Garden - What would you do?

[pmanson]

Hi All,

We've been in our house for four years and bar taking out an old hedge at the rear and installing a hedge we've not done much at all.

The garden is 11.24m wide by 10.24m deep.

We have initial patio area across the back of the house circa 2.27m in depth, then a retaining wall (0.76m high), a lawn area (6.75m) to a 2nd retaining wall (0.84m high) to a final flower bed 1.22m deep:



(Picture taken at 11am this morning)




On the first 'tier' (with the lawn) is an old shed base. The sun hits that side of the garden in the afternoon.

The existing patio is a mixture of slabs and type 1 hardcore from where the previous owners had re-built the wall in a different position.

Our issues with the garden:

1) We have three kids, and there is no where for us to put a table/chairs (or even sofa style arrangement) for us all to sit out and enjoy the garden together.
2) The patio needs replacing
3) The old shed base area feels like a waste of space (and is just used to store kids stuff (like the trampoline which I hate)
4) Dog keeps digging holes in the lawn
5) It looks dated / old fashioned









Positives:

1) It's a good size
2) Not overlooked
3) We've got a couple of nice trees (one on each side) and a new bushes at the back of the garden which are starting to grow


My thoughts:

• Dig out the old shed base, and rebuild the retaining wall further back and create a usable seating area
• Build up the retaining wall around the steps so that it is all one height with the lawn
• Possibly render the walls
• Possibly put some sort of roof over the seating area to create shade if needed
• Install a new patio!
• Maybe get rid of the flower beds on either side of the garden and turf across the width of the garden
• Get some power run to the back of the garden for lights/robomower (in the future)

It needs to be low maintenance!

Does any one have any inspirational ideas? I've got a friend who is a landscaper coming around this week but it would be good to get some thoughts. It's likely that due to budgets we'll need to do it in stages too.

Cheers,
Phill

[breamster]

No flashes of inspiration from me but a free bump as I'm in a similar position and would like to see some feedback.

My thoughts on my own garden is to put sheds and the like where it gets the least usable sun and try and make the lawn as regular shaped as possible for the kids to play football etc.

Difficult to picture but I would be removing the shed base as well.

Maybe reducing the depth of the borders at the sides and planting some climbing plants to break up the fencing? Passion fruit, clematis, honeysuckle etc. The border could be soft wood 'sleepers' cheaper than hardwood.

Maybe a bark chipped area for the trampoline? We have a trampoline which drives me nuts but the kids like it so options are limited.

I'm also considering a wide but shallow decking area, possibly composite. I don't think you have this issue but we're are also a little overlooked in one corner so I'm a considering a pergola of some sort (modern style).

[Fatball]

Again, as above we are in a similar situation. We have the same patio close to the house and then a retaining wall but steps down to the garden rather than up. We’re just not gardeners and we just maintain what’s there currently.

Good luck it looks like a great space and hopefully there’s people on here that can offer some advice.

[PositronicRay]

breamster said:

No flashes of inspiration from me but a free bump as I'm in a similar position and would like to see some feedback.

My thoughts on my own garden is to put sheds and the like where it gets the least usable sun and try and make the lawn as regular shaped as possible for the kids to play football etc.

Difficult to picture but I would be removing the shed base as well.

Maybe reducing the depth of the borders at the sides and planting some climbing plants to break up the fencing? Passion fruit, clematis, honeysuckle etc. The border could be soft wood 'sleepers' cheaper than hardwood.

Maybe a bark chipped area for the trampoline? We have a trampoline which drives me nuts but the kids like it so options are limited.

I'm also considering a wide but shallow decking area, possibly composite. I don't think you have this issue but we're are also a little overlooked in one corner so I'm a considering a pergola of some sort (modern style).

Obvs we've not seen the garden. Rather than rip up one base to another in, why not take advantage of the sunny site with one of these?

https://www.sheds.co.uk/adley-6-x-8-shiplap-pottin...

I love a lawn as much as the next man. But a combination of small, shaded, dogs, children, doesn't bode well. I'd be looking at alternatives.

[*Badger*]

Following with interest as in a similar position.

I have an overall size of 11m x 14m that apart from the first 3m width which is laid to patio is all on an upwards sloping lawn and pretty unusable, so I need to add some tiers of some sort to make best use of the space. The patio only gets sun from 2pm onward but the grass is in full sun almost all day.



I was thinking of widening the patio a bit, building a retaining wall where the sleepers currently are, but with seating and built in planters and then creating a large flat grass tier with side and back bordering. Almost like a dug out wedge of grass.

[KAgantua]

*Badger* said:

Following with interest as in a similar position.

I have an overall size of 11m x 14m that apart from the first 3m width which is laid to patio is all on an upwards sloping lawn and pretty unusable, so I need to add some tiers of some sort to make best use of the space. The patio only gets sun from 2pm onward but the grass is in full sun almost all day.



I was thinking of widening the patio a bit, building a retaining wall where the sleepers currently are, but with seating and built in planters and then creating a large flat grass tier with side and back bordering. Almost like a dug out wedge of grass.

[paulrockliffe]

• badger* - I was wondering if you're one of my parent's neighbours as you have the same style Great Wall of China as their neighbours have. But your profile says Cheshire, so you're not. Who built your house? I would fill the Great Wall with strawberry plants and a drip watering system and retire off the proceeds.

OP - I think you need to decide if you want to sit out on the lower level where it's more shaded(?) or on the raised level and then move the retaining walls and/or the raised bed to accommodate.

The layout is very similar to my parents, they've retained the lower patio, which works well with easy access from the house, but I'm not sure the raised area then serves any purpose other than being something to look at. Conversely, if you put the patio up top, you don't want the retaining wall moving too close to the house, but then that bit of garden is left with no purpose.

If you then approach what you do with the other bit with the view that it won't be used for anything and just make it nice to look at you might be in the right ball-park design wise. But nice to look at conflicts a bit with your easy to maintain.

[*Badger*]

paulrockliffe said:

*badger* - I was wondering if you're one of my parent's neighbours as you have the same style Great Wall of China as their neighbours have. But your profile says Cheshire, so you're not. Who built your house? I would fill the Great Wall with strawberry plants and a drip watering system and retire off the proceeds.

OP - I think you need to decide if you want to sit out on the lower level where it's more shaded(?) or on the raised level and then move the retaining walls and/or the raised bed to accommodate.

The layout is very similar to my parents, they've retained the lower patio, which works well with easy access from the house, but I'm not sure the raised area then serves any purpose other than being something to look at. Conversely, if you put the patio up top, you don't want the retaining wall moving too close to the house, but then that bit of garden is left with no purpose.

If you then approach what you do with the other bit with the view that it won't be used for anything and just make it nice to look at you might be in the right ball-park design wise. But nice to look at conflicts a bit with your easy to maintain.

I'll update my profile now as I've moved to hilly Lancashire. Its a McDermott House, I'm in Rawtenstall.
The Great Wall is not allowed planting according to the documentation.
Can you share any pics of your parents garden?
I want to retain (replace and enlarge slightly) the lower patio. The next level i'd like grass,I am a fan of grass, but maybe with a decked/patio up there too as its a bit of a sun trap.

[Johnnytheboy]

Not a dig at the OP but a general observation : the current trend in garden design seems to be heavily influenced by Mondrian, i.e. all rectangles.

I don't think there is more than one or two straight lines in my whole garden.

[pmanson]

I've had another play about with sketchup. I think this is the sort of thing we're after:





Maybe with a bit of box hedging behind the pergola and around to the step


It's been quite a fun process to try and get some ideas down on paper!

[CAPP0]

*Badger* said:

Crying out for some climbing wall fittings surely?

[PositronicRay]

pmanson said:

I've had another play about with sketchup. I think this is the sort of thing we're after:





Maybe with a bit of box hedging behind the pergola and around to the step


It's been quite a fun process to try and get some ideas down on paper!

Think about the position of your settee and pergola. Do you want to be facing the house? Or all the lovely planting and rockeries, you'll be doing?



ETA, be very very thorough with drainage.

Edited by PositronicRay on Wednesday 22 April 12:12

[CubanPete]

CAPP0 said:

Crying out for some climbing wall fittings surely?

And a giant slide to get back down

[pmanson]

PositronicRay said:

Think about the position of your settee and pergola. Do you want to be facing the house? Or all the lovely planting and rockeries, you'll be doing?



ETA, be very very thorough with drainage.

Edited by PositronicRay on Wednesday 22 April 12:12

Good points! Drainage may well be a pain

[PositronicRay]

pmanson said:

PositronicRay said:

Think about the position of your settee and pergola. Do you want to be facing the house? Or all the lovely planting and rockeries, you'll be doing?



ETA, be very very thorough with drainage.

Edited by PositronicRay on Wednesday 22 April 12:12

Good points! Drainage may well be a pain

I had one similar, flooded in winter, and an absolute pita to keep tidy in summer. Jet washers are no good unless everything drains quickly, the water sits, and the muck settles.

[pmanson]

PositronicRay said:

I had one similar, flooded in winter, and an absolute pita to keep tidy in summer. Jet washers are no good unless everything drains quickly, the water sits, and the muck settles.

The downpipe for the guttering at the rear of the house is in that corner so we should be able to connect a drain into that.

I think i'll have some digging to do!

[GreatGranny]

Looks ok with the seating area on the lower layer but that's a huge amount of soil to get rid of and retaining walls are expensive.
maybe a step or 2 up so not so much to dig out and smaller retaining wall?

Also with 3 kids maximise the width so just turf to the fencing and keep the bushes trimmed back as much as possible.

Keep the patio but re surface to create a decent flat surface for the kids to ride bikes/scooter and somewhere for the BBQ. Maybe build a brick one?

[pmanson]

GreatGranny said:

Looks ok with the seating area on the lower layer but that's a huge amount of soil to get rid of and retaining walls are expensive.
maybe a step or 2 up so not so much to dig out and smaller retaining wall?

Also with 3 kids maximise the width so just turf to the fencing and keep the bushes trimmed back as much as possible.

Keep the patio but re surface to create a decent flat surface for the kids to ride bikes/scooter and somewhere for the BBQ. Maybe build a brick one?

All good points. A little raised patio area could be an option.

The patio desperately needs redoing and I think I might do a new BBQ table this summer as a little project (now that we have two of them)

[pmanson]

Chicken Chaser said:

OP did you get anywhere with your designer mate? The main issue with yours seems to be to find the best way to lay it out without affecting the levels too much. I'd definitely look to move the shed, probably place it with the back up against the most southerly wall so that it doesnt affect your light levels too much, then look to soften the garden with some planting. I'd even look to put a few trees in.

I did indeed, to keep costs down (or within budget) the plan is to do it a couple of phases:

Phase 1:

Top half of the garden.

Phase 2:

Patio



The plan is to clad the existing rear wall with this (with a coping stone on top - likely to be black granite):



We're going to remove the flower bed on the right hand side (just leaving the current red robin tree), the flower bed on the left hand side is going to be made smaller (circa 2.5m x 0.4m depth).

The shed base is going to be removed and a new retaining wall built and tied into the existing front wall (giving us a patio area 3.5m x 3.5m). The height of the front wall is going to be raised to watch the height of the main lawn.

Again this wall will be clad with coping stones on top.

The lawn areas will then be levelled and edged all around (likely in the same coping stones/200mm slabs (to match the future patio)

This should give us a bigger lawn area + an actual seating area we can use.

We're also going to rebuild the steps and remove the 'landing' area on the lawn. From the steps to behind the new seating area will be a 300mm flower bed into which we'll plant some box hedging

Other items:
1) We'll run power out to the garden for a couple of sockets (to run low voltage lighting + new robomower)
2) I'm in the process of re-building the BBQ table so that it can then slide into the lean too shed down the side of the house
3) The goat willow will either get a significant haircut (down to fence height) or be removed and replaced with something more appropriate
4) Pergola is likely to be a metal product off the shelf rather than a custom built wooden one
5) I need to convince our neighbours to give their conifers a big haircut!

[Chicken Chaser]

Sounds like a decent plan and should be fairly cost effective not having to rebuild walls.

Keep the thread updated with what you get on with, I'm starting with removing the shed to increase usable space.