The Walkway across the yard, part 1

We have decided to dig out the first layer of rock for the walkway that goes from the raised garden to the back patio. When David was here, we started this work, but didn't really have time to do much. Our approach is to define the inner curve of the walkway, and dig out from the other side, leaving one side to use for framing the wall that defines the walkway.



So here, we can see the initial digging, going from the edge of the walkway, digging South. We encounter rock (and the sprinkler line) just below the surface, so we have only a couple of inches of dirt to remove.



As we expose the rock, we need to break it up and get it out of the way. The easiest way to do this is to use the dirt as a ramp, allowing us to roll the rocks up and out of the growing pit.



Days of this sort of work, gets us a roughly triangular pit two to three feet deep with a well-defined edge for a wall to define one edge of the walkway.



We are now in position to be able to frame and pour the concrete for this wall.

First we form and pour the wall along the remaining dirt.



Then we frame and pour the other wall. This is more difficult, since we have to simultaneously support both sides of this wall.



We have to make sure that both walls are about the same height and will form a level walkway from the gate to the back patio walk.



Once that sets for a couple days, we can put the limestone blocks on the top and the walls are done.



Now we need to dig out the yard, and fill the area between the two walls with rock rubble to create the stable, filled area for the decomposed granite and finally the flagstones.