Garden Dilemma

5 years ago

I’ve recently purchased a property and am stuck with what to do; firstly in the main back garden and secondly with the side parts of grass. The house is on a corner so benefits from 3 green spaces...

Can any ameture garden designers or professionals advise on what they might do with the space please?
Sketches / drawings / computer generated conceptualisations are welcome!

Any inspiration, advice and knowledge would be so appreciated. I can send measurements if it’s helps?

Ive completely designed and completed my last garden from scratch however the plot was just a square of new build grass. Hence why I feel somewhat daunted by this project. Well I gardening so high maintinence wouldn’t be a problem. I don’t have children or pets so really just myself to focus on
entertaining space is always useful. I like to make the outside come in and view versa. I also adore wildlife. I go to gardeners world live everyear plus other shows; I end up loving every show garden there and wish I could pluck it up and plonk it in my own...

I suffer with sever anxiety and depression and being in any garden really calms me down. It’s my safe place to relax and potter; amongst beautiful flowers, scents and wildlife.

I’ve added some pictures of my 1st house / garden. It was a new build and blank canvas. I designed it myself on paper and did the majority of the work alone (apart from builders for the patio, decking and lawn).

Im super proud of what I achieved. I just don’t know where to start with this next project. It’s much bigger than the last one. I’m open to suggestions. I love modern but also cottage garden plants. Exotic jungle styles. All sorts. I just know that anything children / animal friendly isn’t needed. I also would love a water feature this time round.

Take a look at my last garden and see what you think. The pictures have scrambled up but you’ll see some at the start, middle and end of the project. My intention was ultra modern however it kind of turned slightly cottage garden in the end; mainly because I have a plant buying addiction
There are worse addictions to have though I suppose

I adored doing it my last garden but just found designing it hard. Hence why any ideas would be great.

Hopefully those geniuses / gurus will whip me up the perfect design in no time
I wish! lol.

I need to find out the gardens position and soil type. However I’ve found I’ve managed to grow so many things in my current clay soil 1sr garden that books said were a ‘NO GO’.
Neighbour is an elderly gentleman with a low maintainence garden. The concrete garage will stay yes. But I’d either cover with climbers or clad in timber etc depending on the garden theme.

I’ll take my time doing it. Just know how much I overthink and struggle with a million and one ideas. Hence why someone with the skills who could just whip up a few sketch ideas would be amazing...

Please help

Regards,
James.

Featured Answer

rachelmidlands

5 years ago

Hi James. Congratulations on your new home and garden. Just had a look at your previous garden in your ideas book, it looks amazing! First question I think you need to ask yourself is wether you intend to do alterations or extensions to the house in the future as this will have a large impact on how you use the garden. Secondly, parking (if you drive that is), looks like you have parking by the garage but it’s a fair distance from the house. Possibility of creating a parking space in front of the door although most likely requires planning permission (dropped kerb etc.) But assuming you’re not doing any major work just yet I’d concentrate on improving the fences and boundaries first. The hedge in the rear garden looks a little past it but I’d wait till late summer/autumn if you plan to replace it with new fence or hedge in case there are nesting birds. I’ve got loads of ideas which I’ll doodle a few sketches later but in the mean time gather some inspiration images from Houzz, Pinterest, Instagram, google or wherever and note things you like/ dislike about them. One question I want to ask is how keen are you on grass? Just think that without a large expanse of lawn it would give you more room for lovely plants, greenhouse, water feature and so on.

Comments (9)

Jonathan
5 years ago
Hi James,
I don’t think all of your images have loaded. But you can post them in a comment. It would also be useful to know the approximate size and the direction of the garden too
James Gibson thanked Jonathan
James Gibson
Original Author
5 years ago
I’ll try and find out the size / position; I haven’t moved in yet...
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Jonathan
5 years ago
I have found the pictures in your ideas book and you clearly did spend a lot of time on it and I like the plan you had for the house you are leaving. Did you do ant to continue the circular theme? Do you like curves for the new garden or do you imagine something more angular next time?
Sonia
5 years ago
I totally agree that gardening, or just being out in the garden, can help calm anxiety. There is not a person I know who doesn’t suffer anxiety sometimes.......you are not alone. Like you, I love gardening and plants. Looking at your Ideasbook I see your last Garden was beautiful and I think you could just enlarge the circle theme maybe? I’m no designer, but maybe three circles of lawn would look good? Don’t forget, garden designers can just do the design and plan for you and you, or a builder, do the actual work and planting to keep costs down. i won’t suggest plants because I think you probably have a lot of plant knowledge! Here’s a few design ideas, the first one being a very simple but effective design, I think.
James Gibson thanked Sonia
rachelmidlands
5 years ago
Some rough sketches for you. Just concentrating on the rear garden for now and it’s all a bit of a rough guess but hopefully it will give you a starting point for some ideas. Feel free to follow suit and doodle away. I always think of what needs to stay and where access is needed first then areas of sun/shade for seating areas then the rest you can fill in with whatever you like. Experiment with different shapes as well as height. I’m sure you’ll make a fantastic garden.
James Gibson thanked rachelmidlands
PRO
Neil Jones Design
5 years ago
Hi James

Its fantastic to hear how just being the garden helps with your depression and anxiety, theres a lot of research coming out to back up this understanding that green spaces can have profound benefit to mental and physical health. What you've achieved in your previous garden is impressive and looks well cared for and a circle is a great harmonious shape that promotes resting and socialising, so it could be theme that you apply here as someone else has suggested as it can also help fuse the 2 spaces either side of the front of the house.

With the front, i'd think whether you want to include for some off road parking in front of the bay, similar to your neighbour which will require a drop kerb application to the council and then the layout needs to draw you eye to the front door to help visitors to easily identify the correct route in and set out clearly where the front door is. The door can be further enhanced with pots either side or storm porch etc to increase its significance. The back is a blank canvas and the existing hedge may need reinforcing to provide a more secure outer boundary to the road and create more privacy, either with a fence or more planting at lower level? The existing garage would certainly be improved by timber cladding and i'd focus on a simple and comtemporary design to complement the existing overall geometry of the garage, you maybe able to add a green roof!

Finally enjoy planning your new garden and live with it for a few months to see what comes up in spring and where the sun is and how you use the garden etc as i'm sure your ideas will change when you live in the space... mine did when i moved house! Good luck!
James Gibson thanked Neil Jones Design
James Gibson
Original Author
5 years ago
Thankyou all so much for your kind words and advice; I really do appreciate it. I have VERY BAD news. Unfortunately I was ‘gazumped’ and the house has been purchased by someone else who offered higher that me; despite them accepting my offer and me sorting the required surveys etc. I’m literally distraught but there is nothing I can do

Ive been trawling the internet for another property however nothing seems to compare in price or garden amount. looking for properties in the midlands / Warwickshire. Hopefully another dream property will turn up soon; one I can renovate from scratch as was my plan with this one.

I’ll force the vendor to sign a contract meaning they can’t accept once agreed a sale either...

I was so excited! Arggggggghhhhh x
Sonia
5 years ago
Hi James, this happened to my brother, AND the gazumpers were friends of our parents! Needless to say they were no longer friends after this. He then went on to buy a much nicer house, so perhaps it just wasnt to be. Think of it that way - there’s an even better house waiting for you. Good luck.