After removing an 18' above ground swimming pool, we were left with a rather unattractive, round sandy yet very level hole in our yard. For a while we thought about putting in a hot tub, but never got around to it. One day my husband came home with a carload of old 8"x 10" brick pavers that he'd found at a barn sale. "They were free", he said, as he unloaded his latest find. The pavers took up residence next to a pile of antique glass blocks that had been rescued while cleaning out the family homestead in Agawam. As I saw the building supplies lying next to each other, they spoke to me and the idea for a patio made perfect sense, the blocks being the inspiration I needed for our backyard patio project.
I should mention that neither of us is very handy and we often have difficulty finding the right tools, but this project seemed pretty fool-proof. 1. I started by laying down a roll of mesh screening to hopefully retard weed growth. 2. The next step was to place the pavers in an alternate pattern of two vertical, two horizontal.
When I took a look at the glass blocks, I realized they were two different styles which you can see in the picture above. 3. I selected one of each style and laid the blocks in random patterns throughout the area. 4. The next step was to fill in the spaces between the pavers with some pool sand left over from the former pool. We didn't have enough, however, and had to buy two more bags. 5. A good spray with the garden hose helped to settle the sand as I used a push broom to spread the material evenly over the area.
6. Once the foundation of the patio was complete, I took some of my newly divided hostas and planted them around the edges. I also added a few annuals and some mint which really smells good. 7. We topped the project off with these great antique wicker chairs and a wide plank piece of wood which made a perfect tabletop resting on an old sewing machine wrought iron base.
The entire project took a weekend and we've been enjoying our new outdoor space immensely. At night, the glass blocks give off a soft glow, reminding us of their previous life in the family homestead. We hope they like their new home.
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