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Back Garden Renovation Project
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24-04-2020 4:32pm#1Hi there!
I have a back garden that needs plenty of attention, approx 17 x 17 metres. Since I moved here, it has been used as a bit of a dumping ground for the front garden until I got the front in shape. I've always loved this space, nice and private, surrounded by hedging, and can now turn my attention to it. Thought it might be an idea to document the transformation here, as I could pick up tips and ideas along the way, I'm fairly inexperienced in the whole area of landscaping but love the gardening and the work involved... it's a long-term project for one man part-time.
I've just finished scarifying the lawn, which was just a carpet of moss and thatch. I sowed some wildflower seed in the scarified lawn, mixed with a barrow full of soil, raked in particularly where the soil is exposed. I've also started to tackle a huge pile of moss and cuttings from last year's work... I have set up a compost corner, it consists of moss, thatch, grass, a lot of dead dried leaves and twigs etc along with about 2 years worth of composted food waste from the black bin, all mixed through and well watered, so should have some decent compost on the way. Larger stuff was burned.
The immediate plan is to tidy the place up, create some border / beds and hopefully get some wild growth throughout the lawn from the seed sown.
The bee hotel was a father's day project last year.
Eventually I would like to lay out the garden as follows:
I would be fairly handy with Photoshop, let's hope I turn out to be as handy with the landscaping.:D I'm trying to keep it simple and kind of wild (hard to integrate the rustic look in photoshop). The plan is to work with the elements that already exist. I initially thought about terraces for the slopes, but between the trees and hedges, I thought it would be a step too far for me. So I came up with a path that meanders through, hoping that the contours would suit the natural slope that exists. Everything sort of centres around a flat seated fire pit area that will need to be dug out of the slope. I would like to have some sort of retaining stone wall at the top side of the seated area, see example below. But I won't be digging down just that deep with my shovel and pick.
Thought it might be nice to have the grass path lined with something like lavender. Doesn't have to be a single plant either, could use any multiple of plants randomly. Don't mind the plant layout in the plan, it's more for indication.
A few pics below (found online) illustrate some of the elements I hope to achieve.
I imagine this will be a year or two in the making at least. The pond will probably be the most technically difficult aspect for me, so I will need some help there regarding liner and felt etc when the time comes.3
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I take your point. To be honest, I think that pic looks a lot busier than it is. Probably due to the very contrasting colours and textures chosen in Photoshop (which were done so more for clear indication). I think a lot of what's in there will blend in a lot better than what I've drawn. The repetition of the lavender might be a bit much, but some sort of path planting I thought would be nice. It sticks out like a sore thumb in the plans, in reality, I don't think it would.
When you break it down, it's really only two borders, a seating area, a looped path and small pond. The path did three things for me... incorporated the the two entrances to the garden, it cuts into a very glaring slope, and it creates a bit of magic for the wee one... stopping off at her features of interest.. fairy house, tree stump, bee hotel, pond etc. I've seen more simple mown paths through wildflower lawns in gardens, but to be honest, they look like a bit of a cop out or an after thought. I think if you want to create a path it needs to not look like a mistake.
But it should probably also meander around corners and into unseen sections of a garden, which is what I'm missing here and maybe what you're alluding to? Maybe creating a bit of height in places with planting could resolve this?
The aspect of the garden is as you see it.. north to the top. It was only after I posted that I thought I should include that. The slope is downhill at the garage, up hill toward the 2 apple trees... so the slope faces the sun and it does get plenty of direct light despite the hedges. I thought maybe the pond should be top right as there is more cover with the trees?
Plenty of time to think about it anyway, no rush. I might get started on the left and right borders but probably won't get near the seated area, path or pond for quite a while. There's no urgency with any of it, nobody really uses this garden at the mo except for myself. The earth bank behind the seated area will happen naturally as I'll have to dig a flat area out of the slope.0 -
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You're 100% re ponds and kids, and it's also why I've been holding off with one. She'll be 8 by the time it goes in and even at that, I'll probably fence it off. But she's very cautious by nature, so I think all should be good. She spends most of her time around the front garden anyway where her swings and slides are and plenty of lawn to run about.
I have a teeny micro jobby up the back at the mo. It's more for wildlife than anything. It's an aspect of the plans I didn't really go into. I'd like to create a haven for pollinators and small animals. Last year even that little basin was teeming with tadpoles, hoverflies, dragonflies and such.
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