DIY Cinderblock and Paver Stone Bench

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So I was getting tired of the spot where our driveway just stops and drops off into the woods, it's bushy and not fun to have to climb through there to fetch all the kids stuff that rolls off the edge and down into the woods.  I put up the 2 flower pots we had in the basement from the previous owner and planted hydrangeas...it was looking better but wasn't solving the problem. I realized it would be a great spot for a bench, it gives a great view of the front yard and back yard for watching the kids and hanging out.  

We have a pile of bricks and cinderblocks in the woods off the side of the driveway that were left over from when the house was built so I thought maybe I could try building something with the cinderblocks and hope it wasn't ugly! I always get excited about being able to make use of stuff that's already lying around!  I brought the cibderblocks over 1 by 1, and lined them up the edge of the driveway and my 5 year old son helped top it with paver stones we found in various areas on the property lying around.  

Add some Dollar Tree Solar lights and black wire Decor in the flower pots and we are loving the difference this cinderblock bench wall makes.  It's inviting when you walk out the back door rather than walking out and seeing tricycles, scooters and balls mixed in among the brush.  

It's been great!  We finished this pretty quickly to surprise daddy when he got home.  The kids have taken their lunch out their everyday to sit and eat there, watching the birds and hanging out.  They also love to hang out on the cinderblock bench wall after dinner to sit, do balance beam routines, jump off repeatedly or play their ukuleles.  

Yay for free cheap easy DIY fixes!!!!  

The next day I put together my first wood working project an obelisk ...simple I know, but I am proud of it all the same! Lol!  It cost less than $5 to make, all I bought were 5 lengths if these thin planks of wood for less than a dollar each and then used screws and spray paint I found in the basement.  I put the obelisk near the new cinderblock wall bench and planted some sweet peas on 2 corners of it, I plan on planting some honey suckle or climbing rose bush at some point though.  

The area still needs a some work...maybe a couple more boxwoods or space out the ones I planted last year a little more.....

Last year the whole end of this driveway and the hills sloping down from it were overgrown messes of brush and red dirt...that little path with the pot at the end just went into the thick overgrowth, but I added the planter (another find in the basement) and planter a Lavendar plant......LOVE Lavendar!!!!!

To the right of this photo there is a hill sloping down... It was all giant weeds but last year I landscaped it into a berry patch with blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.... However last year our chickens ate all the berries before we could so this year I need to strategize!

Behind the obelisk and going down the slope on the un-landscaped portion are wild blackberries....yeah my husband had a good laugh when after I planted blackberries we soon noticed the wild ones growing right there!  

Anyways...this spring has been exciting so far as we are finally settled and my hubby spent all last year cutting down trees and brush pushing back the woods and opening and cleaning things up....now we get to have fun with that space!  I am really REALLY loving having stuff to do outside.  It's so refreshing and satisfying and exciting to see things start growing and putting our own little stamp on the place here and there, making our home more our own.  I used to think I had a black thumb and would never   garden like my mom and I may never garden to her degree of amazingness...but I'm finding out that I am enjoying landscaping and gardening all the same!  Little by little....