Some of your photos are a little too close-up which makes it hard to grasp the context. What's certain is that the excavation needs to be somewhat larger than the finished product and then backfilled. I wouldn't label this overzealous grading. It requires a little extra room to perform the construction. So you see the maximum extent of space you have to build a patio. But there's nothing to stop you from shrinking it if you desire. However, thinking that putting dirt back around a tree is somehow equivalent to putting roots back is just not accurate. An amputation cannot be undone. Putting dirt back will make no difference. In spite of that, the tree will re-grow some roots as that's what they do. The ultimate patio size is a factor of desire and space available, but as patios go, it certainly doesn't look too large. Neither does it look like the ret. wall will be abnormally tall. Its curved shape will add strength. It will be stepping or sloped down in some way to generally follow the earth so it's highest section will not extend for great width. Its height is a balancing act between the patio elevation and the surrounding soil levels. Calculate these out and adjust them as you see fit. Raise the patio too much and you will be filling the bottom end or shrinking the patio size. Lower it and you'll be creating a taller retaining wall. Balance and moderation are the key. As I look at the pictures, I don't see anything that can't be worked out to a decent conclusion... if the right design decisions are made along the way. If this were my yard, I'd prefer the appearance of a nicely detailed mortared stone wall, but that requires more skill and higher cost material than the kind of block you're proposing. Therefore, it would be more expensive. But it would look better, too. What you decide on is a factor of cost vs. benefits as you see it. At the end of it all, it will be imperative that you establish groundcover capable of holding soil in place. This is a key to preventing erosion.

Here is some more reading for you..... Sounds like Zoysia so depending on the cultivar it can come in 1-2 months after several other grasses and you don't fertilize Zoysia until it is 50-75% green anyway otherwise you waste some of the nitrogen. Since you are using 100% slow release, hopefully you will not loose as much as synthetic. Did you do a Soil test? How do you know the ratio of fertilizer to use and at what rate if you didn't? Nobody can tell you this without a soil test. If the soil is nitrogen rich then 5-2-0 works or maybe you need 39-0-0 (slow release), or a 29-0-10 (50% slow release) The soil test will tell all. You can simply go to ACE Hardware or Amazon to get an over the counter soil test $10. It is a less accurate a test than an extension, but gives you a start. Good Luck Brown Grass http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.com/why-grass-stays-brown.html Fertilizer 101 http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.com/lawn-fertilizers.html http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.com/fertilizer-numbers.html http://www.garden-counselor-lawn-care.com/chemical-fertilizer.html Fertizlier Calculator: http://aggie-turf.tamu.edu/aggieturf2/calculators/fertsheet.html Tips if it is Zoysia Grass (know your cultivar) http://aggieturf.tamu.edu/answers4you/mowing.html

Are BST's and GST's about the same size? I am seriously so nervous that I am going to come home one day and find a butterfly with deformed wings who cannot fly and it would break my heart! I even thought about bringing them to the LSU school of entomology to see if they would take them so I could make sure they will have proper supervision and eclose with no problems, but then I wondered if that would be the wrong thing to do. I guess I am just nervous because I don't really know what to expect since I have never seen the process in person.

I read that sometimes it is used to replace a lawn. I wonder how well it blocks weeds. I looks as if I can divide it up into at least 6 plugs I wonder how fast it spreads. Maybe I can purchase the seeds but I imagine they are microscopic. At $2.49 each maybe I will get a few more.