In February 2015, we took on a backyard landscaping project in Inner Sunset, one of the four “micro neighborhoods” making up the Sunset District. Our objective was to create a private sports yard for the homeowner, complete with a nice putting green and space for other activities
Backyard Landscaping
No backyards; no backyard landscaping, and definitely no private sports yard. It wasn’t until the baby boom that the last of the sand dunes disappeared, replaced by the tightly packed suburban style neighborhood it is today.
If you’re not familiar with the Inner Sunset, one of the four “micro neighborhoods” nestled in the Sunset District. Life is simpler here. You can see the ocean from your house, but you’re not constantly bombarded by cars and people on their way to work or school like in San Francisco; life moves at its own pace without any distractions!
Inner Sunset of San Francisco
This house was built in 1924, which may account for the unusually long backyard (most yards in the Inner Sunset don’t offer near as much room). The client looked at the space and dreamed of a sports-centered yard for two little boys – and maybe some adults, as well.
They opted for a large, artificial turf area for soccer and a padded sports court. For the sports court, they wanted basketball hoops, complete with overhead sports lights.
Crumbling Retaining Wall
We had our work cut out for us. The retaining walls were crumbling, and the ground was taking back over poured concrete and a brick pathway. Weeds had destroyed most of the grass, and a gopher infestation was doing short work of the rest. It took us three weeks to transition from a backyard disaster to a sporty backyard landscape.
The first step was to set a concrete pad to provide a smooth, even surface for the flagstones. Quatzite flagstone went over the concrete base to create a small landing from the house to the backyard.
Sports Area Taking Shape
Next, we dug out and replaced the retaining walls. Digging deeper gives the yard to very distinct levels: a turf area and a sports court area. Two benches were inset into the retaining walls to provide an area to watch the activity, and stairs going to the sports court. Plants along the terracing will eventually grow thick enough and tall enough to provide a privacy screen from neighbors.
The retaining walls are made with recycled San Francisco Cobble, which comes with interesting history. In or around the 1800s, these cobbles were quarried for use in the shipping industry. Old wooden ships would bob on the water like a cork once their goods were offloaded; the cobbles were used as a ballast to keep the now empty ships stable.
Add The Basketball Court
Of course, they were then off loaded, and San Francisco ended up with a whole bunch of cobbles. They were eventually turned into paved streets, the streets were covered in tarmac, the tarmac in asphalt and the cobbles were buried. So now the client can tell people their retaining walls have a long, established history. If nothing else, it’s a good conversation starter!
We brought in the Sports Court Company to install the special foam sport court. The two galvanized poles seen will be used to install halogen overhead lights. Also, on the stairs, we installed LED down lighting for times when the games go late into the night.More redwood benches were installed here, for spectators, and another right off the flagstone porch.
The artificial turf we used is call S-Blade 90, from a long-term partner, Global Syn Turf. S-Blade 90 is a high-end, thick, realistic-looking material that will stand up to the rigors of soccer and other harsh activities. It has brown thatch woven into the turf to make in look more real. The turf is laid over 3″ of compacted baserock for stability. In addition, we added heavy landscape fabric, to prevent weeds, and a layer of galvanized wire mesh to deter gophers.
Above: Our finished project! It did take three weeks, but at the end of that time, we were all extremely happy with how it turned it. A far cry from old, crumbling walls and a struggling weed patch! Contact Tamate Landscaping today to learn more about your backyard renovation and solutions.
