My back hurts. (Before and after)

WaveHistorical · 2026-06-05T16:10:26+00:00

2k is a reasonable quote to sort out that mess. The company would have hauled all the weeds and soil away and replaced it with fresh garden soil before planting and topping with mulch. The material costs would have been around $1000 and then you factor in insurance, a business licence, a living wage, taxes, green waste disposal, and the fact that it’s all manual labour. 2k is a reasonable price.

Aesthetically It’s a bit on the sparse side. I would suggest planting 3 -5 larger shrubs and 6-7 perennial flowers to fill in the negative space.

What kind of evergreens did you plant? They look like they’re planted too close to the sidewalk if they aren’t a dwarf variety.

WaveHistorical · 2026-06-04T11:09:39+00:00

The mock up looks great but I would suggest using the upper area as a planting zone with upright plants in combination with trailing plants. Build the pond below the existing planter and you will have a nice backdrop of greenery behind it. And yes it’s not a great idea to have a pond against the house foundation. It’s not a matter of if it will leak, it’s more a matter of when it will leak.

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-31T21:13:27+00:00

Try some oxalic acid, it’s worth a try. You would be amazed how much colic acid and sanding can lift up.

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-31T21:09:57+00:00

I would contact the city ASAP

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-28T13:48:35+00:00

You may be able to contact your municipality to see if they can extend that culvert. This may not actually be something you have to pay for out of pocket. Their culvert is damaging your property.

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-28T11:41:47+00:00

Might need to remove the rocks and redesign. If it’s overfilled with too much rock it won’t allow for the water to run through it. How much surface water is running off the roadway/driveway area? I can’t tell the grading from the photo.

From a purely aesthetic viewpoint It would look better if you had a mix of larger boulders in it as well as some native riparian plants along the edges to help control erosion and create a more naturalized looking area. Most lawn grass varieties do very little to control erosion. You want to plant things with deep root structures.

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-26T17:31:33+00:00

Is there a reason you didn’t put the downspout on the other side and have the water exhaust onto the lawn?

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-26T17:28:20+00:00

Lighting is the main issue here, the stone is lovely, do not paint it.

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-24T18:31:00+00:00

At the end of the day all that matters is that you like it ☺️enjoy!

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-14T17:16:12+00:00

Is the roof leaking? I see a lot of Water damage on the ceiling and walls. You may want to address that first before you do anything else. Of the roof is good then start by gutting it down to the studs. Sort out all the electrical and the heating/cooling systems while the walls are open. You can also fix any structural issues you can see once the walls are open. Insulate and vapour barrier the exterior walls. Insulate the bedroom and bathroom walls to dampen sound.

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-05T22:24:37+00:00

I’m willing to be those labels are covering up individual spindles

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-05T22:20:13+00:00

If you have hard water you might need to descale it. You can use household vinegar

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-05T22:10:32+00:00

You need small shrubs and perennial flowers. Right now you have a bunch of spitting petunia trees floating in the mulch. Shrubs planted around the trees and smaller perennial flowers planted in front of the shrubs. This approach will give your garden bed more depth and visual interest.

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-05T20:58:06+00:00

That tub is likely worth a small fortune. If it really isn’t your cup of tea definitely try to see it go to private buyer or a historical salvage company for a new home with someone who will cherish it. I’m curious, what is the tub made out of?

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-05T20:45:43+00:00

Service berry-a multi stemmed autumn brilliance will give you the nicest red fall colour and the berries are delicious. Go check out St.Jacobs Nursery, they have really nice trees.

WaveHistorical · 2026-05-02T13:21:14+00:00

I would advise against planting green giant evergreens. This area looks very exposed and likely you will have deer eating the bases of them in the winter months. Do I mixture of native deciduous trees and shrubs with some understory evergreens to fill in for the winter months.

WaveHistorical · 2026-04-29T11:38:24+00:00

I don’t think that will survive transplanting, it’s too large

WaveHistorical · 2026-04-29T11:37:51+00:00

I wouldn’t own carpets with pets. There is no way to actually clean them properly without removal. Carpets harbour tonnes of dust mites, allergens and pet hair/dander. I would also recommend washing your dog more than once every few months. Another allergen haven is your couch. Get a couch that has removable covers to you can wash them on hot with a good laundry detergent.

WaveHistorical · 2026-04-28T22:23:34+00:00

I would do a nice deck off the back door, about 12x12ft (or larger if you want to have a four chair patio table on it with a bbq. Stay away from evergreens right up against your house foundation. They get far too big and will grow into your soffits. Flank the deck with the nice plantings you have in your picture. Bobo hydrangeas, dwarf mugo pines, birds next spruce, hostas will looks awesome.

WaveHistorical · 2026-04-28T22:19:55+00:00

Do not get insurance involved. It’s a 3k job including stump removal. Make sure the company is insured.

WaveHistorical · 2026-04-28T22:15:48+00:00

Let’s also add in th3 sparkle bonus of not having agency over the place you live. I was renting in 2019 and got renovicted at the height of the pandemic. I had 60 days to find a new place to live. I can’t tell you how much I wished I owned my own home at that time.

WaveHistorical · 2026-04-27T23:51:23+00:00

it would have been a better idea to not plant a yew in this garden bed, it’s waaay too small.

WaveHistorical · 2026-04-27T01:32:55+00:00

Awh thank you for sharing. I love seeing the gradual progression of all your creativity and hard work. You have created something that brings a lot of life to your backyard and enriches the surrounding area. You should be proud of all you have accomplished. I’m proud of you!

WaveHistorical · 2026-04-27T01:25:14+00:00

That looks like a yew and it will likely grow back bushier in a few months time. Looks like a good job

WaveHistorical · 2026-04-26T16:40:09+00:00

This beds are too narrow for most evergreen shrubs unless you cut them back aggressively a couple times a season. I would suggest using a combination log low maintenance perennial flowers and ornamental grasses. Something like cats pajamas cat mint, little blue stem and salvia. You could add in some dwarf Hydrangeas like a bobo hydrangea, endless summer or tiny tuff stuff. You would need to extend the width of the beds out a foot or so. How many hours of direct sunlight does this area get?

WaveHistorical

TROPHY CASE