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Newbie gardener with a new build garden - where do I start?
clairearm
Posts: 8
Hello!
Last July we moved into a new build house. The garden is simply turfed with fence and wall all the way around. We’re fairly overlooked from behind. The ground is currently really boggy underfoot and the garden isn’t very level.
I have 2 young children who love playing out in the garden.
My husband and I are not gardeners but are going to try and tackle this ourselves.
My problem is I just can’t seem to get any inspiration of where to start! The top left corner gets all the sun so I’m thinking a small decked area in that corner. I would also like some way to create a bit more privacy at the back. I want some plants and flowers but not too many as I want the kids to be able to play without me yelling at them!
I thought perhaps some some more experienced gardeners on here might be able to give me some tips and ideas about where to start.
I’m going to try and attach a photo - but there’s not much to see! 😊
Thank you.
Claire
Last July we moved into a new build house. The garden is simply turfed with fence and wall all the way around. We’re fairly overlooked from behind. The ground is currently really boggy underfoot and the garden isn’t very level.
I have 2 young children who love playing out in the garden.
My husband and I are not gardeners but are going to try and tackle this ourselves.
My problem is I just can’t seem to get any inspiration of where to start! The top left corner gets all the sun so I’m thinking a small decked area in that corner. I would also like some way to create a bit more privacy at the back. I want some plants and flowers but not too many as I want the kids to be able to play without me yelling at them!
I thought perhaps some some more experienced gardeners on here might be able to give me some tips and ideas about where to start.
I’m going to try and attach a photo - but there’s not much to see! 😊
Thank you.
Claire
0
Posts
Do you want to put flower beds in? If so I would put them in using curves rather than straight lines as straight flower beds will make a small garden seem boxy and smaller than it is.
what direction does the garden face and what type of soil? To get the best out of your plants you need to plant the right things for your garden type.
But ... I'd go for an oval-shaped lawn, which (a) looks better in a rectangular setting and (b) gives you bigger beds in the corners. Put the long axis of the oval at whatever angle looks best to you.
Privacy - speak to the neighbours and see if they're happy with some trellising on the fences. They might even go halves, as presumably they'd prefer that you couldn't see into them. Then cover the fences with climbers and hope that they survive the kids!
The area next to the patio looks pretty muddy so you might want to consider extending the patio. Try to get a curved edge rather than just another couple of rows of slabs. Gives somewhere for the kids to play on very wet days and gives you room for a spot of outdoor entertaining.
Are there any gates you need to get to? If so, lay a path, but try to make it slightly curved, just looks so much more interesting.
Long term you might want to think about some shrubs to screen parts of the garden from view - good for the kids once you're past the stage at which you need to keep your eye on them all the time. Could even hide a wendy house. But you'd need to get the shrubs in now.
Check with the garden centre as to child-friendliness of any plants you buy - no berried shrubs or poisonous/irritant things.
if you want plants then you are going to need a water source.
look for somewhere off the guttering that you can put a water butt. Think about what your garden is going to need before worrying about planting.
so water source, seating area, play area fro children and any play equipment you want to put in ie swing, slide, Wendy house.
outside storage for tools, lawn mower etc. Have you a space of a shed or do you want one?
then look at what space you have left and any bits you want to hide like the water but or shed and then plan your bed sizes, lawn area and any features you want like a arbor or pergola.
lovely to have such a blank space so you can do a garden to suit your needs.
Re the potential overlooked issue - screening and climbers will green-up the boundaries and create a feel of seclusion, and one trick is to put seating by the fence, facing your house so you can't see what's behind.
On a practical note, consider storage, a tap and some shade for little people.
If you aren't sure about permanent planting, you can always do pots this year until you see how the garden is used, how much time you can spend 'gardening', how the grass fairs etc.
Good luck and post some pics.
The garden faces north west - the sun travels around the garden throughout the day with most bits getting sun at some point except the patio under the house. The top left corner gets it all day.
I have no idea what the soil is like but I know new builds are notorious for bad drainage and soil, so was thinking raised borders maybe?
We don't need a shed as the building on the left is the garage and the access gate is to the left of the patio.
The photo makes it look like the houses behind us are right on top of the fence but they aren't. So yes their bedroom windows look into the garden but it's not too intrusive and because of the garages on either side we're completely private from those neighbours. I've googled the junipers and they look a bit dense but I like the idea of something like the bamboo as it would screen but not completely block out all light.
I definitely need to extend the patio under the house but I'm not sure if that's something I need to get the professionals in to do? Is this something we could do ourselves do you think?
We already have a water butt - just out of shot to the left. But I'm going to move it round the back of the garage as it's a bit of an eye sore and it's right in front of the patio doors. We also have a wendy house just off shot to the right - I do need to factor that and a slide into whatever we do!
I was excited about having such a blank canvas but I'm now feeling a little overwhelmed!