How the Garden Wall Was 2014...and Is in 2016

This is how my Courtyard Wall Garden looked in 2014...all abloom!  Things have certainly changed since 2014.  The Wall Garden doesn't look like this anymore.  If you haven't been following the posts about my Garden, I'm going to share some photos and updates with you, that will bring you up to speed.   I had hoped to have a bit more done with it by now, but the warm and nice

weather we had...has changed to cool and rainy.

A Two-tiered Garden across the front...Gardens down both sides of the Courtyard too.

This is how my Courtyard Garden looked in 2015.

After the events of early April, I decided I no longer wanted to hide behind all of the flowers during the summer.  The plants were well over 3 feet tall...and the wall was another 30" tall...so no one could see in and I couldn't see out!  So I hired the guys who cut my grass to dig all of the Hydrangeas out of the wall.

I also had a two-tiered wall in the back...the back being 1 course of block shorter, just like in the front.  The walls are approximately 30" high. 

This is the Pup's Do-Do Pen...right under the porch light, nice and secure for when they need to go out at night.

I remember the winds of mid February...they blew down the outside of my concrete block wall and tilted alot more of it!  This one incident made me decide to make additional changed to my Courtyard Garden Wall.  

The Garden Wall measures 19' wide in the rear [smaller across the front, because of the Gate and Hydrangeas against the house] by 67' long.  Almost the entire outside 67' long wall had to be taken down, because of the wind damage done to it.  Some of the 12' wide front wall had to be removed as well, because of damage.

So, today, I stacked a 3rd layer of concrete blocks and then end caps along the back wall.  I added some support blocks along the side, to prevent the dirt from falling down anymore.  I also added blocks to the inside of the front wall...as it was tilting and dirt was falling down.

In the rear wall, I have some blocks that are out-of-kilter for now.  Those will hopefully be adjusted when I'm working on the side and inside walls.

This is how my wall was built...except it all has 3 tiers of block and then end caps.  It's lined and has dirt for planting in it.

But, today...what did I do while I worked for 2 hours out there - in the wind and clouds and cool temperatures?   I moved a bit over 3,000 pounds [ 1 1/2 Tons] of concrete block and caps.  I weeded the entire dirt wall of the garden...then trimmed my over-grown roses in the backyard garden...and put Weed Prentative on the Dirt, so new weeds won't germinate in it.  Since I plan to remove the dirt from MOST of the outside wall and give it away...it will help, not having tons of weeds sprouting all over it.  I also moved the concrete edgers that were around my tree in front and around the hostas...another 1000 pounds of concrete blocks.    

Next on the agenda?

1. Dig out the Hostas [4 of them], which are too overgrown and HUGE.
2. Put a third layer of concrete blocks and then caps on the front wall of the Garden.
3. Do some shopping for a wheelbarrow, shovel, tarp and leveling sand.
4. Remove some dirt from the wall and shovel into the front and back Garden Walls, that have been raised.
5. Building a raised garden where the Hostas were removed, filling it with dirt and planting something much more manageble in it. 
6. Remove the remaining dirt and deposit it on top of the tarp that will be in my driveway, and then advertise Free Dirt.
7. Work on the inside long wall of the Garden, making sure it's straight and adding a gate in it.
8. Straighten up the front and rear walls and eliminate any gaps or pushed out areas.
9. Plant things in the front and rear gardens that remain.  

Now...I'm off to Lowe's and Kroger to do my shopping.  Then I plan to paint my Bathroom Skylight...and finally make my dinner - Salmon and Broccoli.  It should be interesting...with the weight loss I experienced in 2015, what I will be able to lose this summer.

[this all may or may not be finished in 2016] 

I'm joining the Link Party Thoughts of Home on Thursday at:

Laura at Décor To Adore

Stacey from Poofing the Pillows

Jemma from At Home With Jemma 
Laura at White Spray Paint