Garden Design Help Please

Hello

I hope I have posted this in the right place.
We have just moved into a new 1950's detached house and would like to do the garden up. It was quite overgrown so I have been busy clearing a lot of the mess out. I have brought quite a few plants over the past couple of weeks including 3 Leylandii's to cover the bare patch in the corner where the dead apple tree once stood.

I am looking for design ideas off people! I have a rough idea of what I'm looking to do but as this is my first garden then Id be grateful for any advice.

Please see the link to the picture of the garden:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48313119@N08/?saved=1




What I had in mind was to have the majority of the area grassed, then a pagoda in the bottom right hand corner with a bench under it and flower beds around the edges.
The garden will be used for entertaining i.e. BBQ's etc. There are no children present yet...but this may change within the next year!
I'm struggling to think of ideas and although Ive brought a few garden design books I cant seem to see what I want.

Thanks in advance

David

 

Hi and welcome.

No offence but do you mean "pagoda" or "pergola?"

There's one of the first on my "project post" and two of the second.

As has been said have a look at what others have done and then formulate a long term plan as to how you want your garden to eventually look and progressively work towards it. Don't try a "quick fix."

 

Here is a pic of a pagoda I'm making. The pic just shows the top structure sitting on the ground. I've 1 metre high legs put under it since and I'm waiting for burnished copper/black 1 metre high walls to be delivered and they'll be going on next.



Then I'm thinking of putting in a few panes of glass with some stained glass drawings above the metal walls. Hard (impossible) to explain but I'll post a pic up when I start on the glass.

It might just give you an idea, if you're going ahead with your pagoda.

That's not real copper by the way, just rolled aluminium sheeting sprayed with copper paint. Cheap, but does the job.

 

These are just my opinions.

As well as serpentine pathways sectioned by trellis, I would definitely be wanting one or perhaps two areas to entertain in. Two is always nice, as any children can separate themselves from sitting with the 'boring adults'
Seating is also a key element for me. I like to have seating at various points around a garden to give interest, diversity, and places to relax and follow the sun. If you opt for curves, try to have an element of surprise and variation around each corner or point. This could be achieved from garden features or planting. I'd also make sure that I had an area dedicated to vegetable growing.


Also, not a pagoda, but I made this gazebo at the last house for family entertaining. We used it all year round, and just fitted screens during the cold winter months.



The current project at the new house is shown below. Although since this photo was taken, I have laid brick paving and finished off around the edges with raised borders. planted climbers on the posts, and made additional seating on the raised bed. The aim this year is to build a bread/pizza oven in the rear section.

 

that gazebo looks amazing, how long did it take you to build that and approx cost? I WANT IT!!!!

 

Hello,

I would suggest similar to EddieJ.

If you are having the gazebo / pagoda in the bottom right of the garden how about having a path wending its way from the gazebo up to the house? The path would cut through the lawn.

If you are planning on children then leave the lawn in, but have the lawn run across the garden from top right to bottom left, but cut the ends off the lawn to make sections for planting and more seating. This will still leave room for playing football etc.

I have had a go at drawing what I mean (it is a bit naff though). The blue would be all the planting, the grey is supposed to be a winding path and I have labeled everything else. You could put trellis in to create different areas and give you more space for seating.



The image is clickable to make it bigger.

Just my suggestions anyway.:thumb:

Cath.

 

Hi, Dave, have you already decided what style you want your garden to look like? How much time can you spend pottering about? Does the lawn need to stay as large as possible or can it be somehow divided and blended into a paved area or another, smaller patch of grass? How much do you like unusual/designer ideas? Are you attracted to straight, geometrical lines or are you rather drawn to an informal, cottage garden look?

If you can find some pictures where there's something that you find fascinating, point some of these details out and that'll be a ground where we - and you - can start off. You have a lovely plot, where a lot can be done, and with some tricks it can look even more spacious!

 

Wow, how beautiful the woodwork is on them! I love both! :luv: Baking your own bread in your own open-air pizza-oven is nothing like the ones you get in supermarkets...

 

Update on pagoda. Latest phase. Lots more work to do.

 

trying to keep it as open as possible - i like the look of a bigger garden and dont want to break the grass up into smaller sections. ive cleared most of the garden now. brought 3 leylandii tree's to plug the gap in the top left hand corner. looked at an arbour in B&Q the other day that was £2000 - getting my dad to build something similar for a lot less.

building starts on the house in 2 weeks time with a big extension including a decking area outside so im busy trying to finish clearing the garden.

ordered around £600 of plants today from the garden centre today and got a good deal, they arrive tomorrow so i can start planting them in, couple of bamboo plants to hide the fence on the side. il take some more pics soon and update.

 

Quick update. Cleared most of the garden now. just need to level the back to plant shrubs and start seeding the lawn. The builder used the mini digger to level some of the back off and pulled 5 tree stumps out which was handy!
The current lawn is in average condition. What do people recommend - to rip it up and reseed the whole lot of just bring it back to life with a bit of care?
also the next door neighbour as built a shed out of breezeblock right on the boundary, quite bizarre. Is this legal, would it have needed planning permission. Looks an eyesore!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48313119@N08/4512895824/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48313119@N08/4512251931/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48313119@N08/4512250239/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48313119@N08/4512889398/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48313119@N08/4512887624/in/photostream/

 

As a bit of a heads up, breaking a lawn up into sections, with perhaps a border or hedge with a walkway through it halfway or two thirds down, leading into a different area actually can make the garden look bigger. Paths leading away from the house towards the back of the garden catch the eye.