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Helps and tips needed!

tonyslater76tonyslater76 Posts: 4
in Garden design
Hi all 

We have a small yard at the back. It is made up mostly of cracked concrete. We have had a few quotes around the 2500 mark to fix it up and put some decking in the corner. I want to do as much as possible to it by myself as it is only a small area. 

Would love some tips and help and see what other people would do with a yard like this. It is a bit of a mess at the moment as you can see in the picture! thanks 

Posts

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I would dig up the concrete and pave it to make a little courtyard garden, incorporating a couple of small areas unpaved, for planting in the ground. Does it get much sun? Decide what is more important to you, a sunny seating area or sun for plants. Personally I would prioritise sun for me and plant shade loving plants in the shady bits.

    If you want to incorporate some planting areas but your soil is a bit rubbish or drainage poor, you could make a couple of raised beds for planting in, which would give you scope to plant a few climbers against the fence and underplant those with some perennials. Some plants do fine in pots but you have to be on the watering and feeding to keep them happy - given the choice, most plants would prefer to be in the ground.

    Wooden decking is a bit dated, gets slippery when wet, creates an area underneath ideal for rats, slugs and snails and rots eventually. There are some very smart composite decking systems available in shades of grey for a more contemporary look that are more easily maintained.
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Papi JoPapi Jo Posts: 4,254
    Nollie said:

    Wooden decking is a bit dated, gets slippery when wet, creates an area underneath ideal for rats, slugs and snails and rots eventually. There are some very smart composite decking systems available in shades of grey for a more contemporary look that are more easily maintained.
    I had one of those "smart composite deckings" laid last year and heartily recommend them. Not cheap, though. More on my garden site here: http://www.rezeau.org/wp-garden/en/new-decking-for-the-terrace-garden-stairs/
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It largely depends on how handy you are. If you have the means to dig out the concrete, and then level the site, or create two levels if there's a bit of a slope, it would then be fairly straightforward to make the space usable.
    If it's shady, gravel is easy and inexpensive, and doesn;t get slippy like paving and decking, and if it's sunny you could do a mix of paving and gravel - [gravel is good for awkward spaces] or pave completely if you're able to do it. Raised beds would provide good planting opportunities, especially as the ground will be difficult to work with, or large pots and containers if you find that easier. 

    It's important to know how shady/sunny the site is when it comes to the planting too, and also what you will use the space for. As @Nollie says, most people will want somewhere to sit/eat, and also for drying washing, or providing a play area for children and so on. 
    Make a few sketches using a reasonably 'to scale' outline of the plot. That way, you can decide what you can do yourself, and what might need someone more skilled.  :)

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    It was yours I was thinking of @Papi Jo as I typed!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • tonyslater76tonyslater76 Posts: 4
    Thanks all. So as you can see in the image. The prospected seating area would be astroturfed and on a different level to the paved area. This would be a seating area, we get the sun most of the day in that area. The paved area would just be simple paving to keep it clean and tidy. The problem is the whole garden slopes down slightly towards the house. 
  • tonyslater76tonyslater76 Posts: 4
    The astroturf is just an idea, a like the idea of grey composite decking in the corner for a smart look 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    That makes a difference then @tonyslater76. Is that part of the house in the pic? The slope looks as if it goes the other way.
    If the slope is downward to the house, it would be better to level that area, so that there's no problem with damp courses etc,  and make a small retaining wall to counteract the rest of the slope. That can be brick, block, timber, gabions etc, depending on your budget and skills. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I can’t help it ... even the expensive ‘astroturf’ makes me think of the stuff that undertakers use to line graves and cover the mound of earth with at an interment. 

    Good paving is so much nicer. 😊 

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





  • tonyslater76tonyslater76 Posts: 4
    Fairygirl said:
    That makes a difference then @tonyslater76. Is that part of the house in the pic? The slope looks as if it goes the other way.
    If the slope is downward to the house, it would be better to level that area, so that there's no problem with damp courses etc,  and make a small retaining wall to counteract the rest of the slope. That can be brick, block, timber, gabions etc, depending on your budget and skills. 
    No that is an outhouse. The garden slopes away from that to the house 

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