Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Installing a New Water Line In the Garden



Uh oh, what can that be creeping along the road in front of Tiger Gardens? Let's take a closer look.

It's a big red 'digger' (I think a backhoe) that is making a big mess along side the road. Oh yes, now I remember. It's slowly coming back to me. Back in September residents of Lylewood Road were informed that a new waterline would be installed on the west side of Lylewood Road (my side). The work was to take approximately three months to complete and 'residents were to be patient of the work and the dirt in their yards'. This dirt went into the road-see it above? No dirt in my yard! Just soil:) We are now going on six months of construction, but the end is in sight, at least for my part of the road.


Here is a picture of what the 'right of way' in front of Tiger Gardens looked like prior to the digging.
Now take a look. All in all, the guys have done a super good job on not disturbing my plantings too much. I appreciate that very much. In Tennessee the 'presumptive' right of way along all state highways is 25' from the center line. This is simply a general rule of thumb when we hear 'presumptive'. To find out the actual right of way distance along state highways, one must travel to the State Capitol Building and pull up road plans. No thanks, I think I'll accept the 'presumptive' right of way. As such, I surely knew I had planted a few things in the right of way. I would hope everyone does as long as the plantings do not interfere with road safety and maintenance I think it is a good thing. I also knew I had to be prepared to move the plants or lose them should maintenance be required in the area. Fair enough, I was prepared, and it is okay.

Now had I been informed the new waterline would be installed inside of the right of way on my property, that may have been a totally different matter. I've worked pretty hard to establish plantings on my property and would not have been too thrilled about losing them in the name of progress. Many folks have been affected by this new waterline. The good thing is that plants recover, hills can be rebuilt, and within one season no one will even know construction has gone through this area. Now my poor
prickly pears above might remember, but in time they'll heal. As will the few yuccas I had to move as well. You can read their story if you click on the link. These prickly pears still haven't fully recovered from being run over by an errant car in December 2007. The concrete driveway needs some repairs, much to the chagrin of the general contractor. He tried real hard to spare it but that big backhoe managed to break through nonetheless.

Looking to the south of my driveway-here they come! Moving pretty fast too on a nice Monday morning.

The ditch was a neat as a pin and much smaller than I expected. The ditch was about 4 feet deep and 2 feet wide. Chip, the big red digger driver, neatly stacked the soil on the side of the road. The problem and the mess comes in when all the dirt has to be put back into the ditch. So much dirt! These two gentlemen were actually installing the large white plastic pipe, gluing the sections together and installing a finder wire. This wire itself is pretty neat. It is a long wire that emits some kind of frequency so that in the event more digging is needed in this area (let's hope not!) they can easily find the exact location of the water pipe when they walk along the area with a receiver to pick up the signal.


Additionally, once the pipe was covered a bit, there was another metallic tape installed over the pipe. This tape quite clearly said, "Warning! Water Pipe below!" Another safety measure to ensure the water pipe is not accidentally dug up.

I don't know about you, but I am relieved the job is fairly done in front of my home. The asphalt they had to cut will be repaved sometime next month (we hope). They also assure me that they will reseed the area with rye and fescue. But, by the time they get back by my house, I hope to have grass already growing. Time to get to work smoothing this red clay, stones, concrete, asphalt, and dirt back in place and replanting the prickly pears....

in the garden....

36 comments:

  1. They did a nice job!
    We have the same warning tape for propane line only it's magnetic.

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  2. You certainly had patience with this Tina! Glad they did a good job and didn't destroy too much!

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  3. Yep, I guessed daffodils and was not disappointed. I love the photo in your sidebar.

    It is good that you were prepared for the disruption. What a big project! Too bad you don’t have a toddler boy at home to witness it. Best of luck to the prickly pears.

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  4. Good morning Tina. Man what a mess. You are being a good sport about knowing within a year it will all be filled in. From appearances in the photos they were pretty careful. The wire thing is interesting. I had wondered about that. I do find watching the big machines get used interesting. The ease that they wield the scoop around and can place it so precisely. Pretty cool.

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  5. Wow, city/county workers who didn't destroy your plantings are great! Send them to Idaho, I think they would be employable for sure. Looks good.
    -Heather

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  6. That is quite a mess. At least they were careful with your plants. I hope they cover the embankment before too much erosion occurs. Are they coming back to fix the driveway?

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  7. Talk about upsetting a gardener’s flower cart! Wow, that could have been one big mess Tina but looks like they did right by you with making this as easy on you as possible. I hope you took them some iced tea and brownies. That usually gets them on your side...lol

    My dad lost a bluebird house from the Electric or either the Cable company. I know he had it on the pole (as do I a house on a power pole) but they did not have to destroy the thing when they took it off the pole! He is not happy at all about that one.

    Another Busy day for me today…

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  8. I have to say, I think they did an amazing job. From one photo you can see they really hugged the road and even piled the dirt on the side away from your property. Very kind and considerate work crew.
    Marnie

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  9. That's a pretty good job they did there. Could have been worse. Drop by and enter to win!

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  10. Checked out the links--interesting! Hope everything gets settled soon after all that long project--repaving the asphalt too. Good luck with the prickly pears!

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  11. They seem to have done a great job. I'm with Heather and would like a few sent here too. When we bought this place the ditch was higher than our yard!

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  12. glad to see they did such a good job. its scary when people have to come in to do work like that. It can be a disaster.

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  13. Hey all, Lovely rainy day today. But hey, we need the rain. I have to get out there and plant some daffys. Lots of them. Sigh. Anyhow, thanks for all your kind words. I have tried hard to be patient with the whole situation. An odd one indeed with the water pipe but life goes on. Yes, they are 'supposed' to come back and fix the asphalt. Supposedly the concrete too. We'll see. I am seriously worried about erosion, but think it will all settle back down. I remade one of the gardens out there and that will change too. I hope not too much. This happens alot I think but still.

    I am still not sure if all the feeds are working on this blog. I am trying to visit everyone either here or on Blotanical, but if I miss anyone I am sorry. Well, gotta go plant....

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  14. Tina, that crew of workers look like they did what ever they could to be the least invasive to people's yards. WOW! I am impressed. A plate of cookies sounds in order. :} So glad it wasn't to bad for you.

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  15. Tina your lucky that your city's workers were pretty careful while completing the task. The phone company did this through my back yard and killed several of my Hostas in the process. Afterwards the supervisor told me they didn't have to cut through my flower bed. Too late! :(

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  16. Glad that is done as I know you have been worried about it happening. They really did a great job.

    In looking at some catalogs yesterday I see gourd bird houses in Plow & Hearth. They are small, 7" by 9" and are shaped like a pear. They sell for $14.95 each!!!

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  17. Wow, your soil is so gorgeously red! And your prickly pear is HUGE!!! Mine bloomed for the first time last year, but the pads are maybe as big as my palm. A few years back, our street was widened and repaved, and a fire hydrant very near one of my flower beds was removed. Everything went Ok, though, and it looks like your yucca did fine, too! Hooray that it's over!

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  18. I think they're doing a really nice job. A year or so ago the phone company really tore apart yards here to install cable for high speed. They didn't seem to mind pulling apart planters, hanging coats on trees (that broke branches), etc.
    Looks like those guys know what they are doing.

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  19. That is nice. They did a good job. At least when they dug the dirt they didn't pile it up on your side of the property! That would have been terrrible.

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  20. When our block's electricity went out last summer (on the hottest of days), they sprayed-printed all these multi-colored arrows on my sidewalk. Unsightly, but still there!
    Brenda

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  21. Tina, They are being very neat! This may have been mentioned...but I see NO rocks! If they dug in my neighborhood...it would be a different dig altogether! Back hoes would be used and I would be out there looking and wanting the giant boulders! My computer crashed so...I am not getting around to visit much...sigh...

    Gail

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  22. Hey all, just got done planting 300 daffys. More on them later. What a job in the rain.

    These guys were good, but they really needed to be, the homeowner was watching. I think that is the trick, plus most folks know of my passion uh addiction to gardening:)

    Beckie, They really did. So appreciated too.

    Mom, I was SOOOO worried, but it came anyhow. Now it is done and we go on. Maybe a blessing in disguise once it settles.

    Monica, Folks around here would roll on the floor laughing to hear you say how gorgeously red our soil is. In fact, I think I can hear echoes now:) It is a bane. The topsoil in my yard is not this color, but most soil here is. It is sticky!

    Catherine, Yes, the workers just do it without regard. I was glad I was here to watch.

    Cindee, that was a big deal to stack the soil elsewhere. My neighbors were not so lucky. The folks here really worked with me.

    Brenda, Gotta hate that. That florescent paint is pretty tacky.

    Gail, They were good. The general contractor drove the backhoe and was most kind. The rocks are there mixed in with the red clay. Quite a few too, along with asphalt and who knows what else? Funny thing is three houses down, the rocks are VERY visible everywhere. I am so darned lucky to get a house with the good soil, purely coincidental too.

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  23. Hi Tina. I think you got really lucky also with minor damage. It looks like it could have been very destructive (like you said) had it been a few more feet your way. I wish all workers would be so careful. I lost a lot of plants several years ago when I had to have my house re-stuccoed. Breath deep now that they have completed in front of your lot!!!

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  24. Hi Tina, I'm so glad there wasn't any more damage than there was. I think the resident being present had a lot to do with it. If left to their own device it may have turned out different. I sure hope the concrete & asphalt is repaired to residence approval. Have to watch those guys. lol
    I see the little daffy did not get hurt. I hope the other plants do well also

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  25. Tina, You are so lucky these contractors were so careful. I always cringe when I see any kind of work like this near our house; some similar projects like this have left a big mess that we had to deal with. Of course, you were a considerate homeowner, too, to have removed your plants first so they didn't have to worry about destroying them.

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  26. Lucky you that the people at your place did a fine job. They dug up here last week and still the roads are a mess. I can hardly take my bike out and by the time I cross the street, I'll be out of breath! Unfortunately I'll have to wait for the transport dept. to be gracious on us :(

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  27. Hi Tina,
    You are very lucky that they did the work with little damage to your property. Out here in the boonies where I live we are still relying on well water, They are supposed to be putting in water lines some time soon. I hope they are as careful as the workers that worked on your lines. Or better yet they can dig across the street where there are no houses.
    birdlady

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  28. Thanks you all! The workers are back in 'town' today and busy working, hopefully before the rain comes. Yes, very nice guys to work with me. I sure do appreciate it. We for sure need more like them.

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  29. I always dread the thought of diggers coming to my yard. The sewer cover is on our driveway so 4 houses sewer lines run under our gardens, lawn & drive, that just asking for trouble in an old neighborhood. We also have a big old hydro pole in one of the front gardens. I shudder at the thought!

    Good to see the work did not disturb your gardens very much, looks like they did a nice clean job.

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  30. Tina,
    It was amazing how little damage the workers and their equipment caused! That really looked like precision work. I'm not good with straight lines, so I think I would've had that trench veering off to the right and/or left.

    I clicked on your links and enlarged the pics, including several of the ones on the main part of the post. One really sees more when they look at the pics enlarged. Your daffs look pretty, and your whole street looks like a great view!

    I mentioned in a different comment they are going to resurface our street and repair some of the curbs soon. I hope they let me know in time to dig plants that may be in the way. The curb beds were started when they had to dig a deep hole in our yard to replace the neighbor across the street's water main. If we have to move plants, I wonder if Larry will let me expand the beds to find room to move them to. :o)

    Your positive experience gives me hope for the same.

    Sue

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  31. Dan, Hopefully all was installed properly and there will never be a need to update the utilities in your yard. Yes, shudder the thought! I know firsthand.

    Sue, I think Larry would be most kind and let you expand your beds. Perhaps you should just take out all the grass? It would truly make maintenance easier. The guys here told me that if any Federal dollars are used to repairs or whatever, then they must hold hearings and get input from residents. This project was done privately so not much notice. Hopefully they'll keep all affected residents in the loop so you can prepare. I think they'd much rather you move the plants than them destroy them. We live on a country highway in a small town area. It is nice. I like it very much. I am sure all residents of my road who read this blog post will appreciate your kind comments on our street. Hubby and I decided a long time ago, no subdivisions for us, hence no neighborhood, covenants or neighbors parking in our driveway or in front of our house. But, living on a county road brings issues too, speeding and traffic and litter are some of the biggest, but we wouldn't live anywhere else. Thanks again for you kind compliment. And trust it will all work out. I keep telling myself every new challenge brings more opportunities for larger gardens:)

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  32. I'll join in the praise of the workmen on this job...maybe you should let them see your blog, so they can get all the compliments. Living on a country road does indeed come with its own share of communal problems, but it's so worth it. And I did laugh at the "pretty red dirt" comment - because while I live far from you, we have the same clay soil, workable for about a month out of the year, otherwise it's like either porridge or cement, until amended.

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  33. Pomona, Wasn't that precious? I do hope Monica did not mind at all. You know that while red clay has nutrients (somewhere) it is difficult to work with. I did not give these nice gentlemen my blog address, though I may offer it to them later as I know if I were them, I'd appreciate the nice comments too. Thanks for dropping by. I was so thrilled to find the info on Early Sensation on your blog today. I know it is cheesy, but I like folks experiences to the book answer on plants, blogs sure bring that element to the world of knowledge.

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  34. Geez, you're so lucky they didn't destroy your garden! The edge by the road doesn't look too bad;-) I hope your driveway is ok by now and the dirt has stopped 'moving' everywhere...and you have now had some time smooth it over!

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  35. What a big project!They've done a real great job.Good that they took good care of your plants and snaps are quite interesting !!

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  36. Hi Tina,
    I'm leaving my comment here because I'm reading in blotanical. Oh, I was thinking I didn't know how to get back and stay on the picks page, but I probably could click on "home". I'll just stay here now that I'm here, though.

    Well, I had seen this, but wanted to look again to remember it. Seeing those machines made me think about the work we had done. They are about finished here, too. They need to come pick up all there road closed signs and clean up some messes here and there.

    It is hard to tell you had that gaping trench across your property. Things are looking good!

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