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Advice regarding levelling/fence

wtucker89wtucker89 Posts: 5
in Garden design
Afternoon all!

I wonder if any of you can advise me. My wife and I live in a new build which we purchased 18 months ago, and the time has come to start thinking about garden design/landscaping. I've attached a photo of the current garden and have a couple of questions. Firstly, the fence at the rear of the garden, and on the right of the garden is, for want of a better word, 'the ugly side' of the fence. I cannot find any reference in our deeds as to who owns/is responsible for which bits of the garden fence. Does anyone know from looking at it, which ones are likely to be ours?

Furthermore, we are wanting to level the garden as it slopes off downwards from left to right. 

As I see it I have two options, either split levels, or raise the right side so that it is level with the left. The issue with this is that the new ground level would come up to approximately the level of the lowest horizontal beam across the ugly side of the fence panel furthest to the right. Is this allowed? Obviously I don't want to put additional load or moisture on the fence, therefore would presumably need some sort of brace or something to protect the fence?

Apologies if these sound like ridiculous questions, just trying to get an idea of what may or may not be achievable!

Thanks in advance for any advice provided. 


Will

Posts

  • wtucker89wtucker89 Posts: 5
    Apologise... I ought to add the area which I would be looking to 'raise' between the brick wall on the right of the photo, and the leftmost chair in the photo, is likely to be a patio area, probably flagstone. I don't know if that affects my predicament about doing so at the level of the lowest horizontal beam of the fencing?

    Hopefully this will make sense to someone! Thanks again.



    Will
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Sunken patio? That would avoid raising the level against the fence.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • mrtjformanmrtjforman Posts: 331
    can I ask do you have a dog by any chance  :p 

    The reason I ask is because you have a lot of uneven patches in the grass, there where I presume the dog has had a wee the grass is thick and green and in other patches it is completely dehydrated and undernourished.
    I think some lawn feed would help revive the dying patches. Sorry if off topic. 
  • wtucker89wtucker89 Posts: 5
    mrtjforman said:
    can I ask do you have a dog by any chance  :p 

    The reason I ask is because you have a lot of uneven patches in the grass, there where I presume the dog has had a wee the grass is thick and green and in other patches it is completely dehydrated and undernourished.
    I think some lawn feed would help revive the dying patches. Sorry if off topic. 
    I do! The lawn is in a sorry state and definitely needs some love. We've been a bit distracted sorting the inside of the house until now, so only just getting round to considering the garden. 
  • wtucker89wtucker89 Posts: 5
    JennyJ said:
    Sunken patio? That would avoid raising the level against the fence.
    Yes that is one option and may be the solution, however I suppose I was clinging to the idea that I could have it all on one level. Perhaps that's not achievable in my case?

    Thank you for your responses 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited May 2020
    The custom is that the fair side of your fence faces outwards, but it's not 100% to be relied upon. 

    If you want to raise levels the simplest thing would be to have a low wall or raised bed, with a reasonable gap between it and the fence. You don't want to place anything against the fence itself. Or there's always decking... which also avoids having to bring in lots of hardcore etc to raise your levels.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • GreenbirdGreenbird Posts: 237
    Another vote for sunken patio
  • wtucker89wtucker89 Posts: 5
    edited May 2020
    WillDB said:
    The custom is that the fair side of your fence faces outwards, but it's not 100% to be relied upon. 
    Pardon my ignorance, I have no idea what this means! Could you clarify?

    WillDB said:

    If you want to raise levels the simplest thing would be to have a low wall or raised bed, with a reasonable gap between it and the fence. You don't want to place anything against the fence itself. Or there's always decking... which also avoids having to bring in lots of hardcore etc to raise your levels.

    This is very helpful thank you, I hadnt considered decking but I suppose that could be an option. The only thing that would concern me then wouldbe that if I leave the required gap between the edge of the decking and the fence, this would look a bit unfinished where the void is? 
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