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Help with my garden!!

LauriebudhooLauriebudhoo Posts: 4
in Garden design
I am trying to make my garden a more attractive place to sit in. It is on 3 levels and So far I have Astro turfed the bottom two and it is looking much better. However the top level is crazy patio paved and want to know how I can make this area more attractive on a budget. Any ideas? Thanks 
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  • LauriebudhooLauriebudhoo Posts: 4
  • LauriebudhooLauriebudhoo Posts: 4
    Help! 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Something like this? 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    I think it looks a bit bad mainly because the pointing in between the slabs is so white thereby making the crazy paving so obvious. The cheap solution is to chip the pointing out and repoint using a more grey cement/sand mix. 
    To repair the step you need to chip back some of the old concrete, then make a proforma using wood for the new step and fill with concrete. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    You could use concrete stain over the entire patio to create a unified range of tones.  Can you paint the fence?  That would really make a big impact with minimal spending.  A lovely guava color would go great with the painted sleepers.  Also, large glazed pots in analogous colors.. filled with some choice plants.  Structure, color, and movement to lead the eye around the space.
    Utah, USA.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    I like Doves pics, if you have no kids or elderly folk to fall, pots on the steps would look good, yes, stain the fence, just to tidy it up, Cuprinol Garden shades cheap as chips in B and Q.More pots round the house on the crazy paving.  Your garden goods nice anyway.
  • Kitty 2Kitty 2 Posts: 5,150
    edited July 2018
    Hi Lauriebudhoo. Your transformation of a steep terraced space is looking good 👍. Was it all mostly concrete before?  I'm wondering if there's any soil beneath the gravel bit for planting.

    Agree with others that the top step needs repair to make it safe and a lick of paint will smarten up the fences.

    I suspect that a thorough jetwash has brought out how white the pointing is in the crazy paving. You could try painting it all one colour with masonry paint as Blue suggests, but bear in mind it may flake and come off next time you jetwash. Redoing the pointing with a coloured grout would be a more permanent solution. 

    The cheapest (and laziest) way would be to simply leave it to weather to a dark grey again 😉.
    Planting up some nice pots around that top level will soften the edges and distract the eye from the paving. Maybe add a fence trellis with a nice climber.

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Could you replace the concrete slab layer with gravel and some large containers?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • LauriebudhooLauriebudhoo Posts: 4
    Thanks for all of your suggestions it’s given me lots of ideas!! 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Let us know what you decide to do ... and show us some photos ... we love a good before and after thread luv

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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