September in Arizona

Our temperatures in August and September have been well over 108 degrees nearly every day since our landscaping was accepted and the final check written. Now that the landscaping has had a couple of months to settle in, I thought you might like to see how it is doing. Recall that our area where the 5 trees and landscaping sprinkler system were planted, was all dirt. Burmuda grass has been known to grow when watered after nearly 10 years without water. So is this area, no sod nor seeds were introduced, I just watered. There were some weeds, but we pulled them as soon as they were up.

The trees and the shrubs in front of the new wall have not been doing very well. It has been so very hot! For the first week, I soaked each tree and bush once per day. For the second week, I watered every other day. Now I soak them every 3 days and added root growth stimulator and watered it in this week end. I hope to see some greening up now that the temperatures are lower, and the root treatment has been done.



The front yard margin, where the grass ends and the decomposed granite begins, was difficult to form the line, since we had no grass. The ends of the concrete drives and walkways looked incomplete ending in space, so I purchased the concrete pots for Agave, and flowering plants. The pots are heavy enough so the sprinkler system heads are protected from any wayward driver.


Notice how similar the two lawns are in the circle and outside of the circle. We flood the circle and sprinklers water the area outside the drive. No difference. Water rules here in Arixona.

The Landscaping Project Finished

Today, our final inspection for all of the landscaping was completed, and the final check written. I am so happy with the outcome. I would have no hesitation hiring these companies again to provide landscaping.

Decomposed Granite in Place, Rolling and Clean Up

One last pile of unused materials to be removed, and the site is done. I am so impressed with the clean lines the front yard has now, thanks to the fine people of Creative Castle Grounds! This is a company to be noted for their attention to detail and dedication to excellence.

Pete of Distinctive Landscapes, has some cleaning up to do before the project can be signed off on, like the removal of forms from the concrete, and a few other items. I am deeply thankful for Pete subcontracting with Creative Castle Grounds, they are such a joy to work with and produce only the finest results.

This is Alberto, project foreman for this project from Creative Castle Grounds. He was always on top of things, had a great respect for his workers, the project and the homeowner. He got the job done, even when it was 118 degrees in the shade.

Miguel rolled the lawn, and the areas of decomposed granite to finish the job. All of Creative Castle Grounds workers, like Miguel, were ever so respectful of our home, and of us.

7-26-07 Blocks, Sprinklers, Mail Box, Horse Fencing

The eastern front yard up to the house is higher than the rest of the property, so we decided to install a sprinkler system. The trenches are 10-12 inches deep with sprinkler heads strategically positioned for full coverage. Creative Castle Grounds workers worked tirelessly in the extreme heat and in the rain to get the job done in a timely manner. The same crew showed up at 5:00 a.m. each morning, and remained on this job until 2:00 p.m. each day. I was so impressed with their dedication to quality workmanship, while remaining respectful of our family and our yard. I would eagerly hire this group for all of my future landscaping and hard scape needs.


Alberto checked the water pressure at the hose bib closest to the sprinkler area. He plumbed the new system to include these mechanisms.

The timer sets on the edge of the garage with the electrical boxes. Alberto showed me how to use the timer program, and provided the owner's manual.

Here is a photograph from the street looking from the south east toward the north west. The front courtyard wall is complete, the circle drive filled with decomposed granite (DG), and the trees planted.


Looking north east from the street. Daniel, the mason, in the red shirt. Other workers from Creative Castle Grounds hard at work.


Daniel built this new mail box block work to match the house. It is set back from the street, and the pad of decomposed granite should allow the U.S. Mail lady access to the mail box with out getting stuck in mud after a rain.

Brad Nielsen, owner of All Pro Fence, measured the area for the horse fencing. Later, his fence crew was here digging post holes, setting posts, and preparing to return to finish the job tomorrow! Respectful, service oriented business owners, managers, and workers, is all I have ever found in the 13 years All Pro Fencing has been working on the property. My friends and neighbors who have used All Pro Fence report the same.

Sod, well watered, in the summer heat, becomes a brilliant carpet of green in a week. Hosing the sod is one peaceful moment in a day for our dog, in a day filled with workers, disruptions and loud noises.

7-24-07 Smoothing, Planting, Installing Sprinklers

Concrete Walkways and Curbs

Laying The Blocks to Form the Wall

The slump block wall in the beginning construction phase.

The front of the house looks so bad during the construction phase.

This beautiful wall is on the east side of the house and nearly complete.

Pouring Concrete Footings

The footings in the front of the house were poured just to the level of the bottom surface of the existing concrete. The workers used a string and tape measure to keep the concrete level and to the desired level in the trenches.


The footings for the major wall structure were carefully poured the same way.

Trenching and Inspection Phase

The workers from Creative Castle Grounds dug the trenches with a machine they called a Ditch Witch, and finished out the trenches by hand. Reinforcing metal rods, "Rebar" was carefully set in the trenches, with special configuration for the pillars, and vertical placement every four feet in the trench.

Notice the green colored sheet of paper on the front porch. That is the official inspection "tag" for this project. The trenches can not be filled with concrete, or the footings poured, until the Town of Gilbert inspector inspects the work and approves it. Pete of Distinctive Landscapes applied to the Town of Gilbert for a permit, then called for an inspection, and an inspector was on site the next day. He signed the green tag, and we were free to go on to the next phase, which was pouring the concrete footings.

Notice the trenches are extra deep and wide for this project. The footings will be 18" deep and are 10" wide. These dimensions far exceed the Town of Gilbert requirements, because we have very expansive soils due to the clay content. The soils on our property can shrink as much as 33% in some places. With that much shrink-swell movement, the footings need to be extra wide and deep to assure the walls will not crack and break.


Notice the pile of rubble created by the project. I talked to all of my neighbors on the street before we began the work. They were informed of what we planned to do, when, and how long the project would take. By informing them of the plans, they were all very patient and supportive of the process. The rubble pile was there nearly a week, when Allan Moore of Total Control moved the concrete portion. His crew did a very nice job. When they were finished, the street was clean and the ground level.

06-07 home remodeling

Arizona, particularly East Valley Phoenix, is growing very quickly and home values are skyrocketing. We looked at our 1.25 acres in Gilbert, Arizona, of grass, trees, and link chain fencing, and said we needed some landscaping changes. We also needed some upgrading inside, so we decided to include that in our plans for the August, 2006 to August, 2007 remodeling.

We are so pleased with our chosen contractors and workers, we would like to share our experience with you, step by step.


The pool area had a concrete pad all the way around. We decided to remove part of the pad and replace it with grass. The concrete was thick and formed a pile five feet tall and ten feet in diameter.


Once the concrete was gone, the pool looked so much longer and much prettier.