisano Industries LLP
http://www.paisano.com

Jojo,
You might check into
www.backyard-lifestyle.com
for other ideas to add character to your backyard.
They are a Wholesale to the Public Online Website,
you can ask them questions, and if you get real adventurous
you could try,
www.bestpondstuff.com
for reasonable priced pond and water garden supplies.

I hope you find this useful,
Norman



On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:29:58 GMT, "jojo"
wrote:

Hi,

I have a new home with a very large plain backyard. I am planning and
preparing to add character, but must do
in tiny steps. I don't have a lot of time or budget, so hope to create a
warm welcome backyard over time.

The first thing I would like to do is create 2 "hard" areas.
I have a 10x10 covered patio and off to the left of it I need a 10x8 area
for grilling and expanding off of the
patio. in another area I would like to create a space 6x4 for a bench under
a group of small trees.

For both of these areas I would like to use crushed granite.
It's cheap, and it looks good. For the area off of the patio I may someday
want to add paving stones,
and this would be the perfect first step to that idea.

I know it durable enough, but I'm not sure how to install it properly.
Once I cut away the st. Augustine, how deep should the crushed granite be?
Do I need to rent a compactor and compact it? I would like to define the
area with some
sort of drought tolerant border plants...do you have any suggestions?

Thanks for any help on my project!
jojo

Do not trust spammers everybody! This one has spent the day promoting a
worthless ultrasonic geegaw well known to have none of the effects the
spammer pretends personally to have experienced. So I wouldn't trust ANY
product from ANY wastrel of a spammer, let alone such an aggressive
example who is so overt in trying to peddle something known to have no
value whatsoever.

-paghat the ratgirl

In article ,
wrote:

Jojo,
You might check into
www.backyard-lifestyle.com
for other ideas to add character to your backyard.
They are a Wholesale to the Public Online Website,
you can ask them questions, and if you get real adventurous
you could try,
www.bestpondstuff.com
for reasonable priced pond and water garden supplies.

I hope you find this useful,
Norman



On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:29:58 GMT, "jojo"
wrote:

Hi,

I have a new home with a very large plain backyard. I am planning and
preparing to add character, but must do
in tiny steps. I don't have a lot of time or budget, so hope to create a
warm welcome backyard over time.

The first thing I would like to do is create 2 "hard" areas.
I have a 10x10 covered patio and off to the left of it I need a 10x8 area
for grilling and expanding off of the
patio. in another area I would like to create a space 6x4 for a bench under
a group of small trees.

For both of these areas I would like to use crushed granite.
It's cheap, and it looks good. For the area off of the patio I may someday
want to add paving stones,
and this would be the perfect first step to that idea.

I know it durable enough, but I'm not sure how to install it properly.
Once I cut away the st. Augustine, how deep should the crushed granite be?
Do I need to rent a compactor and compact it? I would like to define the
area with some
sort of drought tolerant border plants...do you have any suggestions?

Thanks for any help on my project!
jojo




--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
Visit the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com

jojo wrote:
I know it durable enough, but I'm not sure how to install it properly.
Once I cut away the st. Augustine, how deep should the crushed granite be?
Do I need to rent a compactor and compact it? I would like to define the
area with some
sort of drought tolerant border plants...do you have any suggestions?

It needs to be raised above the surrounding area. Decomposed granite is
nearly impervious to weeds, either seeds from above or runners from
below. But if the rain washes dirt into it then forget it. I did a
cactus bed with it, about 2" deep without any kind of weed barrier, and
never needed to weed it in several years. Another bed that caught
runoff from the road was constantly full of weeds.

--steve

jojo, what did you do with your back yard? did you take anybody's suggestions and install a crushed granite patio? if you did, i'm very curious to see any photos that you'd take of it. i'm about to start on a similar project myself, and i'm interested to hear about your endeavor.

-mark

jojo, what did you do with your back yard? did you take anybody's
suggestions and install a crushed granite patio? if you did, i'm very
curious to see any photos that you'd take of it. i'm about to start on
a similar project myself, and i'm interested to hear about your
endeavor.

-mark


--
Mark Levy

Mark,

I have not done anything yet, but we are going to do the crushed granite.
I got some samples of the granite we are going to use and stained the
concrete area of my existing patio to match the granite a few weekends ago.
It really looks good (much better than raw concrete) and will look great
when the granite is in place beside it.
(we used a bear concrete stain)
We are probably going to wait to do the granite in January.

I'll post a link to pics as soon a I finish the project. I'd love to see
pics of your too!

jojo



"Mark Levy" wrote in message
...

jojo, what did you do with your back yard? did you take anybody's
suggestions and install a crushed granite patio? if you did, i'm very
curious to see any photos that you'd take of it. i'm about to start on
a similar project myself, and i'm interested to hear about your
endeavor.

-mark


--
Mark Levy

Mark Levy wrote:
jojo, what did you do with your back yard? did you take anybody's
suggestions and install a crushed granite patio? if you did, i'm very
curious to see any photos that you'd take of it. i'm about to start on
a similar project myself, and i'm interested to hear about your
endeavor.

-mark


I just had the opportunity to help a friend distribute 6 yards of
crushed granite. He already had a bunch of paths and a 25" circle that
he had done a few years back. This new load was to level out the circle
and even up some areas that had settled too much.

The new material was not quite as finely crushed as the first stuff so
he is curious to see how it blends in visually and on one's feet.

I have been using shredded cedar for pathways around my backyard.
Helping him with this project has made me start thinking "granite".