Small garden
Luciana
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Hi all,
I need your help again, please. I've been working with a garden designer on a plan for our minuscule back garden. What we wanted was an extension of the interior outdoors - rather contemporary and minimalistic but with some practical solutions (bike space, rubbish storage, seating, etc). The designer is very knowledgeable and accommodating, has taken on board all my suggestions, and overall I can't fault her. However, I'm now just not sure I actually like the plan and somehow it doesn't look very original to me.
Would you be so kind to have a look at what she'd proposed so far and tell me how you feel about the plan and if it would look ok when it's done. The space is a dump at the moment; I'm actually embarrassed to show it, but you can see it here: http://www.houzz.com/projects/248132. The space is 31' x 20' (the plan is metric).
Many thanks!
I need your help again, please. I've been working with a garden designer on a plan for our minuscule back garden. What we wanted was an extension of the interior outdoors - rather contemporary and minimalistic but with some practical solutions (bike space, rubbish storage, seating, etc). The designer is very knowledgeable and accommodating, has taken on board all my suggestions, and overall I can't fault her. However, I'm now just not sure I actually like the plan and somehow it doesn't look very original to me.
Would you be so kind to have a look at what she'd proposed so far and tell me how you feel about the plan and if it would look ok when it's done. The space is a dump at the moment; I'm actually embarrassed to show it, but you can see it here: http://www.houzz.com/projects/248132. The space is 31' x 20' (the plan is metric).
Many thanks!
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Comments (113)
Luciana
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Small garden ideas
Comments (16)Its a great space, the step up is not a problem ,I would use a deck in the garden center,covering both levels with a garden bed surround , with the step been at the front full width of the garden ,you really need to see a design on paper,I did a similar space a few years ago,and it worked out really well.having one level will give you space to entertain and have some pieces of outdoor furniture etc,the garden bed can be made to accommodate what ever you need plant wise.the beauty of a timber deck,is it can go straight over what you have ,just the garden area needs to be prepared.easy to construct, and is an all year space.It also keeps the garden simple and not to many different materials....See MoreGarden inspiration for small garden combined with driveway?
Comments (18)I need to resurrect this thread! So 2 years on we've completed all of the downstairs internal work, and knocked down the garage. We spread some grass seed, and there is now a garden space where once sat the garage. We did have a builder booked in for rebuilding the garage to the side of the house, and planned to add some decking where the patio doors are along the back of the house!/wall maybe, but now the builder has cancelled and is returning our cash, we're therefore reallocating funds to a much needed upstairs bathroom instead. I wonder if there are any budget friendly suggestions and ideas to make an area that will hold gardening tools/provide cover for my partner to do his hobbies by the side of the house? It's a wall then huge hedge beyond that which is directly parallel with a footpath and road on the other side. I thought about a shed but would the hedge not be impossible to cut and would it rot quicker, plus would the roots die off? We need to keep the hedge or have some privacy from the road, but equally need a place to store and use the space at the side. Thoughts?...See MoreAny ideas where to start on small garden?
Comments (7)Hi there Liz, My best advice with a small garden is to think very carefully before you do anything as there is literally nowhere to hide anything! You have to think about evsrything that you want out of your garden and what is the best way to lay them out. Painting the fence or walls in a dark colours is good as it creates the illusion that the boundaries are further away than they really are (and hence that the garden is bigger). But also, since in a small garden space is at a premium, it is also a good idea to use the walls for planting as well (climbers, hanging pots and baskets etc). I would also introduce some planting beds (maybe some raised beds that could double up as seating -again space is at a premium so you have to think carefully and include thinkgs that thick more than one box at once). When choosing the planting, always match it with the unique conditions of your garden so that they thrive. And also in this case I would go for big bold foliage because they will make your garden look bigger. I offer online garden design and would be very happy to help you with this.I have designed a few small gardens and have experience with this sort of thing. Having a design for a small garden is very good as it gives you a final plan to achieve and you can do the build bit by bit as budget allows, but without loosing the focus on the final design (and having the risk of it looking disjointed). Also I charge by the garden area, so smaller gardens are usually cheaper designs. Please have a look at my website and get in touch if interested! www.therootedconceptgardendesign.co.uk All the best, Deborah deborahbiasoli@gmail.com 07548105456...See MoreSmall garden needing a refresh - your advice please!
Comments (0)Hi Houzzers I'm hoping you can help with some some ideas to spruce up our garden. I’m hoping you can help with some ideas to spruce up our garden. It’s a fairly small area and we’re trying to achieve a few different things – a nice place to sit out and enjoy the sun etc as well as providing space for the kids. It also needs to be easy maintenance! We don’t have a huge budget, added to which we are hoping to move in a few years so don’t want to sink a lot of money into it that we won’t get back. I’m attaching some pictures of how it looks at the moment, including some fence damage from the recent storms which we’ll need to sort as part of this. We’d welcome any suggestions to improve and soften the boundaries, currently there’s a lot of mismatched fencing going on. We’ve found it difficult to grow much at the back where it’s very shady and competing with some flourishing laurel the other side of the fence! The other side obviously needs its fence sorting out. We don't know whether to bite the bullet and replace all of it so that it matches. The patio is a bit old and some of the pointing has come out which makes it a bit unattractive but we can't really afford to replace the whole thing just at the moment. We'd be very grateful for any ideas on the following: 1) how best to cover the mismatched panels on the right (we don't own this fence) 2) how to soften the look of the back fence 3) best solutions for replacing the left (part missing) fence 4) cost effective upgrades for the patio/seating area. Thanks in advance for reading and any suggestions you might have!...See More
printesa
9 years agoprintesa
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoOK, photo session finished. I kept waiting for a bit of sun, but it's too elusive - I gave up in the end.
Here is the artificial grass I've played with 2 days ago. I think it adds colour and covers the boring brown; I plan to keep it there until the plants grow and (hopefully) extend.
Hubby doesn't like that I cut it 'artistically' - he thought I would cover the whole ground in it and it would look like the plants grow out of the lawn. Well, I could've done that, but I thought it boring - this is much more interesting! And anyway I need to go buy bark (mulch) to put around the plants. I have some astro-turf left, I'd probably use it on the raised bed behind the bench; for the time being I've just thrown it on the patio, like a small rug under the chaise.
So, what do you think? Shall I keep it as it is or buy more and cover the whole thing?
sunnie2day
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agoprintesa
9 years ago
jessegee
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agoprintesa
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoprintesa
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoAnd the saga is almost over!
My garden is complete! Today, the last piece has arrived in the form of a red Japanese maple. After countless discussions about what tree to have behind the seating and looking online for endless hours, yesterday I went to the local garden centre and found this beauty. I know I said I want a palm, but none of the ones I've seen made me fall in love with it. This maple though... It looks great and adds so much colour... I do love it. I have to wait for the rain to stop so I can plant it. My brother-in-law has been summoned, he knows he has to report for duty as soon as the weather improves.
I still need to order cushions (not sure what I want though), and decide between a large parasol or some triangular sail shades. But that will happen in late June, we are going to Norway next week, then few days after we're back I'm going to Paris to meet with my mum.
So ladies, this is it! What do you think?
PROASVInteriors
9 years agoprintesa
9 years agosunnie2day
9 years ago
masmccar76
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoSmall update: after Andrew decided to prove to the world (or maybe just the neighbours) that he can write on a vertical surface and having to endure next door's girls telling me 'graffiti is not nice', we finally got to replace the yucky plywood gate with a proper one!
I managed to get my hands on a carpenter - finally!! I wasn't sure how to have the gate made; a visit to B&Q helped a lot, as I decided I want the chippie to use deck boards for the gate. The whole garden design is angular and squarish, so I had to have something to match the rest. There was a slight problem with with the curved top, but I didn't let it stop me :))
Anyway, this is it below. Only painted in an undercoat, I have purple paint - it's going to be the same colour as the pergola. I think it looks ok... what do you think?
PS: the carpenter is great! He's also finished the entrance hall. I might adopt him... https://www.houzz.co.uk/discussions/victorian-hall-dsvw-vd~1199066
mefor
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoprintesa
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoprintesa
9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agosorry for the hijack - my garden is nearly finished - totally nerveracking at times!! - another few days to go to tidy it up and it is still a bit of a mess
Luciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agoprintesa
9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agomasmccar76
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoBoth, one for our bedroom and one for the outside. In the bedroom, I had the chimney breast 'destroyed' to make space for a long, slim one (should've been like under the painting). Then the carpenter made a mess with the drawers unit and we fired him and left it unfinished, looked for another carpenter (long story) - however, in the meanwhile, Andrew's changed his mind and doesn't want the bio-ethanol fireplace at all.
Outside, I wanted it where the star and birdie is... would've looked fab...
printesa
9 years agoLuciana
9 years agomasmccar76
9 years ago
PROPrimrose
9 years ago
Brenda