Garden Makeover Advice
tgross39
last month
Help! I’m really struggling what to do with my garden but I want to make it lower maintenance as I’m always working in it and never enjoying it. I want to increase the lawn in the middle section so to make the borders narrower and therefore have less plants to tend to. I also want to change the patio as it is hideous. I don’t have a huge budget but would prefer porcelain. I also like the idea of the steps and walls of the flower beds matching the porcelain of the patio but the walls are rounded so I was told they would have to be rebuilt straight so better to get a builder in. Every gardener I get in say it’s up to me but I’m struggling making a decision. Anyway have any ideas, recommendations or photos of something similar they may have done. Thanks so much.
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Back garden needs total makeover!
Comments (12)You need some earth to plant in. You could do it all in pots and planters but in the ground is better and less demanding on the maintenance front. You'll be removing the raised decking but may be replacing the pergola above it, shading the area probably too much for effective planting. Put something else such as seating or table and chairs there for now. The rest of the ground is currently covered in bricks and concrete apart from the barbeque area, which is decking. From what you've said that decking is in decent condition. So now we go to work. I'm setting this work out in sections as a DIY project which could be done stage by stage over any period of time, or periods of time with gaps between, that you choose. I would extend the period of my plan if progress is slow, speed it up if progress is better than anticipated. My plan would start with removing the weeds and dried out plants from the raised beds, both the brick walled and the wooden walled ones. They would be planted with what I want to put there after the soil had been seriously refreshed by mixing in a good amount of fresh compost. Something like three or four inches depth of compost mixed with the top four or five inches depth of soil in the raised bed. My next priority would be to create more growing space. To do that I would remove quite a lot of the bricks from the ground, clean them off as well as I could and store them for now. Some will probably break up, and those would be dumped. The good ones can be used as temporary access paths and pot stands, which will be moved around throughout the following stages. Lots of compost would be added to the newly revealed soil and that is where the next stage of planting would occur. The concrete next. We need to know how thick it is and that will be easy to see at the previous stage with a few bricks removed. Very thick? That's a tough job. Two inches thick? An inch? Less? The thinner the easier. A few whacks with a heavy hammer should break a thin layer up. If it is too thick for that you will need to hire somebody with the effective machinery for the job. I can't see the access in the pix so cannot guide you on what machinery. There is nothing broken up concrete can be used for so it has to go. The revealed earth needs to be revived in the same way as the rest was before planting takes place. We have ended up with bare earth, maybe some bricks left in the ground but otherwise just what we've planted and the loosely laid bricks. Where do you want your path now it's to become a more permanent feature? Don't forget access to the raised beds so you can tend the plants. Where do you want your potted plants? The path and the bases for the pots can now be made stable by putting the bricks back into the ground. I prefer them on their sides but that is up to you. Flat as they are now, on their sides, or a mixture, perhaps side on for the paving and flat as pot supports? I would experiment a little if I hadn't used bricks this way before. No way is right or wrong. It is all down to personal preference. Any bricks still in the ground from the beginning can now be either taken out and used in the plan or perhaps a few have happily ended up just where they're needed. So there is a way forward with very little spending involved. Seeds are mostly very cheap. Plants are cheaper than other materials, labour or professional services. You will swear a lot, sweat a lot and have lots of fun. You will also learn a great deal. If you do end up still feeling you need help you will understand exactly how to brief the professional you appoint....See MoreFront garden makeover
Comments (8)A few professional garden design tips: Choose a style such as contemporary, traditional, colour scheme (purple & white is always a favourite), naturalistic etc and stick to it - make every decision relate back to your scheme to unite the area. Draw some lines out from the geometry of the house, it related the planting back to the house so the two sit well together (you mid use hedging for this). Personally, I would ditch the lawn and all shrubs and start from scratch. Start with structural planting, that is stuff you will see in the winter such as evergreens and maybe a small tree (Amelanchier lamarckii would fit the space well and roots are well behaved). Then fill in the gaps with herbaceous that you like - ensure the plants you select are suitable for your aspect (refer RHS website). Lastly comes bulbs - perhaps a little late for this so maybe do this next autumn for spring flowering bulbs such as Narcissus or Alliums....See MoreBudget garden makeover
Comments (47)Hello All, hope you're having a lovely Saturday - just saw Wales win their first Euro 16 match; very happy, now waiting for England. Quick update: cut the grass on a high setting following advice and did some weeding. Decided to jet wash the patio but found that my garden hose had holes in it. Had to dash, in the rain, to Poundstretcher to get a new one. I've never used a jet wash power and had a little taster. See below. Tomorrow, I hope to wash the patio properly but it's hard work. Tommy Turtle's looking a lot better and you can the slabs that I've done so far. Think I need to sweep first as the moss was flying everywhere! A little comparison, of what can be. Hopefully, I will post the results tomorrow. How is everyone getting on with their projects? Keep posting!...See MoreGarden and bedroom makeover of cottage
Comments (1)Hi there! Great before and after shots - premium example of the power of effective design and quality construction work! It's a whole new space!...See More
tgross39
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