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Garden redesign version 3
Garden noob
Posts: 260
I'm working on a garden redesign and would welcome any opinions as I have zero experience and am muddling along the best I can.
Fundamentally, is this likely to be a good use of the space? Am I likely to regret anything? I put in the long wooden raised bed a few years ago and I've grown to hate the straight lines, so I want to avoid similar regrets as this is a much bigger project.
Here are a few thoughts that I'm working to:
- Aiming for a balance of lawn and seating areas, retaining enough space for entertaining ~20 people eg BBQs
- I don't really want a garden that falls into a pigeonhole of "cottage garden" or "Japanese garden" etc - I just want a nice space with a decent patch of lawn that works for entertaining
- Trying to squeeze in an excuse for a bridge in the garden, because my wife has an irrational love of small bridges
- I have an irrational love of crocuses in lawns
- A wildlife-friendly component is desirable
- We enjoy gardening but both work full time and have other interests, so some maintenance is fine but it needs to be manageable
- There are two sycamore trees just beyond the bottom of the garden. Part of the reason the shed is in the corner is because it's under the trees. I plan to try to keep debris out of the pond and clean honeydew from the patio. Any suggestions on how to manage the impact of the trees are welcome.
- I need to manage ~30cm drop from left to right, which I plan to do by retaining a raised bed
- North facing garden with a bridge to the west, so the garden is shaded
Here's a time lapse of the shade in the garden, taken hourly from 9am until 5pm (14th April):
Here's a better view of the space (with 3m of patio behind the camera):
This is the current plan (which is very open to changes - it's just thoughts on a page):
The view from the patio at the far end of the garden is a problem as it faces the bridge:
This is roughly the plan for that space. I hope the summerhouse and possibly a tree can add a bit of interest/distraction from the bridge. Plus there'll be the pond just beyond the patio.
I'm trying really hard to think it all through as I'm pretty clueless, so any insight/pointers etc from you wonderful people would be gratefully received!
Fundamentally, is this likely to be a good use of the space? Am I likely to regret anything? I put in the long wooden raised bed a few years ago and I've grown to hate the straight lines, so I want to avoid similar regrets as this is a much bigger project.
Here are a few thoughts that I'm working to:
- Aiming for a balance of lawn and seating areas, retaining enough space for entertaining ~20 people eg BBQs
- I don't really want a garden that falls into a pigeonhole of "cottage garden" or "Japanese garden" etc - I just want a nice space with a decent patch of lawn that works for entertaining
- Trying to squeeze in an excuse for a bridge in the garden, because my wife has an irrational love of small bridges
- I have an irrational love of crocuses in lawns
- A wildlife-friendly component is desirable
- We enjoy gardening but both work full time and have other interests, so some maintenance is fine but it needs to be manageable
- There are two sycamore trees just beyond the bottom of the garden. Part of the reason the shed is in the corner is because it's under the trees. I plan to try to keep debris out of the pond and clean honeydew from the patio. Any suggestions on how to manage the impact of the trees are welcome.
- I need to manage ~30cm drop from left to right, which I plan to do by retaining a raised bed
- North facing garden with a bridge to the west, so the garden is shaded
Here's a time lapse of the shade in the garden, taken hourly from 9am until 5pm (14th April):
Here's a better view of the space (with 3m of patio behind the camera):
This is the current plan (which is very open to changes - it's just thoughts on a page):
The view from the patio at the far end of the garden is a problem as it faces the bridge:
This is roughly the plan for that space. I hope the summerhouse and possibly a tree can add a bit of interest/distraction from the bridge. Plus there'll be the pond just beyond the patio.
I'm trying really hard to think it all through as I'm pretty clueless, so any insight/pointers etc from you wonderful people would be gratefully received!
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Posts
First thoughts are that it is inadvisable to put a pond under a tree and it is better out in the open and in a sunny position. Secondly the road/rail bridge is crying out to be disguised by much taller planting in front of the fence so I would go for a couple of big shrubs and curve the bed round to give you a greater depth for planting. How about siting the patio that side so the bridge is behind you and you are looking the other way - or is the view worse? If you then put your pond in front or to the side of your patio, you can enjoy looking at it when sitting and admiring the wildlife. The pond bridge could then lead directly over to the patio so that there is a reason for it to be there - bridges that don't go anywhere look odd.
Food for thought?
Thanks for the comments. I've gone round and round in my thinking that I've almost lost track of everything! I think I initially ruled out having the patio on the other side because it is shaded by 4pm, but the view is better from that side which is important. Also, you're facing south east as opposed to south west, so the sun isn't in your eyes. And by 4pm the patio near the house has sun so the two can complement each other. So I definitely need another look at the position of the patio.
The "bridge to nowhere" comment is another good point whereas a bridge to the patio does appeal.
Do you have any suggestions for tall planting that could disguise the bridge? I want to avoid introducing much more shade so I find it a tricky problem. The garden had a row of overgrown conifers when we moved in and it felt very oppressive.
You've definitely giving me a lot of food for thought so I need to get sketching again! Thank you
As for that boundary along the bridge, I would plant 3 or 4 small trees such as amelanchier, smaller rowans, ornamental cherries which will break up the lines of that structure. They all have good shapes, interesting foliage colours as well as blossom and berries to provide interest thru the seasons and when they're bare in winter they'll still mask the bridge with a filigree of branches. I assume you won't be sitting on your terrace in January!
As mentioned above, ponds are best in full sun and not below trees that will drop leaves in them. I would put it in the corners between your two proposed lawn area on the right hand side or else a sa cut into the larger lawn. Make sure it has a beach so any critters can crawl out and not drown. Even frogs need escape routes.
Bridges need to be functional as well as decorative so maybe make your pond bigger and between the larger lawn and the new terrace rather than tucked to one side in the shade then bring the path over the bridge to the middle of the terrace.