Garden design - help please.
Hello,
Please help us with ideas/photos on how to
transform our garden. It is a mature garden with apple tree in the centre and
next to it is a pear and cheery tree, with some bushes (photos below). Towards the back, there
is a small lily pond, a swing and an apple tree with a small windmill. We would
like to keep the apple, pear and cherry tree, the lily pond and the greenhouse
room, if possible. Help us with some ideas/photos on how to make
this garden look very beautiful. I don’t mind planting new trees, or adding a
feature.... just want our garden to look really pretty. We purchased this house
because we thought we can really make this garden look very lovely, but just can’t
decide how. Your help will be appreciated. Any pictures or any ideas are
welcome. Thank you.
Comments (20)
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Garden design help please - greenhouse and children's play area
Comments (2)@lisamarie1000 it looks like you've got quite a blank canvas to work with there but as well as giving lots of opportunities it can also be quite daunting if you don't know where to start. As a starting point I would look at where the sun falls in the garden as this can be important for growing vegetables and the greenhouse which need to be in as much sun as possible. Draw a plan to scale of the garden and use cut out shapes to represent the different areas (growing area, play area, sitting area etc.). You can place these on the plan and move them around until you get a layout that you are happy with. The size of the shapes needs to be big enough to represent what their use is. You can also base this on the dimensions of the house such as location of windows and doors. Try to avoid pushing everything to the edges as this can just draw attention to the boundaries and make the space feel small. Think about how you would move through the garden to get to the different areas. If you are going to have a path through, it will be more interesting if this isn't just a straight line down the middle. By making the route through have changes in direction you can add focal points (such as the apple tree) and make the garden seem bigger. If space is tight consider growing vegetables mixed in with ornamental plants so that the garden doesn't look like an allotment. Finally think about using screening with tall plants or trellis at various points so that you don't see the whole garden at once. This can also make the garden seem more interesting and enticing....See MoreHelp with Garden Design Please
Comments (5)Hi, I understand your frustration at your neighbours miss matching fence. Being the sunniest part of the garden it only accentuates the fault with a spot light. You could add some horizontal trellis to the upper part or if your budget can stretch do the whole fence. Painted soft wood can be a really economical solution and give a great effect.Your square patch of grass is only adding to the limitations of your garden. its drawing attention to the four corners and not creating an mystery. Having a curve to your grass will lead the eye away and create the illusion of more space.I would suggest building a curved seating area on your south side in the L shape by your shed. Railway sleepers positioned vertically with a chamfered top edge create a dramatic feature and are a really cost effect solution to screening. I would mask the end of your garden with these positioned across the whole width with an entrance to the right ( North side) The sleepers would then decrease in height as they curve round masking your shed and forming a built in seating area. They can also be stained adding to the dramatic effect. Black can look great if balanced well with bold planting. You are very fortunate to have a lovely hedge on your right, it could look fantastic. Good luck with your project!...See MoreHelp me design my garden please
Comments (17)Looks great:) Agree with ED, plants in pots need regular watering and care. As for trees, if it’s in full sun then an olive would be great or if in cool shade an acer would also look nice. They need fairly large pots tho. For that reason I wouldn’t put shrubs or trees into the planter between decking and gravel mainly because of the roots and spread. However some may take well such as yew or tall growing junipers such as ‘sky rocket’. Personally I like to see a mixture of tall and flowing grasses and perennials. Mexican feather grass (sometimes called ponytails), crocosmia ‘red Lucifer’, some gladioli, and zebra grass would make a lovely combo. If you put the Mexican feather grass near the edge of the lawn you can watch it waft in the breeze (it’s one of my favorites:))....See MoreGarden Design + Levelling / Sloping Garden Help
Comments (0)Hi, we've recently purchased a new build house and we're struggling a bit with how to configure the garden due to the way it slopes. It's essentially just a 10m x 10m square at the moment with a few squares of pavement, and a slope from the top left towards the house and to the right fence. (see pics) We're trying to work with the level as much as possible to reduce the cost of levelling, and we're thinking of a deck in the top right (sunspot), and a raised lawn in the top left, with some steps and sleeper beds / steps around the garden to support it. (see drawing) Does anyone with any garden experience have any thoughts on how feasible something like this would be and how much it would roughly cost? Or any alternative ideas for the garden? We have a dog so a lawn is essential, and a deck or patio in the top right is pretty much a given for us. Any ideas/design tips would really be appreciated! We're looking for something quite modern, ideally with levels to create interest and reduce the levelling costs (if this even achieves that?)...See More
PRO10 years agoSome images here for inspiration in case you were interested in adding a decking section to the garden
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I agree pretty much with Man about the House, except suggest not such a grand summer house, you can get something simpler and paint it yourself, decorate it with climbers. Also would leave planting by the tree, but give it a good clear out or replace with more interesting combination. Gardens are most attractive if you don't get the full view, just a hint of what's beyond inviting you to explore. These photos are taken either side of a large oak tree just a few yards from the back of a house, leading to a large garden space. Give the lawn a good feed too - lush green makes all the difference!!
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I agree with the others about removing the small bushes - as it will open the garden up and let light in. I shared this picture to show how much impact a very narrow border can give. I planted it all white - but I have lovely coloured borders too :) My advice would be to get on with it. This only took 14 months to get this established, and plants/borders can easily be moved! Good luck. Also - a circle around the bottom of your beautiful tree would allow for a great and simple splash of colour, either for spring bulbs and perennials or bedding plants!
PRO10 years agoSorry I can't resist a splash of self promoting, but how about replacing the garden store room with something classical ; )
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Hello and thank you - yes admittedly its not the cheapest oiption, prices for a basic open garden room / car port would be in the region of £25k + vat (full works, including groundworks). sizes start at 6m x 5.5m. Your garden has plenty of potential, so i have no doubt your end with with a nice design, particularly as your exploring ideas in such detail.
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