Advice required with our ‘Blank canvas’ garden
Last autumn we had landscapers in to remove and level an aged garden. Due to the wet weather all winter we have yet to sow the lawn (we have seeds and area prepped and due to sow this week). 6000sqft
Whilst happy with internal Decoration we feel like rabbits in headlights with garden design and are looking for any advice with our blank canvas. The property is a 1600circ thatched cottage with beams and panelling.
We have teenagers and dogs and would like to combine a cottage feel with a contemporary look including a pergola and sofa set/fire pit at the front of lawn. We would like to add some height to break up the house views on the left and some sort of screening at the rear to hide the fence. On the right hand side around the middle of the fence (where next door trees start) is where the late evening sun sets and we would ideally like a seating area there for a G&T! Beyond this we are at loss to ‘see the vision’‘ and how we might pull this all together and give it a professional look.
We would relish any ideas/suggestions from you ‘well established’
designers/gardeners!
Many thanks in advance
Comments (43)
E D
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Blank canvas living room
Comments (5)Hello Sarah, Congratulations on your new home! How about a yorkstone hearth with a cream enamel wood burning stove or maybe a cast iron radiator to go under your bay window. Another thing to consider is some reclaimed boards for flooring or even a bespoke stone flloor! for inspiration visit our websites www.ribble-reclamation.co.uk or www.ribbleradiators.co.uk Good luck with your project Suzie...See MoreSmall living room / diner is a blank canvas... help!
Comments (5)Hey, Gemma. How's it going? Are you able to post some more pictures of the space, so we can see it from other angles and how it ties to other rooms (especially the kitchen)? Also, forgive me for asking, but where is the current dining table? Your eye is similar to mine in the choices you made and my living/ dining area is similar so I can certainly relate. It's difficult to know where to start because you're lucky enough to have a blank slate. I think all your ideas are good. I know you're changing your sofa which is good as the chaise element blocks the eye's flow to the light/ window. Something with long legs, with 2 seats - possible a loveseat - would also help to minimise the footprint. I agree with the paint colours. I'd probably paint the whole wall, in case you wanted to change things around at some point. It can also be very difficult to pull off, and especially with varying lights. How would you like the split to be between the dining and living areas? In one of your ideabook photos you have the 'zones' approach at 50/50 but I'm not sure if that's something you were going to carry through or whether the dining space would play a less prominent role. All that said, I think all your ideas are spot on and the space promises to look great....See MoreBlank Canvas, need some help with garden design and path
Comments (7)Hi JC. I think the layout of the path will be quite important as well as deciding which plants to have. It looks like there is a lot of footfall on the lawn next to the patio so I think any path needs to start from here. Had you thought what material you’d like the path to be made out of? The size of the borders will depend on what plants you’d like to have, shrubs and trees will most likely need more space and can encroach on your lawn space. The suggestions above are all good tho and most of them are very hardy and tolerant of most soils. For privacy on the right fence I might go fo one main shrub, perhaps a Lilac and a tallish evergreen. If you get young specimens they’ll adapt to the soil better. In the meantime you could attach some trellis to the fence and grow some climbers such as the clematis Montana, honey suckle or star jasmine. I think the way to pick a planting plan is not to rush it but start with your star attractions first, the larger plants, shrubs or trees, look them up and find out their eventual height and spread. Then the rest you can fill in with the smaller things, like the perennials and bulbs. Be sure to check what conditions each plant likes, sun/shade etc. I bought this plant yesterday at a plant fair, Sambucas nigra ‘black lace’. It can grow very large but can be hacked back quite vigorously with little effect and is very hardy. Good job really as my garden isn’t huge and it’s staying in a container:-) Good luck with your garden, it’s a lovely space....See MoreHelp with blank canvas garden
Comments (5)Hi, to me it seems that you have a bit of a patio overkill. You need to know where you want the shaded dining area, a sunny patio area, maybe somewhere where you can enjoy a morning coffee in the sun or get the last sunrays on a summer evening. That all depends on how your garden is situated. Do you want to grow vegetables, do you want to spend time attending to flowerbeds (if you do them well, they aren't that time-consuming)? You need to know the size of the garden and draw a rough plan of what you would like to have where. Think it might be a good idea to get a garden designer/landscaper on board. I'd want to remove the lower patio, replace it with grass and flowerbeds, and place the steps from the upper patio in the middle. I think that the quickest way of making the patio edge safer for your fearless toddler, is putting big planters all along the edge. If you decide to change the patio at a later date, you can always reuse the planters elsewhere in the garden. Some inspirational photos for you....See More
Angie
4 years ago
Bob Lee
4 years ago
rachelmidlands
4 years agoHi Bob. What a great space. I can maybe scribble a few ideas tomorrow. Gives me something to do ( I love planning gardens😊). I agree with Angie, dividing the space up can be really beneficial. My first thought it to have an orchard/ wildlife area at the bottom of the garden (something I dream of if my garden was big enough). Is this something you’d consider? Other thought was to put a tree somewhere left centre (see my great doodling😂). This would have the benefit of screening the neighbouring house from a perspective point of view.
Have you thought of hiring a garden designer? Some may be able to help remotely and can go through in more detail about your wishes, needs, budget etc.
Could you possibly post a photo from rear of garden looking towards the house, might help myself and others with ideas. You can add photos in comments.
Thought I’d add a pic of Monty Dons Orchard, doesn’t have to be this formal, I just liked the image:-)
E D
4 years agoBob Lee
4 years agoOli I
4 years agoBob Lee
4 years ago
PROFirth Associates
4 years agoarc3d
4 years agoThat's not a garden Bob!
I suggest turf the whole thing, use white lines to "define" the different areas of the garden and buy two of these "garden features" for either end of the garden...
Sonia
4 years agoBob Lee
4 years agoBob Lee
4 years agoAngie
4 years agoE D, here are pictures of the garden this morning. I've tried to replicate the pictures I posted up thread. The Silver Birch is massively taller four years on. And the Cordyline has really grown. The bed on the right looks a bit sparse, but there's all sorts of things coming to life which will fill the space in a few weeks.
Originally we had two Smoke Bushes on the right with their gorgeous red leaves, but they got so big we had to take one out. It's now in a huge pot by the front door, so not wasted. 🙂
I'm not convinced by the yellow Broom, although it is a lovely colour. That replaced a lovely red Japanese Maple which didn't survive the first winter. 😥
We don't much like having the fence round the pond, but the heron is too hungry and as the fish are now large and would cost a vast amount to replace, we'll put up with it. 🙄
Angie
Sonia
4 years agoWow Bob that is an amazing space! I especially love the old stone wall on the left which reminds me of the walls in classic walled kitchen gardens in stately homes. If that spot is sunny you could grow some fanned fruit trees from apples to figs to peaches. Then underplant with perennials such as Crocosmia, Hemerocallis and hardy Geraniums. I would try to keep the planting cottagey as the location just seems right for it. Paved areas would look lovely in natural sandstone, either slabs or sets which will marry so well with the landscape. I also love clay brick pavers, not cheap but again very naturalistic. You can either edge sandstone with them or create a patio with them, depending on the look you’re after.
Rachel is a genius with garden plans so really looking forward to seeing her ideas! I love Angie’s garden, it’s a wonderful mix of modern and traditional. Don’t forget that a Garden Designer can draw up a plan, along with a planting plan, without going the whole hog and doing the whole garden, if budget is a criteria. Have a look on Houzz at the Garden Designers the link above, PROFESSIONALS, which will allow you to browse designers work as well as rough costs, and the all important reviews.
FAN TRAINED APPLE TREE
SANDSTONE PAVING AND SETTS
CLAY BRICK PAVIERS
Bob Lee
4 years agorachelmidlands
4 years agoHi Bob. Ok, here is idea no 1. 🙂. Just be aware that I’m no garden designer (just a hobby) and it’s just to give you some ideas. It’s not to scale at all and had to make a few assumptions as to what is next to the house. I can see a large shadow from a tree so I’ve drawn that in roughly.
Main idea with this one is the summer house/garden room with evening sitting area. Drawn it (or attempted to) in a contemporary vernacular style which although maybe completely at odds with the cottage style, I think it will look fab but something more traditional would look equally as nice. The overlapping squares linking both patios I’m thinking along the lines of the second pic where the ‘slab’ is raised so it’s like a step. Planting in this area suitable for shade so acers, hostas, ferns, etc.
Planting on the left can be of the traditional cottage style which will show off the lovely stone wall. Then at the bottom of the garden I’ve put in a mini orchard and pond. I thought you could let the grass here go a bit wild and maybe include wild flowers. And if you’re wondering what the imaginary line is, this is where you mow up to and you could mow a path through the fruit trees and around the pond. Doesn’t have to be a pond, could be an art sculpture or something, just provides a focal point at the rear of the garden but thought a pond would be nice for the wildlife.
Hope this gives you some inspiration. I might draw up some more as I’ve got a few more ideas and It keeps me sane 😂. As said, a garden designer can be well worth the initial outlay even if it’s for design only and planting plan.
Bob Lee
4 years agoSome photos from back of garden looking back at our house. Also some taken against the new fencing looking at the new builds, hope this gives a clearer idea:)
Regards Bob
arc3d
4 years agoBob Lee
4 years agorachelmidlands
4 years agoE D
4 years agorachelmidlands
4 years agoIt’s sort of a path E D. Was thinking along the lines of a mown pathway in the top right corner but letting a lot of it go wild. Means less mowing 😉.
E D
4 years agoE D
4 years agoJane Timmins
4 years agoBob Lee
4 years agoJane Timmins
4 years agoSonia
4 years agorachelmidlands
4 years agoSketch 2. Again not to scale or anything. Gone for a slightly more formal style this time with a water fountain as a central feature. The yew hedges are staggered on purpose to lead your eye around the garden and the hedge on the left should start where there is a height difference in the wall (hope that made sense 🙂). I’m having trouble with the pergola/ fire pit idea. Few reasons....pergola attached to the house will probably decrease the amount of light coming into the house but more importantly the fire pit (especially a wood burning one) needs to be well away from the house, more so because it’s thatched. Vines on top of pergola might not like it either😉. But a gas or bio fuel fire should be fine. So for these reasons I’ve placed the pergola/ fire pit slightly away from the house on the left wall.
I‘ve got a couple more ideas roughly drawn which I’ll finish and post soon. x
(please excuse the dim photo and click to enlarge)
Jane Timmins
4 years agorachelmidlands
4 years agoBob Lee
4 years agorachelmidlands
4 years agoHi Bob. Did wonder what the orientation was ☺️.
Sketch 3! I copied Angie’s circular design a bit (sorry Angie). Circles do work really well in garden design tho. In this one I put the outbuilding on the left as it should have the same effect of screening the neighbours. I thought an octagonal design would look fab here, perhaps a pavilion or bbq hut. Or I’d love to see a summerhouse with a thatched roof and a bit of wilderness beyond......lovely 😊.
Didn't do a perspective sketch so I’ve added ideas for an octagonal building. (sketch 4 tomorrow:))
Angie
4 years agoBob Lee
4 years agoGood morning a Rachel,
😳 wow another very professional looking design.. you are good at this! You’ve got me thinking about the pergola positioning now and the I do like the circular theme.. and the patio are reminds me of a mag pic I found which I like...
rachelmidlands
4 years agoLast one! Sketch 4. I’m calling it the Easter egg because of the shape of the lawn 😄. Not much to add as it incorporates a lot from the other designs but in slightly different shapes. By all means you don’t need to follow any of these ideas. You could try sketching a few ideas out yourself, some graph paper and a few measurements to get a rough idea for scale, start doodling shapes and away you go 🙂.
Only thing I’d say is don’t be intimidated by thinking it needs to be all done at once. Work on a few elements at a time and you may want to swap and change things every now and then but that’s all part of gardening. I only started learning about plants about 10 years ago when I put some pansies in a pot! 😁.
Best of luck with your garden, you have a lovely house and a fab space to work with. x
Bob Lee
4 years agorachelmidlands
4 years agoBob Lee
4 years ago
PROGerbera Designs (Garden Design)
4 years ago- PRO
User
3 years ago
Angie