Ooh I like that idea - did you mean that it would be a raised bed that went round the corner of the porch wall @Perki , so it was on the front and right hand side of the porch? I don't know much about the practicalities of raised beds - are they OK to build on top of paving stones I wonder? Thinking about weight and drainage!
Hmm Looking at the first picture I were thinking of a raised bed wrapping around the original brick wall so it been in front and to the left hand side. You could build another raised bed at the other side under the windows ( 2nd pic ) to match it up. Ideally you break the concrete at the base of the raised bed to aid drainage and for roots to potentially grow into , you could get away not breaking the bottom and leave a gap for drainage but its not something I'd do . I use a wooden posts to make more of a arch way down the path .
Its hard to say much more on how to build it really without more info on what's under the gravel and what do you mean by paving stones / weight ? Is the wall K renderd ? Everyone who I know who had their house K render is very tetchy on getting it dirty .
Using sleepers would make it cheaper and easier, if you could get some real ones you could just more a less throw them down they are so heavy it will not fall over.
Thank you @kate.james58 that's really helpful - will most likely buy from there when I'm ready!
@Perki ideally what I'd like is something growing over the front of the porch in that big white space (post box can be moved), and I suspect that if I placed something on the right hand side of the porch under the small window or across the original wall of the house under the kitchen window, that it wouldn't grow in the direction of the front door, because the sun that it does get comes around the right side (as you're looking at it) of the house. That's not to say I can't have a raised bed or large pot(s) there too, but I think what grows in them won't go in the direction of the front of the porch / the front door.
Another pic of the space i'd like to cover:
I'm now wondering about the idea @thevictorian came up with - having an arch over the door and planting the plant in the ground in the gravel to the left of the door as you're looking at it. The two challenges with this are:
1. If it's an actual arch I don't think it would sit on the brick wall securely so would need to be hand built as different sides at either ends. Or I could hand fix a very narrow bit of trellis on the wall up and over the door (light can be moved). 2. The plant itself would be in total shade to the left of the front door if it's planted in the ground, as would be hidden between the fence and the brick wall. Another pic below of that space. Unless I built some sort of raised bed in that useless space between the brick wall and the fence, as then the plant would be high enough to get some sun?
As with absolutely everything in my house it seems that a small idea always has to turn into something huge.... because what I really need is the whole driveway doing properly and creating planting space for climbers as part of it!
Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I really appreciate it - I live on my own and I'm relatively new to gardening so the help is invaluable!
When I mentioned the arch I was thinking of it the other way, as in, planting in front of the wall as you face the house and then have it arching over the steps onto the porch. It could be built like a pergola that way if you needed to or you may be able to fix the arch to the inside of the brick wall. I don't know what the ground is like in that area or if it's feasible but would add caution if you were to plant in the other area as it's near the downpipe and might affect drainage.
I would also bear in mind that your house looks to be rendered so I would be rather cautious of screwing any supports/wires/trellis to it - others may beg to differ.
If moisture gets behind the render, it can 'blow' it.
Posts
Its hard to say much more on how to build it really without more info on what's under the gravel and what do you mean by paving stones / weight ? Is the wall K renderd ? Everyone who I know who had their house K render is very tetchy on getting it dirty .
Using sleepers would make it cheaper and easier, if you could get some real ones you could just more a less throw them down they are so heavy it will not fall over.
https://www.raymondevisonclematis.com/
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
@Perki ideally what I'd like is something growing over the front of the porch in that big white space (post box can be moved), and I suspect that if I placed something on the right hand side of the porch under the small window or across the original wall of the house under the kitchen window, that it wouldn't grow in the direction of the front door, because the sun that it does get comes around the right side (as you're looking at it) of the house. That's not to say I can't have a raised bed or large pot(s) there too, but I think what grows in them won't go in the direction of the front of the porch / the front door.
Another pic of the space i'd like to cover:
I'm now wondering about the idea @thevictorian came up with - having an arch over the door and planting the plant in the ground in the gravel to the left of the door as you're looking at it. The two challenges with this are:
1. If it's an actual arch I don't think it would sit on the brick wall securely so would need to be hand built as different sides at either ends. Or I could hand fix a very narrow bit of trellis on the wall up and over the door (light can be moved).
2. The plant itself would be in total shade to the left of the front door if it's planted in the ground, as would be hidden between the fence and the brick wall. Another pic below of that space. Unless I built some sort of raised bed in that useless space between the brick wall and the fence, as then the plant would be high enough to get some sun?
As with absolutely everything in my house it seems that a small idea always has to turn into something huge.... because what I really need is the whole driveway doing properly and creating planting space for climbers as part of it!
Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I really appreciate it - I live on my own and I'm relatively new to gardening so the help is invaluable!
If moisture gets behind the render, it can 'blow' it.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border