what would you do? backyard inspo
I'm after some backyard inspo for this space. We are on solid rock - for the most part there is almost no soil, so any garden beds need to be built up. We have 2 kids under 8 so would like to keep some open grass space to play. There is a bit of a drop at the end of the deck (less than 1m) with a little space we're just not sure about.
Comments (7)
Austere Hamlet
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoWithout knowing your climate or orientation it's hard to say. But for a start, this is what I would do.
1. In the drop around your house below the level of the retaining wall I'd place river rocks over that entire area. Then a couple of large pots with a grassy or strappy plant in the ditch and another in the crook of your little seats at the other end of the deck. The high part of the yard I would create tiered, raised beds to follow the fall of the land. If it is a permanently shaded area I'd use azaleas and other shade loving plants for structural interest. A small square paved area in that corner for nice summer evenings with some mood lighting. Possibly site the BBQ and entertaining area here. From middle of your deck towards the sunny end, nice turf in a large patch.
Some low hedging or grassy borders across the back and probably the vege patch, garden shed on the other side. But if there truly is no sun on the shady side then that would be miserable place to site the entertaining area in winter. It all depends on where the sun travels and how many hours you get.
Some inspo for you. Pinterest is really good if you type in small gardens, small lawns, tiered gardens etc.
Related Discussions
Would you feel exposed??
Comments (13)Kind of funny really how many people would feel exposed and would not want to use the bathroom. The more I think about it, it's a bit like a public restroom with stalls (as stall walls rarely go to the ceiling or floor and have the added issues of gaps between the wall panels and doors -- which thankfully we won't have!). Regarding the humidity control issue, I should have clarified this is only for a toilet and small hand basin (not a full bathroom with shower). The main room on the other side of the proposed toilet is our dog whelping room where we will have young litters of puppies (when we have them). Further down the hall, removed from this room, is our training room where there are likely to be other visitors but the proposed bathroom would be quite removed from that area. It would be wonderful to find more windows like the ones that are up near the ceiling! That would certainly solve the issue. I'll have to scour the demolition/restoration places....See MoreNeed Ideas for Backyard
Comments (14)An outdoor room is like any other room. First decide what you want to use it for. For example, my back yard has a couple of rooms. The "dining room" is a table and 4 chairs under an inexpensive ($150) 12 ' X 12' Home Depot gazebo . The gazebo gives a pleasant feeling of enclosure and privacy when we sit at the table, and it also keeps the table clean and dry. We have a big hydrangea shrub right at the edge of this area to mark its edge. It's pleasant to sit so close to something blooming. The "living room" is 2 comfortable chairs and a love seat around a coffee table. We entertain there and pull the dining room chairs over if there are more than 4 of us. We also sit there to read in the evening. There's a smallish tree right beside it so it's pleasantly shady. The "kitchen" is the grill and a small table to set things on, and is closest to the kitchen door. Once you have decided how you want to use the space, you'll need to decide whether you want a new "floor". We have a low L-shaped deck that has the three rooms. Or you may decide on a concrete or slab patio for all or part of it. Farther from the house is some grass, and then more big shrubs (evergreen and blooming - little maintenance). And a little raspberry patch because it's fun to eat them right from the bush. The landscaping really comes last, once you have decided on the functions of the area. Don't start planting without a room plan. You may want, for example, to put one of your rooms right against the fence or wall, and if you've already planted shrubs or made beds then they will be in the way. You want to plant trees and larger shrubs so they are useful as the walls and roof of your rooms. Be sure to check the mature size of your plantings (it's on the tags) so you don't end up with branches hanging over your roof or over your neighbor's property. Don't make the mistake of putting in so many beds or plantings that you don't have time to sit and enjoy. A few low-maintenance shrubs that are planted close to where you sit are just as enjoyable as big swaths of flower beds that need weeding, annual bedding plants and maintenance (unless gardening is a hobby that you enjoy spending time at.) Enjoy your new home!...See MoreWhat do I do first? Walls, floors, tiles?
Comments (1)Paint your house and ceiling first. You are probably asking for trouble if you put the floors down only to paint over the top of them. If you can, remove the tiles in the kitchen and paint just behind the line of the splashback too. Once painting is done replace kitchen benchtop then splashback. I would call the bathroom its own job and do it individually, unless you only need to paint the ceiling and if a tiler doesn't need to be brought in for anything else in the house? A lot of bathrooms now are getting tiled from floor to the ceiling if this is the case, paint the ceiling first, then tile. If walls need to be painted, it wouldn't really matter if you did them first or last, though if you did it first expect to do some touch-ups. I guess if you really wanted, you could do the first coat before tiles then second after... I don't exactly like stopping and starting painting, so I would do the walls (if they needed to be done) in one hit, after its been tiled. Well that's the order in which I would do everything... Really, for what you're asking, the painting could be done at anytime, but to make life easy on yourself, I would definitely recommend doing it before the floor....See MoreNeed thoughts for backyard.
Comments (7)I would clean up first. Especially the stuff growing in the paving. Then get gardening with pot plants and start experimenting with different plants and the positions. See what you like and if you can keep it alive! Our house has the sun setting over the back fence and we've done a few inexpensive things to reduce that issue (most expensive were outdoor blinds around the verandah) but for most of the year we just don't want to be out there. It is hard work to keep the plants going in summer, there is a lot of sand due to the difficulty in keeping lawn alive and it is just bloody hot. So, that's why I'm saying clean up, start gardening small and see how you go before committing to structures that might not address the real issues you have with the yard. Just my 2 cents! :)...See More
Kate
3 years agoChloe
3 years agoThanks for the comments so far. Here is a rough plan of the yard. We're in NSW, Australia, a bit south of Sydney.
Good sun during summer, but the surrounding houses block a lot of it in winter.
We'd love a veggie patch somewhere and prefer low maintenance natives.
Austere Hamlet
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoThere are some truly beautiful natives on the scene now. I love acacia cognata for it's lovely mounding habit and the fact it fits into nearly any style of garden. It looks lush and temperate but also flowers.
Davidson plum is a native that takes up very little space but drops kilo's of fruit after a few years. If you like tart jam like rosella, and cranberry then davidson plum makes a beautiful tart jam and also a lovely steak sauce. It's very simple to grow and a distinctive looking tree. Also makes an excellent cordial.
Dianella is a native strap plant that clumps and looks stunning in the variegated leaf. It's cheap and easy to find and in mass plantings looks the business.
and while a coffee tree is not a native few other trees are as easy to grow and beautiful as this one. It grows to below 3 meters in a lovely dense bush shape. The leaves are deep green and glossy and it flowers with hundreds of delicate white blooms that smell like jasmine. It does not need pruning and looks good for absolutely years. If you want a lush look to your garden you can't go past a $7 K12 coffee tree that will fill a gap and look amazing. We put ours in as seedlings about 7 years ago and they are mature now. Both are beautiful shaped trees that have never been pruned and need zero maintenance or watering. They are fabulous ornamental trees that produce about 5kgs per tree of coffee beans a year. A truly worthy screening plant when you want a lush backdrop and maximum privacy.
And for a waterfall effect over terraces like no other you can't go past dichondra silver falls. It's native.
Kate
3 years ago
Devillan
3 years ago
Devillan