Courtyard drainage.....

So half my front yard is absolutely gorgeous. Low water, no mowing, minimal weeding and blooming away like a champ. The OTHER half has been, well........ bleh.

Granted, the torn up driveway doesn't help, but my biggest issue has been trying to solve a drainage issue stemming from the first incompetent contractor who worked on the courtyard and poured the slab 4 inches lower than planned. Thus, the drainage for the courtyard is a little outlet that was just below level with the yard. doh.

SO. The long stretch of wall visible above at the right side presented some issues. How to incorporate drainage without it looking like a giant drainage ditch. oh good,  a puzzle.

First we re-route some of the courtyard plumbing....

Then we start building concrete molds for curbing.....

The general idea was to try and make the drainage look like a dry desert wash or creek bed to fit in with my general garden theme from the other side of the yard. How it turns out.... still unknown.

I did discover that it is not easy for one person to do concrete work solo. I mixed the first section myself... pressed some river rock into the top as it set....

 
and then I wised up and asked my neighbors for help with the second and third sections....  This allowed me to finish the back curb and start planting some succulents in the dirt strip along the courtyard wall. To soften the edge and because I like succulents. alot.

I still have one more section of curb to pour and then gravel and cobble to place. Should be able to finish it up by the weekend.

Top of the drainage. Run-off from the courtyard comes out a small hole at the top right of the gravel section.

The Green Coop Roof.

Is on and almost done.....

prepping to frame

frame done and ready to set

Frame on and ready to start layering.

adding perlite mix

adding plants!

chicken wire for stability and plants installed!

The First Ten Months - Exterior

And what, you might wonder, does an overambitious, type A single woman decide to do first? Something nice and safe and tame like painting a room? or knocking down all the cobwebs?  NAAAHHHH. Let's make a list of "shit I feel like doing to the house".....

1.) New Roof - I don't know why, but I've always seen this house as a Mediterranean beauty with a large front courtyard and a water-wise California front garden.

After ripping Two different roofs off.....

 

New Tile Roof? Hells Yes.

Now we're getting somewhere.....

2.) New Exterior Paint - Peachy beige is not working for me. Maybe something is a bright cream color?

I live in this room more than the living room...

3.) A big, livable front courtyard with raised beds.......

 4.) Start getting rid of that water-sucking green lawn (I live in an irrigated desert, ya know). Alright, I admittedly only got half done before I burned out (and nearly threw out my back shoveling out lawn and shoveling in DG.

 One side of lawn out out, One side of garden bliss in...

And now, for my next act..... the biohazard suit - worthy interior........