Help - Sleepers, Patios, Walkways, Turf or all 4
Dear Houzz Community,
You have been absolutely awesome with some of the other design questions I have posted in the past. I was wondering if I could now lean on your support to get some guidance around the best layout to go for my rear garden please.
These are two similar but slightly different images taken from my Kitchen window. I was curious as to how do the layout? FYI, the sun usually shines down in the area at the back of the garden (opposite end of where I was standing when taking these photos).
My initial thoughts were something like this but to tell you the truth, I have zero knowledge when it comes to gardening. The following is based on me standing from where the photos were taken:
- Non-slip porcelain tiles at the back of the garden (3M from the back fence) for a patio area
- Non-slip porcelain tiles at the back of the house (where I am standing) (1M from house wall)
- Non-slip porcelain tiles to create a left and right walk-way
- Sleepers going around the gardens left, back and right fence (horse-shoe shape)
- Astro-turf or turf in the middle
I was thinking of going for a grey/slate coloured tile to match the drive way at the front and the white render of the house. This would give the front-to-back a natural flow? If it helps, I can provide an image of the front drive-way although I have a massive thread on here that has images of it already.
The kitchen door (exit to the garden) is at the right of where I am standing when taking the pictures. Its basically on the right side of the house wall. When you walk out, you are literally stood to the right side of the garden where the neighbours fence is.
The fence to the left was only installed yesterday. It will turn the same colour as the one at the back as the sun tans its.
Honestly speaking, I just want a nice open feel in the garden, not too much going on, no neighbours looking in and just being able to sit, eat and chill with friends and family on a nice summers day. I am completely open to altering my plan so please feel free to express your thoughts.
Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you
Window Shot 1
Window Shot 2
EDIT to original post - adding a picture from rear fence to back of house and 360 degree window. The approximate length of the garden is 11.5meters.
Rear Shot
Video - 360 Degrees
Comments (11)
PROThe Rooted Concept Garden Designs
2 years ago
Jason Digs
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Need help with my Garden
Comments (46)Bearing in mind that you have young children, the focus of the garden in my opinion should be on them. A small patio/dining/relaxing area for adults near the house, and perhaps also at the end of the garden would be lovely. I would also have most of the garden redone in grass (real grass!) with room to play. And I would keep the fence... its the most practical having children near a river, even if they're not babies anymore. I would probably break up the unusual shape of the garden with a few pots, planters and borders 'sticking' out into the garden so the eye is drawn away from the sharp, narrow end. I agree with what was said above though about just living with the space for a bit and seeing how you use it....See MoreNeed help finishing an area in the garden....
Comments (7)Love the pics Rachel...maybe I need to think of decking and stones/plants...like that idea... You can't see from the photo of garden but we have slide and swing and also shed beyond the bushes so our granddaughter can keep toys in. We get the evening sun at the rear of the garden so also a BBQ area and sun loungers are here.. I'm thinking of creating a further dining area over there eventually! Back to the area next to the house which is next to the patio and dining area I would like it to be a chilled area with planters and seating as per the pics.. it's just choosing the right ground cover (decking or stone and pavers are now becoming my favourites)...See MoreHelp me design my garden please
Comments (17)Looks great:) Agree with ED, plants in pots need regular watering and care. As for trees, if it’s in full sun then an olive would be great or if in cool shade an acer would also look nice. They need fairly large pots tho. For that reason I wouldn’t put shrubs or trees into the planter between decking and gravel mainly because of the roots and spread. However some may take well such as yew or tall growing junipers such as ‘sky rocket’. Personally I like to see a mixture of tall and flowing grasses and perennials. Mexican feather grass (sometimes called ponytails), crocosmia ‘red Lucifer’, some gladioli, and zebra grass would make a lovely combo. If you put the Mexican feather grass near the edge of the lawn you can watch it waft in the breeze (it’s one of my favorites:))....See MoreVictorian Renovation in London Part 4 - snagging and garden
Comments (213)Belated thanks, Nisha. So I have compiled some albums of photos so you don't have to trawl through all the threads. Hopefully this works: someone let me know by posting, please? Completed house: https://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=one_set72157700454483311 The whole, messy, process: https://www.flickr.com/photos/reshington/albums/72157684375457971...See Morekl55hp
2 years agoI found this on-line and thought it might give you a few ideas. You can find other ideas by googling "small north facing garden". One choice you will need to make is whether you would prefer the garden to be linear or curvilinear.
Saah HArgreaves
2 years ago
THKa{[8]}
2 years agoGJ Dee
2 years agopjdklm
2 years agoHi- when we redid our similar sized & shaped garden, we laid our paving in a “sideways U shape”. That gives us space to have a rocking chair next to the house, a shed area in the back corner, and a nice long space for dining along the side. The other side is laid with lawn. We have a narrow 20cm border around the perimeter that is wide enough for jasmine plants and spring bedding. Our “shed” at the back is made with 2 additional fence panels, one set at 90 degrees off the property border fence post, and another made into a door using hinges and a castor wheel. It’s topped by a polycarbonate roof.
I’ve attached a picture looking down on it, and the another that looks back towards the house.
Julian Cheese
2 years agoJulian Cheese
2 years agoJason Digs
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoHello Houzzers,
I hope you are well. I just wanted to share the latest update with you. From the images and video originally posted, I am making slow but decent progress with the back garden. Since my last update the following has happened:- New fencing on right side of garden
- Sleepers installed in a stepped fashion. I am thinking of planting veg in the first segment/step on the right side and fruit in the first segment/step on the left side. Second segment/step area would be some nice colourful plants with at a short height and last segment/step around the patio will be taller plants/trees even higher. So when looking from the back of the house to the rear of the garden the plants get taller as the steps get taller.
New Video - https://streamable.com/bks6en
Question - In the video, there are some pavers temporarily on the floor nearest to the camera (three in total, different sizes) - this is going to be the path to the step-up patio area. The path ends to the step of the patio area. That step, I have 2 options for the face of it:- Put a sleeper all the way across and then pave flush to the top of that sleeper. So you will have paving stone path, sleeper across the face of the step, paving stone patio.
- Use the same paving stone for the face of the step. So you will have paving stone path, paving step face and paving stone patio. All a continuous flow.
In the video, you can see both options for the step face. The paving face is demo'ed on the right side where he temporarily laid the stone against the face. Here is an image of that:
- What are your thoughts so far?
- Which of the two options for the patio step face would you go for?
- Would you have a lip for the patio step?
Extra Info:- Gone for an Indian stone grey. This will start at the rear door, come in-line with where the sleeper starts and run all the way across.
- On the right side sleeper, a path will paved next to it leading to to the step-up patio area. The patio area.
- The area from the kitchen door, path and patio will all be Indian Stone grey
- The square to the left of the path to the left side of the sleeper will be artificial grass.
- Sleepers to be oiled or varnished....undecided,,,,your thoughts?
- Fence Panels to be painted but not sure what colour - Dark Grey, Light Grey/Whitish or Dark Brown.....again not sure - your thoughts?
Olivia