Front & Back Garden makeover

i am currently looking at re doing my front and back gardens as to be honest with you they are boring to say the least. so boring infact i did not even post a picture as you will all know what it looks like when i discribe it. both are 20ft x 15ft. back garden has 2 rows of slabs from the house followed by a lawn area with 2 ft borders down each side filled with lovely shrubs at the end of the garden is a shed.
front garden is mainly the same with out the slabs at the beginning and missing a shed.
both are fenced in.
i managed to landscape my mothers garden no problem as she had a lovely big area with different shapes but for all i have tried i am struggling to design a garden lay out for my own gardens it appears to be to small and i cant imagine anything nice i could spend up to �£6000 on a make over but not sure as to what company would be best.
i live in fife if anyone could recommend someone/ a company it would help gratefully and i could hopefully have a nice garden for the summer time

 

Post some pictures, Then we can come up with ideas. Save your money for hard lanscaping and plants.

 

here is some pictures of both the front and back garden taken over a year ago but still no change with regards the lay out.
back garden has the high fence

 

You certainly have some potential,and you keep everything immaculate.......Well done.
My only observation is, to many straight lines,and you need some height.
Good luck.

 

For a start you need to start about breaking the monotoney of the fence and breaking up the area.

Possibly climbers clematis, honey suckle up trellis. How about a small tree say a rowan in one corner or perhaps a potted blue spruce?

id be thinking of a curved path in the back with perhaps a bubble fountain. Plants wise, think about a few nice shrubs eg golden holly etc.

What sort of plants/ look do you want and what colours?

 

Lol, Roders great minds think alike! your post about height came through as I was typeing mine!

 

and finally a few pictures which i found from last summer


IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e55/cismul/atthezooandthegardenjuly07079.jpg[/img]

 

Barra your garden is just how I like them to be nice and so very tidy! :D

The upto date pictures show just how much growth plants can achieve after just a year, watch out for those lavender brushes I had 10 all long my front path and after a year or so they had out grown their welcome so yesterday I ripped them up although I did save three to put elsewhere in the garden but the others went straight into the green bin.


I agree with the guys try and have a curve or too here and there I mean you could give your front lawn a make over by simply turning it into a circle and it would also give you a new border along your front fence.

You fences are just crying out for some climbers as on the back it does seem that they dominant your plot, not only will climbers add more colour to you garden but they will also make your garden appear larger.

You have not mentioned if you have a patio or deck in your back garden I think one or the other is a must as one does need a place to relax and enjoy the beauty of ones garden.
Helen.xxx.

 

Totally agree with you Helen, a circular lawn would look stunning. I hate straight lines in a garden, very stressful. Curves are so casual and relaxing. :D

 

I'm new to the forum. I've been reading the posts for a while but only joined yesterday. Any way here is my contribution.

Like some of the other posters I�d get rid of the straight lines. I�m a great fan of shrubs as they are easy to maintain and a lot are evergreen.

I�m also a fan of scented plants and again shrubs can provide scent for most of the year.

Along the right hand border of the front garden I�d use a mix of smaller shrubs, which will hide the edge of the path, and some perennials for added summer colour. Shrub wise I go for things like:

Purple Sage
Euounymus Emmerld�n� Gold or Emerald Gaiety
Spirea Little Princess or Magic Carpet
Hardy fuchsia such as Fuchsia ââ?¬Ë?Geniiââ?¬â?¢
Santolina Incana
Potentilla ââ?¬Ë?Red Aceââ?¬â?¢, or ââ?¬Ë?Royal Flushââ?¬â?¢
Cotonester horizontalis ââ?¬â?? can be trained along the fence.

Maybe add some trellis to the fence near the house for a clematis.

To the left of the front door I�d plant something like Lonicera fragrantissima which produces fragrant creamy white flowers in winter and early spring. It can get a little big but can be pruned back to a smaller size. Then plant some smaller shrubs tapering down to the path and let the grass grow up to the path nearer the gate.

In the far left hand corner Iââ?¬â?¢d cultivate a little more ground and plant something tall like a Buddleja ââ?¬Ë?Harlequinââ?¬â?¢ which has creamy yellow margined leaves and red-purple flowers and a lovely fragrance in the summer. Just remember to prune it each year. In front of that Iââ?¬â?¢d put 1 or 2 smaller shrubs and along the front fence tapering down to the gate.

You can then plant more shrubs along the left hand fence so that you end up with a narrow path of grass heading up to the house.

Shrubs to consider

Fuchsia ââ?¬Ë?Versicolourââ?¬â?¢ ââ?¬â?? Varigated pink & greygreen foliage
Sarcococca ââ?¬â?? scented creamy white flowers in winter
Caryopteris
Rosmarinus ââ?¬Ë?Severn Seaââ?¬â?¢ or ââ?¬Ë?Prostrataââ?¬â?¢
Cytisus cultivars
Choiysia
Phormium tenax cultivars
Phygelius

In between and at the base of the shrubs you can plant your favourite perennials.

Paul