Rock Rewards Program

We have an awesome yard. We have worked really hard on it for the past couple of years. Unbeknown to us, when we purchased the house and yard, we signed on for a rock rewards program. Here is how it works: every time you dig a hole in the yard, you are rewarded with a rock. Sometimes, if you are really lucky you are rewarded with two or three! I know you are jealous and are thinking "well, how big does the hole have to be to earn such a fantastic find?" Well, truth be known, the hole doesn't have to be big at all!

Starting out working in the yard, we weren't quite sure if the rock rewards program was the right thing for us. I know, I know, who wouldn't love getting FREE rocks all the time? Well, we sure didn't like the idea of breaking our backs each and every time we wanted to add a plant or shrub into our yard. But, unfortunately, once you sign on for the rock rewards program, you are in it for life...or the duration of your yard work.

If you know Randy and I, you know that we are savers. And I'm not just talking money. We have been saving our rocks for a really long time. This weekend we were finally able to put our saved rocks to some use. Most of the rocks we have been saving are around this size. Some are bigger, some are smaller, but most rewards were right about this big.Not too shabby right? Rock rewards at its best I always say! Anyway, Randy and I worked on our parking strips for two days this weekend. I planted some plants and he put down some weed barrier in the parking strips.

Here are some of the new plants I planted. I also planted 6 new plants into the parking strips.

We got 5 yards of bark and shoveled and raked it into the parking strips over the weed barrier. Then, wait for it, wait for it...we added the ROCKS! I know I know it is super exciting after all the waiting and saving. It was hard to hold onto all those rocks sometimes especially when you have so many and you feel like you wouldn't miss one or two. But saving prevailed and our patience paid off and voila! There you have it. Finished rock, bark and plant parking strips.

Here is a peak at what it looks like. I'll even give you a before and after sort of behind the scenes look. Hold on to your hats...

Before

After

Before

After
FYI: These are only the large rocks we have saved. We still have an emergency rock pile of the small rocks just in case. Whew, I don't know if I would feel as secure using the big rocks without having the small rocks as a back up.

Needless to say, our new motto is:"Rock rewards worked for us!" -wink and smile.