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Design Dilemma Gardens

Help with garden update / refresh

2 years ago

We are currently going through the final planing of a ground floor renovation and taking the opportunity to also consider some much needed updates to the garden. Part of the plans from the architect has been to extend out our patio from the new 4m wide sliding doors, so that we have a seamless exit from the property - this will mean raising the outside patio area to have a continuation of the porcelain tiles from inside out (darker grey area in picture). The lighter grey is lower level suggested patio areas.

We have come up with the attached as a way to split up the garden into sections, including a new seating area at the bottom with for some shade - the garden is south facing and can get very hot, with this area being the last part to get sun in the summer (this is currently where the shed sits).

The idea would be to move the shed (yellow box) to the bottom right and put a cedar screen up in front of it to hide it away.

The two trees are existing with a magnolia nearest the house.

Any thoughts or criticism welcome.

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Comments (4)

Sonia
2 years ago
I’m no garden designer but my sister has recently had her garden designed and planted by a garden designer. She too has created a pergola bottom left as it gets the last bit of sun and on the other side to the right is her shed clad in cedar panels. The planting is very new but full and is beautiful. Doesn’t show up well in my rubbish photos. She has porcelain from the house, down a few steps to the lower garden. Here’s some photos of hers. I think it will look amazing this time next year.
Ben Cooper thanked Sonia
Ben Cooper
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks Sonia - very helpful
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d sen
2 years ago
Hi Ben,
Would suggest you invest in some shading over the new top patio - a clever sail design perhaps where adjustability can be utilised to suit the sun position. Also a simple pergola at the bottom end, again necessary for shade, plant a vine or quick growing climber to give the dapple type shade. Have just finished a project where a gazebo sits within an astro-turf area, (6m x 5m), very smart, soft underfoot and easy to keep clean, (ignore the staging it was necessary to build the roof).

A question for ALL HOUZZ subscribers re the modern link of inside to outside patio level " what happens when it rains", surely the bottom of the windows become very marked from bounced up droplets, even allowing for a dedicated drain line between house and patio, quite a nuisance on my windows where the house is 2 bricks higher. Good luck Ben, D
Ben Cooper thanked d sen
Angie
2 years ago
I’d go for some curves in the design, maybe a circular lawn with a path sweeping round one side. Not sure how big your garden is, but curves can help give the illusion of space. The pictures are what we had done to our garden about 5 years ago, another taken last summer, I thin, and one from he autumn. It looks a lot different now that everything has matured and we love it. Our garden is east facing and we get sun pretty much all day and into the evening but benefit from some shade when the sun goes in front of the house for a bit. Have fun planning. Angie
Ben Cooper thanked Angie

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