Note: If you’re reading this during happy hour, feel free to make it a drinking game and take a sip whenever you see the word liriope. Or maybe a half-sip. We don’t want things getting out of hand.

Great news: we’ve finally started work on the side patio we mentioned previously here and here. Our goal is to have it ready in time for Clara’s birthday party in two weeks, so we jumped in and got things moving.

First order of business was dealing with the ten-ish rows of liriope that had taken over the space. We decided to remove it rather than try to work around it. A few friends came by to help dig and take some clumps home, which turned the job into a surprisingly effective bit of community landscaping. The method was simple: shove the shovel under each clump, step on it, and pop it out. With three people working together it only took around two and a half to three hours to clear the area. I mostly stayed inside with Clara, stepping out occasionally to boost morale and bring ice water to the crew.

Once the liriope was gone, we were left with a clean, bare patch that will become roughly two-thirds of the new patio; the brick path remains in place for now and will be removed before the next phase. Clearing the planting made the layout much easier to visualize. There’s something about an open slate that helps ideas fall into place — suddenly a patio, its shape, and circulation seem much more obvious than when it was hidden by plants.

We already shared a quick sketch that gives a rough idea of the layout and how we’re picturing the space here. For materials, we’re planning to use cobblestone-style pavers similar to the ones in our driveway. To find the best deal we priced pavers at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and a local supplier called Southside Building Supply. The local place won on price per square foot by about forty cents and could deliver in two days, so that’s looking promising. We’ll share photos, final costs, and installation notes once the pavers arrive and we start laying them.

Before digging and laying pavers, we did a few important preparatory steps to avoid surprises and set realistic expectations:

• Spent a lot of time talking through dimensions and used a garden hose to outline and visualize possible shapes on the ground.
• Visited multiple suppliers to compare paver styles, availability, and pricing so we could choose the best stone for our budget and aesthetic.
• Called Miss Utility to confirm there were no buried utilities under the patio area; they contacted the utility companies to come mark any underground lines so we could dig safely.
• Cleared out the liriope and prepared the site. Next steps will be removing the brick path, excavating to the correct depth, leveling, compacting with a tamper, and adding base materials like gravel and sand.
• Double-checked the budget to make sure we could cover materials and delivery. Although stone, gravel, sand, and tools will add up—likely around $1,000 in supplies and delivery costs—we expect to save significantly compared to paying professionals. Our previous, smaller patio cost nearly $3,000 when installed by pros, so doing it ourselves looks like a good value if we can manage the work.

We confirmed with Miss Utility that there’s nothing problematic buried on that side of the house, which cleared the way for excavation when the time comes. We also think we’ve settled on a paver style and the final patio shape, so the project is moving from planning into action. Expect more photos, practical details, and honest reports about the sweating and labor involved as we proceed.

Have you ever installed a patio yourself — digging, leveling, tamping, and working with lots of gravel and sand? We’re obnoxiously excited about this project and would love any tips from people who’ve been through it. Seriously, we probably need a hobby support group.

Psst — we announced this week’s contest winners, so click here to see if you’re one of them.

Pssst — liriope, liriope, liriope. Okay, we’re done now.