Garden design - Long, thin plot.
Paul Holligan
12 years ago
Hi All,
I'm getting to the final stages of a house renovation and am starting to think about the garden and patio etc. The problem I have is it is a long thin garden, a complete blank canvas, and I have no ideas at all about what would work best.
The driveway and patio are going to be done soon and we're going for grey block paving and gravel to give it some shape, then large slabs in a french opus pattern to try and match in with a limestone floor in a large kitchen/diner extension which looks out over the rear garden through large bifold doors.
The patio will be around 50sqm (538sqft) and finish at the end of the garage shown in the arial pic (although the house has changed considerably). The garden is about 50m (160ft) long and 8m wide (26ft).
There is an apple tree which we want to keep halfway down the garden and I'd like to have a golf practice net down the end. At presnt there are low hedges around the perimeter and it would be nice to have a certain amount of privacy even if only surrounding the patio.
Would it be best to section the garden, have raised beds, borders, shrubs??? I really have no idea! Low maintenance would be best, as would child friendly with room to run about and play on a quad bike etc.
Any help and inspiration would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks,
Paul
I'm getting to the final stages of a house renovation and am starting to think about the garden and patio etc. The problem I have is it is a long thin garden, a complete blank canvas, and I have no ideas at all about what would work best.
The driveway and patio are going to be done soon and we're going for grey block paving and gravel to give it some shape, then large slabs in a french opus pattern to try and match in with a limestone floor in a large kitchen/diner extension which looks out over the rear garden through large bifold doors.
The patio will be around 50sqm (538sqft) and finish at the end of the garage shown in the arial pic (although the house has changed considerably). The garden is about 50m (160ft) long and 8m wide (26ft).
There is an apple tree which we want to keep halfway down the garden and I'd like to have a golf practice net down the end. At presnt there are low hedges around the perimeter and it would be nice to have a certain amount of privacy even if only surrounding the patio.
Would it be best to section the garden, have raised beds, borders, shrubs??? I really have no idea! Low maintenance would be best, as would child friendly with room to run about and play on a quad bike etc.
Any help and inspiration would be GREATLY appreciated.
Thanks,
Paul
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Comments (8)
Diane Harper
11 years agoPaul Holligan
11 years agoRelated Discussions
From plain plot to party pad
Comments (34)Thanks you to you all for your great feed back. Claire to answer your question, lighting is such a great investment and essential to any UK garden where the light fades and for many months your garden is appreciated through the cold months from the warmth of the interior space. What good is it if you can't see it in the evening! its not too late to lay cables along the back of your flower beds, the cable can be laid just below the surface of the soil for ease of maintenance. Lighting up foliage is the best way to illuminate a garden. It softens the light in much the same way as lamp light in a room. Its always best not to see the actual source of the light but instead highlight plants and features such as walls, sculptural elements or water features. Its worth every penny. Good luck with your project!...See MoreDesign a large garden on a budget of hundreds not thousands!
Comments (44)It's worth looking for a shed on Freecycle or in Friday Adds, there are good things going for cheap or for free because people want them removed. You produce growing area needs to look good, I think, because you are going to need to place it where it will be visible, to get enough light. It also looks like you will need to protect it well from Rabbits. They may have something to do with the uneven lawn. The most useful thing I could tell you, as you want an orchard, is to leave a large weed free area around each tree you plant. When I say weed free that includes grass!!! If you put at least 5 centimetres of good green waste compost over that and stake the tree really well, it will be well established in a few years. The best Apple tree I ever planted had a stem but no head at all and it overtook all the others in the second year. Trees need TLC rather than VISA or Mastercard....See MoreGarden design - transformation to a wildlife friendly garden
Comments (14)Hi Vanessa, I have written a few blogs with advice about planting for pollinators on my web-site ,Greenwave Design. The main thing would be to reduce the size of your lawn, which is not a very wildlife friendly feature, and put in more trees, shrubs and perennial plants. Wildlife need places to live as well as food so lots of places to shelter in the garden will be helpful. Pollinators want flowers that they can sip nectar from for as long a period as possible. So flowers need to start early, with bulbs such as snowdrops and crocus, and carry on for as long as possible. Another great wildlife friendly feature is a pond, or at the very least a birdbath. If you do put in a pond it needs to have shallow, sloping sides so that wildlife can get in and out easily. There is lots of good advice on the Wild about Gardens web-site....See MoreGarden ideas for our large plot?
Comments (4)Hi Alex A blank space - and a great one too! West is best so you are going to have a lot of options, not only how you'd like to use the space, but also so many plants, trees and shrubs are going to love your space. My advice is to sit down with a cold beer/chilled glass of something nice and imagine yourself in that space and how you'd actually use it. If you aren't a keen gardener, you do probably don't want high maintenance. Grass needs cutting at leat once a week in the growing season, so if you'd rather be doing something else, think more about different hard landscaping options. Gardens really need some thought as although they are cheaper than interiors (by and large) per square foot, they can also be extremely disruptive to put right if you decide you don't like your new paving/garden studio/shed somewhere down the line! A pink interior wall you hate can be repainted easily - gardens have to be dug up! Beth Chatto famously created her garden garden out of an area of old car park, so your tennis court might be perfect for a low maintenance drought garden. Could be modern or traditional - whatever makes you happy. Remember your garden is there to please no-one else but you... Feel free to get in touch for advice. Lucy...See MoreDiane Harper
11 years ago
Catherine
11 years ago
PROBEENU Interior Design
11 years ago
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steve3122
6 years ago
cyn222