Ideas for back yards.

Hello. Im new to the gardeners forums and would like some opinions as to which plants could brighten up my back yard.
I own a front garden terraced house in a nice quiet area of town, to the rear is a back yard. For many years both my wife and I have sat outside during the summer days and evenings wondering how to brighten it up. We dont have a great amount of space as we have an extension which takes a large amount of space. What space we do have we utilise it well. We have a barel water feature and we have a table and four chairs and one of those cast iron benches. When we have company the yard can easily accomodate twelve people. Being a plasterer I have pebble dashed the walls and they look ok but now after the winter it looks like it has gone green and discoloured, that needs to be cleaned with something.. I also have a 6X4 garden shed. What I was looking for are some climbing plants that will live and come alive the year after. I planted a honeysuckle in a large pot, it grew brilliantly but the leaves went all black spottish, I cut it down in Novemebr but there is no sign that it will flourish again. I also have an arch and would like something to grow up that, but again it would have to be from a pot. I am open to all ideas.
Kind regards Dennis

 

The honeysuckle may well reappear-they can get mould but cutting it back hard does the trick more often than not. I understand that honeysuckles like their roots in shade, so if you can cover the compost around the top with pebbles, broken pots anything to give that shade.

As for the rest of the space, can you post some pics and give an idea of where you get the sun and at what times? Town gardens can be so lush and real retreats from the madding crowd. But as a start, do you have any flower beds where things can be planted or are you dependant on pots?

 

Thank you very much for your reply and good ideas. We do have a plot which is situated between ours and next doors extension, this is well shaded. We have an ivy growing from here which does give some nice greenery. We have window boxes, wall pots and those long tubs which I grew sweet peas last year not very good. I have a nice bamboo in a large pot but the idea of climbing plants appealed.

Kind regards Dennis

 

Sweet peas need deep space to grow to their full potential, as well as sun.

A bamboo in a pot is a great way to get loads of greenery and you could create a Japanese inspired garden quite easily in a back yard. Just make sure the bamboo is in big enough pot. If the area you mention is shaded, how about ferns, lots of them and hostas (plantain lilies) in pots (to keep the snails away!)?

If you get a chance, pop into Waterstones or similar and browse their gardening design section. No need to buy, but there are plenty of books that cover small gardens, shady gardens, gardening vertically, with patios, with pots and with roof gardens. You can get loads of ideas to start with an improve from there.

Oh yes, and have fun