Garden layout ideas for bottom of garden/advice on waterlogged area
Our south facing garden is 22m long x 8.5m wide and we are looking to improve the layout particularly in the bottom third of the garden and add a path from the house to the end of the garden. We have a budget of up to £2000 to spend now, but want a design which we can build and add to over the next five years as additional funds allow. We like our curved borders and would like to retain these if possible, but we also want do something with the last third of the garden which is just grass for the most part. We need to add another shed somewhere, as the current one is too small. We would also like a path from house to the sheds/rear of garden but not sure how to incorporate that into the curved borders idea. Should it follow the curves, go across garden?? Also should we make the current division of the garden into two thirds and one third more formal with trellis panels across the garden or perhaps just incorporate more tall shrubs/tree in the borders curving around across the garden as a natural division? We've kept the two elderly apple trees at the bottom of the garden mainly for shade** as we often sit down there in summer when the patio near the house is too hot, but we have no problem removing them if necessary. Lastly in front of the apple tree on the right hand side, there's currently a small paved area and border next to the fence which is a problem as it sits much lower than the rest of the garden and consequently floods during heavy rain. Nothing much grows there but it's in direct sightline from the house, so we'd like to fill it with something nicer to look at. Would removing the pavers and raising the bed level with soil/organic material work? Or do we need to create a proper raised bed, and if so, would that look odd, if there's not a matching one on the other side of the garden? Our soil is clay, which we have tried to improve over the years, but possibly could do with a lot more help! (**I was told by one gardener that removing the apple trees, particularly the one on the right, might worsen the waterlogging in that area as the tree probably takes up a lot of the water that would otherwise be in the soil.) Sorry lots to ask, we've lived in the house for many years and have changed the garden a lot over that time, but it's always been a bit haphazard without any real planning and I want to get the structure and shape right once and for all, particularly with the path and the waterlogged area. Photos were taken at different times of the year, but will hopefully give you an idea of whole garden layout plus also the bottom part of the garden and the problem area on the right hand side.
Comments (14)
- 5 years ago
Related Discussions
Garden ideas for terraced garden
Comments (8)Hi Sue, thanks very much for your for your much appreciated comments, yes we now have realised that not trying too hard to cultivate this area and having a 'wild' element with meadow grass and a mown path is the best option. May I also ask you for advice regarding an old Box hedge we have on one of the terraced areas which has grown very thick and is quite high, we have tried to support it to tie it back in places but due to the position of our house we experience high winds at times and the hedge is really starting to lean over and it is quite a difficult hedge to continually trim and maintain. We are thinking of removing it in the winter as a 'project' and replacing it with a lower fence which we could then cover with climbing plants. Does this sound a good idea?...See MoreAdvice regarding garden layout for paths, patio/decking area
Comments (9)Had some thoughts about your garden and came up with a rough sketch:) (see pic). Decking outside the garden office would look nice but I’m not sure about bringing it all the way to the house as decking can take a fair amount of maintenance although you can get composite decking or slabs that look like wood which would probably be easier to look after. I think breaking it up and having some planting would be nice and more pleasing to look at. So on the sketch I brought the decking to surround the office windows then added a small seating area and space for planting which could include a small pond or water feature. This could be like a contemplation area where you can relax and have a tea break:) Instead of decking pathway I think slabs or tiles to match the patio would be better. The patio I’ve kept as is but extended a little to include bbq area. Did think that putting the bbq on the right side of patio might be good as well. Put in some extra planting areas but that’s just because I like plants:) planting pocket is basically a hole in the deck but some tall grasses or similar with lighting would look great on the left side of the office and help to balance things out. Not sure on a pergola mainly because I think adding another tall structure on the left would make that side of the garden seem overly busy but it’s entirely up to you what you want. Anyway hope this gives you some fresh ideas:) P.s. sketch is not to scale....See MoreGarden Redesign, Advice Needed!
Comments (9)Hi I think you should consider completely 'flipping' the space, using the grass area as your driveway/parking area, and joining the rest of your current parking/bin area to the paved area you already use for sitting eating. To show you what I mean, in the image below the new driveway area is in blue, and the new garden area is in red. I appreciate this probably means more work/cost in digging up and turfing some paved bits and paving some grassed areas, but to me the advantages are: a parking area wide enough to get two cars in and out past the other; it consolidates both the spaces you use for leisure into a single, larger area; your kids will be able to get to the play area by the back door, rather than by the front. This might be safer/more convenient; and if you built a fence between the red and blue sections you could improve security by removing easy access to the back of the house. Hope this is a helpful suggestion. Mark...See MoreLong, narrow garden - in need of creative layout ideas
Comments (19)Congratulations on your purchase. It looks like a lovely space to make your own. How little is your girl? One thing I've learned is that empty open spaces are not necessarily immediately conducive to kids play. They like hiding themselves and things behind things (trees, bushes, flowers, dens, playhouses). The series of rooms / zones thing could really work. The big hits all the kids I know are water play and a swing. Water play could be a tray or a raised table somewhere. Or a mud kitchen. And of course the classic summer paddling pool and jumping over the sprinkler. Could you fit a swing in somewhere? Maybe a pergola attached to the garden office? It can be a baby swing seat to begin with and then turn into a stylish boho rope seat suitable for older kids and teenagers. Once girls get older, the stats show that most do not do as much physical exercise. They do seem to like trampolining though- and it's fantastic exercise! Do think about where one could go in the future (including the dug in type)....See More
5 years ago- 5 years ago
- 5 years ago
5 years ago- 5 years ago
- 5 years ago
- 5 years ago
5 years agoAngie’s path may be bound gravel? Just a guess. They use it a lot on Garden Rescue. 😊
- 5 years ago
- 5 years ago
- 5 years ago
PRO5 years ago
Angie