Garden Ideas

Hi i am just looking into starting my new garden but i am having problems trying to get a good idea on how it can look:

there are a few key things that need to be considered
1 i work away alot so need it to be low maintenance
2 it gets good sun coverage all day
3 it needs to be child friendly


this is look out of one of the bedrooms
this is looking out of the other bedroom
this is the view down from the top of the shed. this is the footings for a brick bbq to be built here this is looking towards the house
this is looking away from the house
this is also looking away from the house

the top part of the garden slops down from the gate to the house by approx 30cm in height the dimensions of the top part are 6.4m long by 4.6m wide

one of the problems i have is the position of the inspection manhole, i would like the top part of the garden to be leveled and in line with the edge of the shed but the manhole extends past the edge of the shed

has any one got an ideas of things i can do with the garden which will be suitable for the above points

thank you in advance

ste

 

Given your wish list. I would keep away from small tender plants to actually put in the soil. Find interesting shrubs of different growth pattern, such as weepy, vase shaped, tall thin etc--that would give your eye some interest, and make sure they flower etc. Use colorful pots for annuals.

 

I think to make the most of the available space, you'll need to go vertical. Climbers, hanging baskets, tall(ish) but narrow shrubs etc.

It wouldn't be a child friendly garden without peas growing in it, and they take up very little space. If you could fasten some strings to the wall and then plant peas at the foot of it, you should get a good crop and of course kids love pea pods (who doesn't?).

Strawberries can go in hanging baskets or you can get special tiered strawberry planters. Again, very little footprint.

I think I'd also take an angle grinder with a cutting disc on it, and take the sharp corners off those steps. Kids fall over. They are very good at falling over. I'd be worried about them whacking their heads on those pointy corners of the steps. Of course you can't wrap them in cotton wool, but you can take away the more nasty risks.

 

Hi Steven,

Just some quick thoughts and points to remember.

1) You need an area to sit down in

2) The washline needs to go somewhere

3) In the planned BBQ area, you will need somewhere to stand to flip the sausages therefore it would take up more of the garden.IMO the BBQ is probably going in the wrong place- but that depends on some of your other answers to the points.

4) Do you regularly use the back gate/door i.e. do you need a clear path to it?

5) How old are your children? Are there parks nearby or do you need somewhere to play football or for slides? If the children are young then in might well be worth postponing some of the major redesign for a few years.

Hope that gives some food for thought and then we can make a better plan. TND