Spent a year designing my garden - am i on the right track?

L W

6 years ago

Ive spent the past few years sorting out the boundaries of my garden, and the past year I’ve worked on a design.

Main main problem is that I don’t know if my design has hard landscaping problems in it that I cannot see,

Please see my attachments. One is the design and the other is a recent(ish) site photograph.

Can you guys help?

Requirements are simple, modern family garden with private dining area.

Featured Answer

Angie

6 years ago

How level is your garden? I ask because we thought ours was pretty much level but when we engaged a designer he pointed out there is quite a drop. We have a sloping path and a raised area and it all works really well for us, but did involve some significant work with a digger! Before and after pictures shown below. We also have a large patio area with sofas and table, great for relaxing and eating, and a formal pond.
All the best with your garden, it looks good to me.
Angie

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Comments (18)

rachelmidlands
6 years ago
Hi there, plan looks good. The dining area surrounded by planting will look lovely. I’m not a pro but my personal opinions are 1. The gabion wall at the bottom, I think they look ugly but they do serve a purpose, I would cover them with a clematis. 2. Stepping stones in lawn, they look nice when newly laid but when the grass starts growing over them they’re a bugger to keep all the edges neat, one straight line is much easier. 3. Where will you keep garden equipment (lawnmower etc.)? Do you have a shed? Or would you keep things in the garage? Other than that I think the hard landscaping is well thought out. Much better displayed than my scribbles anyway:)
Helen C
6 years ago
The dining area looks a little hemmed in to me and the walkway down the side of it seems to be quite narrow (60cm?). If you were barbecuing for instance where would the barbecue be positioned? Only other point is the choice of flagstone, you mentioned you want a modern design but I think yorkstone tends to look quite traditional. Well done on designing your own garden, I’m sure it takes a lot of research.
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At the minute, we dont have any more plants, but as you require its on our todo list, and i'll get my developer to look at it asap. This is great feedback, we weren't aware people wanted trees until now. we do however, have some more gardeny type items here: http://insitu-app.com/index-tim-hd-web-app.html moving forward, it would be great to see your results - please put them in the idea book. cheers
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Hi again, A few ideas to cover the brick wall between patio doors: The English Ivy I mentioned in a previous post is species of ivy that is green during winter. Ivy in general is fast-growing and requires minimal care, once you plant it and ensure it has gripped to a wall the weather will take care of the rest for you. English Ivy is very fast-growing so needs to be cut back fairly regularly. Boston Ivy is less invasive than English Ivy, though unlike English Ivy it is not evergreen. If you have pets, be careful with ivy - some species are toxic to cats, dogs and other household animals. The Virginia Creeper is climbing plant that is similar in appearance to many ivies, but its leaves redden in autumn (a look I quite like but is not to everyone's taste) and fall altogether winter months, which would leave the wall looking a bit bare again during winter. I love Passiflora, it's an evergreen, climbing plant that produces fruit and beautiful flowers in Spring-Summer. It is also really hardy and low maintenance - once I was able to revitalise a Passiflora plant that appeared to be dead. Wisteria takes slightly longer to grow and therefore to see the results of, but in my opinion is well worth the wait - its blossom is absolutely beautiful. However, it does lose its leaves completely in winter. Additionally, it would be a shame to keep Wisteria confined to the back garden - I think it is at its best on the front/road-facing exterior of a house, so that everyone can enjoy it. Any of these climbers (Wisteria, any subspecies of ivy, Virginia Creeper and Passiflora) would look great. All you need is to fix a trellis to the wall and you're ready to go!
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And how old are the kids? The summer house might be useful for them to make into a play den? Don’t know how safe the glass is though. And concerned about hard standing under swing gym set. However the garden would actually be pretty good if it was planted up around a centre lawn (mower could go in big shed) and everything tidied and power washed. Planting should be around lawn with room to walk between planting there and planting on perimeter to give a designed effect. The swing gym needs moving into shadier area whatever you do leaving you to make your evening warm sitting area. It could be a really good space and well worth some effort. :)
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J
6 years ago
I like the dining area surrounded by plants- but you need more space or a smaller table/fixed benches. Recommended space for your 8 seater table so that everyone can get in and out of their chairs easily would be 11 feet by 14 feet, about twice the space you've allocated.
L W
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
@rachelmidlands thankyou for your feedback, thats really interesting about the stepping stones in the lawn, I thought I'd be able to just mow straight over them without any trimming. The main reason for the stones was to increase drainage a little. With your comment in mind I think I'm going to make it solid. I want lawn edges around the perimeter of the lawn to eliminate any faffing with edging shears.

The lawnmower and tools are all kept in the garage adjacent to the house, but I intend to level the area behind the gabion wall, screen it with karl forster grass (maybe) and put kiddies toy storage there as well as leaf mould bays, composting bins etc. The area behind the gabion wall is approx 8m x8m.

@campo73 a contractor I had round mentioned the same as you about the 600mm gap, I should probs increase this to 900mm x600mm flags maybe. The dining area size is actually based on an existing Houzz garden by Fenton Roberts Garden Design.

[https://www.houzz.com/photos/pergola-garden-contemporary-patio-london-phvw-vp~41250028[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/pergola-garden-contemporary-patio-london-phvw-vp~41250028)

The sizing looks ok to me? 9x5 grid of 600mm2 flags = 3.0x5.4m area not inc outer paths.

WELL I had only just changed the flags to york stone because I've had a sample of sawn indian paving in 'fossil mint' which is a light pal cream colour, and it's gone green with alge within 2 months. I had it laid on the floor by the house to see if I liked it. So I was thinking the york stone might not show it up as much. Its a south facing garden but there are spots in the shade at times. Should I go with a dark grey limestone maybe?

@J I think you might have read my drawing wrong, the space I have allocated is just under 10x18ft (3.0x5.4) also see my above reply. So that should be adequate.

Thanks guys
Helen C
6 years ago
Love that Fenton Roberts design. If those flagstones are 600x600 it looks like they’ve allowed 1200mm walkway. Is the size of this dining area the same as yours? If so they have a smaller table too. Re sandstone I agree it is terrible for attracting algae. I’m not sure if there are different grades but certainly we had it in a previous home, south facing and it was covered in algae for most of the year! I’m not sure about limestone either, I heard it’s soft and easily scratched. We opted for Brazilian casarta slate from Marshall’s, it was installed 2 years ago, has only been power washed once and hasn’t a single sign of algae on it. Can I ask what software you used to design the garden, I need to do a planting design (at some point!)
rachelmidlands
6 years ago
Ah, did wonder if there was something beyond the wall. Grasses would look great, so easy to look after. You could also plant little alpines between the stones as well for extra interest. Unless the path gets really waterlogged I wouldn’t worry too much about drainage. You could add a line of gravel or cobbles (see pics) but I find they can be weed magnets even with weed proof membrane. Nothing a good douse with weed killer won’t sort out but still...extra faff:)
Good luck with you’re garden, you have a great design.
PRO
Landscape Design by James Brunton-Smith Limited
6 years ago
looks great to me, I think picking up on some previous comments I would say that the 600mm wide pathways are too narrow (900mm min would be preferable). I would be thinking more about a lighter coloured slab/stone such as a sawn limestone to give a more contemporary edge.

Planting could really make this scheme, some simple blocks of perennials and ornamental grasses (I note the Miscanthus specimens) which give an element of transparency and movement would work well too. good Luck
A B
6 years ago
I can't read the annotations on the plan, but visually looking at the photo, I would think a table for 8 would easily fill the space, which would highlight the long thin nature of the garden. As would making your lawn a long rectangular shape. I wonder if you could do something like angm47's picture to deceive the eye whilst still keeping all the elements of the garden?
Juliet Docherty
6 years ago
Hi there. We have been re-designing our garden in the last year and have completely started from scratch. Our garden is short and wide and so we had issues with the shape. We found that screening areas is really important, so you can't see the whole thing. Always have something in your sightline so that it looks bigger. We used deep triangular shaped borders and a very angled patio. We placed the paving slabs at an angle and it looks so much bigger. 45 degree angles would make the space work well. Also, in terms of stone, we looked at lots and opted for grey Indian sandstone as we were informed that is doesn't discolour as much as other. So far so good. I would take a look at garden design ideas that feature strong diagonals as an option.
Fran H
6 years ago
Perhaps take a look at Successful Garden Design. You can learn a great deal from Rachel’s free videos and a great deal more if you do the courses (well worth the investment). I’ve sketched both my front and rear gardens, but am part way through major home refurbishment so not at garden implementation stage just yet.
L W
Original Author
6 years ago
@ angm47 - Nice garden! It's the opposite to yours. Mine slopes upwards towards the far end, so I've added steps on the drawing, see the two horizontal double lines. So there would be 4 changes in level in total inc the last one behind the gabion retaining wall. I'm expecting a fair amount of ground excavation regardless of final design. PS I'm really into grids and straight lines so not opting for anything circular.

@campo73 - nice isn't it! Yeah it's the same, 9x5 grid of 600m@ slabs, making the shorter side 3m wide, plus I've added another slab width path to two sides, making it even wider for chairs to be pulled out. I noticed the smaller table too. Thanks for the tip on the stone choice.

@rachelmidlands - thanks for your additional feedback!

@JBS Ltd - I agree that a light coloured slab would look more contemporary, which is what I'm after, but I'm reluctant to if they will go green all the time :-S You read my mind on the planting, I already have some miscanthus I'm potting up ready for action. As for the perennials, I'm going to go for strong stemmed ones with winter seed interest, rudbeckia goldsturm for example. I quite like the idea of a late season garden, like Joanne Bernstein's (bloody gorgeous garden and a BIG inspiration that one - see pic link http://farm1.static.flickr.com/343/19951288828_3accea0675_b.jpg.

@Jen P - Yeah I thought it'd fit too - the size is 3.0x5.4m - it's hardly small! Whilst I like angm47's garden I am opting for straight lines, grids, no curves. Plus, crucially, (if anyone's noticed) I've brought ALL the planting areas away from the yew hedge boundary consciously, from a practical point of view. I'm trying to design it with manageability in mind as well as aesthetics. Plus I quite like the idea of bringing the focus inwards rather than putting it on the borders around the edges. Plus, I'm not so bothered if the garden is long and rectangular, because its easy to change when the kids grow up :)

@colourhappy - totally agree - if you see everything at once you give the game away. So I've put in screening features with line of sight from the living room in mind. Re 45 degree angles, oh god that means a complete re-design :-) I've been told to 'work with what you've got' in the past, so taking that on board, my design grew from the existing raised brick border on the right that's parallel with the boundary. I'm not sure I could/want to change it all and and keep that there at the same time.

@fran11home - thanks for the tip I'll check it out!
L W
Original Author
6 years ago
Anyone there?!
Pam Dee
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Hi,

I liked angm47's idea but would make your garden into two vistas to enjoy as its a bit long, I would insert the base of a triangle half way down on the left hand boundary and diagonal wall the end on the other side as a hide-e-hole for a compost heap or veg patch. Then have a focal point "object of interest" to draw the eye from the near one to the far one. Trees mature out of proportion and kill the grass underneath when all the leaves drop off in the autumn.
L W
Original Author
6 years ago
bump
Emily
6 years ago
I saw your post last week and actually think your plans are good. What are your specific questions?
PRO
Neil Jones Design
6 years ago
A very professional looking plan, its good to plan out your garden well before starting to avoid abortive works. I think theres some good comments so i'm not going to add to much, otherwise i'm sure your head is spinning!

All i would add is, avoid hemming in the dining area too much otherwise people will hop across the planting to get to the kitchen or tend to the bbq if its not convenient to get round! I'd also avoid a dead straight path up one side of the garden, by staggering in, perhaps at the end of the patio turning 90 degrees and running the upper half of the path up the opposite side of the garden. In this way you create the illusion of a bigger garden by utilising a longer route, this is particular key to avoid the 'corridor' effect. Alternatively provide partial screening to avoid seeing the whole length of garden at once. With regard paving look at the vast array of Porcelain tiles for a slick, contemporary look and low maintenance as they won't green up in shade or stain with food and grease the same as natural stone will if not treated.

Finally i note you're proposing a gabion wall at the end which sits with the canopy of an existing tree? You should avoid changing any levels within the canopy of existing trees as the most important root system for trees are in the first 600mm depth which provides the tree with air and water, if you add to that level or reduce it, you risk adversely affecting the tree

Good luck!
PRO
Pearpod
6 years ago
Would you be interested in including a hanging or free standing pod? Could make a great feature and a great place to curl up in.

Spent a year designing my garden - am i on the right track?

Angie

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