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Front Garden - small area + hedge divider thoughts

Spartan7Spartan7 Posts: 16
in Garden design
Hello all,

I am trying to decide how best to approach a problematic area in my new home.
At the front of the property is a patch of 'low maintenance' (i.e. gravel) garden.

The approximate size is ~4m x ~5m x ~6m on it's longest side.
The issue I have is that the area is end of terrace but there's a small cul-de-sac next to it. The gravel area is crossed by delivery people too lazy to walk round it and up the driveway (we also get a lot of leaflets delivered so there's quite a big footfall across the gravel, which I see disturbed on a daily basis).



So on the longest side my plan is to put a narrow hedge running down the side and butting it up neatly to the garden wall that runs down the side of the house (slightly protruding at the front). As I am looking for an instant solution I was contemplating 1m high privet and then turfing the remaining patch of land (gravel is hideous!). I have no plans to grow the hedge any higher than ~1.4m


Proposed hedge solution:


Do you think privet can be contained to be relatively narrow? Any other suggestions? I had mulled over just putting a 1m high metal fence up and then running a climber through it, but metal fencing would cost more than the privet and I don't think it would feel as natural (even if totally hidden).

Thoughts/suggestions welcome

Thank you 

 

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Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited September 2018
    You can keep privet quite small if you're prepared to clip it regularly.
    I have a short section of privet hedge which is about 18" wide at the bottom, 12" wide at the top and about 2 and a half feet high.  It's been in about 20 years or so starting from small plants of about 12" tall and gradually letting it get taller and wider.
    For an instant solution starting with taller plants you'll probably need to clip back the tops to be 12" or so less than the final height that you want, so that it can form a good flat top, and be sure to clip it narrower at the top than at the bottom so that it doesn't go bare lower down.
    Have you thought about putting a gate in the wall at the end of the path? 
    Or remove the gravel and spread a load of nice fresh horse poo to rot down over winter ready for planting next spring >:)
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    On a more serious note, you don't want manure if you're going to lay turf, but it might put people off walking over the area :)
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It's better - and cheaper - to plant smaller plants in well prepared soil.  They settle in faster and grow faster than larger ones.   You can protect them with a temporary fence of cheap chicken wire or split canes attached to simple wooden poles while the plants grow high enough for posties and others not to step over.

    Gravel may look unattractive to you but putting down and then maintaining grass in such a small area will be a serious PITA.  I'd introduce some spiky shrubs planted into the gravel.  If you scrape it back there should be a membrane beneath.  Cut a cross to enable you to fold back the membrane, prepare the planting hole and introduce your chosen plant then refill, water, leave to settle so you can check levels and then, when happy, put back the membrane and gravel.   Lots of interest, easy care.  Win-win.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    You could consider a box or yew hedge - both respond well to hard pruning / clipping and form tidy, dense, formal hedges well suited to a front garden setting. They can both be bought in as 'instant hedges'.

    Box and yew both only need to be clipped once a year - I seem to remember my father had to cut his 1.2m high privet hedge 2 or 3 times per season. To be honest I don't like privet - mainly because his hedge always looked rather sorry for itself - rather leggy and thin in places - but he probably didn't feed it or do any of the other things a good gardener would...

    Are you sure you want to turf the shingle area? Again, this is a personal 'thing' but I hate having to cut tiddly areas of lawn. It's just a faff. Without a photo it's hard to say whether your shingle looks good or bad - maybe it just looks boring? You could consider planting into it then maybe adding some larger pebbles and small boulders for added textural interest.
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Obelixx - That's nearly a 'snap' re the shingle😀
    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Another thought - if you don't want to use the gravel area (eg for sitting out) you could plant an informal mixed hedge (basically a row of shrubs) which could include some prickly stuff such as berberis.  It would take up a much wider area than privet but if you don't need to use the area then it won't matter. You could include things with flowers, berries etc and it would be lower-maintenance than formal hedge + lawn.  It really depends on what you like.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Spartan7Spartan7 Posts: 16
    Thank you for all your comments and suggestions 

    @JennyJ - Your plan is devious (and I love it), thank you for the tips re: clipping

    @Obelixx and @Topbird - Again thank you for your comments and suggestions. Because it's end of terrace, the driveway and 'garden' currently make the house/land feel very 'open' - a hedge was a way for me to visually re-enforce the house and it's boundaries. It is possible that I may gate the driveway and the hedge would flow nicely into that (though that is just a thought at the minute).

    Box is what I first looked at (and like the best) but at the instant height I require it is unfortunately outside my budget.

    Re: Gravel - I live in an estate and virtually no one has grass - it would definitely elevate the house's look and feel.

    Re: Grass - I don't mind cutting small patches, though my initial concern was that a hedge may not leave much room.

    Shrub wise, I have no expertise in this area. I won't rule it out but I also don't trust myself to make something that looks inviting! It's a possibility but it would need to be colourful and on the longest side, have some height because visually reinforcing that edge is important (since people like to also park cars on that corner, I'd like to look at something a little prettier) :smile:

    Lots for me to mull over... 


  • MuddyForkMuddyFork Posts: 435
    Have you checked your house deeds?  Many estates contain clauses banning hedges or fences in the fron t garden to maintain the open plan feel.
  • Spartan7Spartan7 Posts: 16
    MuddyFork said:
    Have you checked your house deeds?  Many estates contain clauses banning hedges or fences in the fron t garden to maintain the open plan feel.
    I have but since reads like it was written by a Victorian, I'm none the wiser :smiley:   There are properties round the corner that have hedges, shrubs etc. and established ones at that (at least 5-10 years) - the reasoning for most peoples lack of greenery is that they all have Driveways on the terraces.

    The house use to have grass on the 'garden' area many years ago but the previous owner preferred a much easier level of upkeep hence the gravel.
  • Spartan7Spartan7 Posts: 16
    JennyJ said:
    Another thought - if you don't want to use the gravel area (eg for sitting out) you could plant an informal mixed hedge (basically a row of shrubs) which could include some prickly stuff such as berberis.  It would take up a much wider area than privet but if you don't need to use the area then it won't matter. You could include things with flowers, berries etc and it would be lower-maintenance than formal hedge + lawn.  It really depends on what you like.
    I missed this post, thank you for the suggestion.

    I went home and thought about all the suggestions from everyone. I’m open to the idea of planting shrubs but on the longest side I really need 1m height so further suggestion on this would be great. As would colourful, non invasive shrubs with shallow roots (if such a thing exists) for the rest of the garden.
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