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Help with shape of my lawn/garden

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  • Thank you everyone, this has been fantastically helpful! Option two is the winner!

    AnniD, I currently have a selection of instruments laid out in the garden marking various things out - pond nets, brooms, plant pots, garden tools. My neighbours must wonder what on earth I'm doing (but then they also witnessed the trauma of me building a 20 sqm pond by hand with a spade during lockdown so nothing probably surprises them  :D )

    Can't wait to eventually share pics when it's "done" (though I agree gardens are never done!) so everyone can see the results of all the help everyone has given to me. 
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    edited October 2021
    I would make the lawn properly circular, intersecting the pond circle so that about half the pond "bites" into the lawn, and edge the lawn with pavers or something (maybe to match the pond edging - I can't really see what it is). That way it will look like a deliberate design. Then an arc-shaped curved path round to the greenhouse to mirror the shape of the pond again. You can put veg as well as ornamentals in the resulting borders that are left - have a look at Geoff Hamilton's "The Ornamental Cottage Garden" if you can find a copy of the book and/or DVD.
    Edit: I've tried to draw what I mean in yellow but I'm not particularly good at drawing unless I can use a ruler and compass.


    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained

  • Mine actually looks a bit like a mix of yours and the original Jenny! I've marked it out with a hose and an extension cable and I'm quite pleased with it (it's not perfect, but I think this is as good as I'm going to get it for now).

    I've also decided - for now - to go for a veg plot instead of 2 x raised beds. I've marked this out at the back with sticks (you'll need to zoom in) as well as the Greenhouse on the left. The raised beds were taking too much space - I think I'll get more space with a patch - and will find it easier to combine some new planting behind the back pond edge. If it's not working I can always get raised beds added at a later date - easier to do that way around! 

    One question - I can't decide whether to go for a 6 x 12 or an 8 x 10 sized greenhouse. My dad has a 6 x 8 and it does feel very narrow - can you get staging on both sides? But then I thought perhaps more shelving length ways was better (I'm not big so won't have a problem moving around). The shape marked out in the below pic would be 6 x 12.

    One final thing to work out is a path - I will need something leading from the lawn edge to the greenhouse, and also some paving stones (?) around the edge of the veg plot - or something!




  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    The general consensus is to go for the biggest that you can fit/afford , it always seems to be the case that a greenhouse is never big enough. 
    Says one who knows  :)
  • Doghouse RileyDoghouse Riley Posts: 347
    edited October 2021
    Over thirty years ago, (this is a much more recent photo), I built this crazy York stone path  from the patio outside our French windows down to  our summerhouse at the bottom of the garden. I included a small patio behind the shed to accommodate "out of favour" plants that otherwise would have been on the main patio.  My objective was to be able to walk down to the bottom of the garden without necessarily always walking on the grass, as the summerhouse is my garden, "man cave."

    I avoided straight lines. The path is level with the lawn as is the brick border on the other side, so mowing is a doddle. I run my Flymo over them both. No edging required.


    I've York stone steppimg stones from the path to the pagoda and the two tree azaleas sit on round pavers from B&Q.


    This all cuts down on "garden maintenance," though it still seems to take a long time.
  • That looks lovely Doghouse - I wish I could do things like that myself! I think stone / paving is probably going to be outside of my budget as the costs are rapidly mounting up! I think gravel will have to do for now!
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    Lovely. What a good job you made of that.
    Rutland, England
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Oh wow, it's looking lovely  :) A lot of work but definitely worth it.
  • Just read this very interesting thread. So much help has been given well done forum members. @BenCotto this must have taken time to do. Members looking for design help are very lucky to get all the great response.  
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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