AIBU to think we could 'spruce up' this less than appealing garden?

[dottytablecloth]

So I should probably post this on property but I like the range of views on AIBU!!

We really like the house but the garden is dreadful (see pictures)

Is there anything we could do with it? The wall is a retaining wall so it has to stay.

Would a landscape gardener have ideas? Is that what they do? sorry! I don't really know!

Paint the wall? Pretty climbing plants?

oooh that's grim low maintenance

yes of course it can be spruced up - get rid of the gravel, turf, dig in deep flowerbeds round the edge for shrubs and plants, couple of trees, done.

It won't be cheap ....But you don't have to do it all at once.

My garden looks a bit like that at the mo - earth rather than gravel, but a new house and a blank canvas. Come spring we'll hit it hard!

Maybe render and paint the wall on the left-hand side of first photo to match the house then trellis and climbing plants on other walls. If you got rid of all that gravel and put down a lawn and some flower beds it would look totally different. House looks nice.

shake how much are you planning to spend on your garden?

I've no idea what these things cost!!

Blimey.
Someone was allergic to plants there.

Just Google small walled gardens for some ideas. For our garden I just scanned all the magazines and gardening books in the local library.

I think replacing the gravel with grass would make a massive difference!

That's full of potential! Large planters & seating areas-made from wood or concrete & tall bamboos & grasses & a lick of paint will transform it.

You could do wonders for £2k or if you have more in the budget get a landscape architect in-I got consultation, assessment, design & detailed scale drawing done for under £500 for a large garden-3 sides of house. If you can stretch to it I'd recommend it.

Get onto Pinterest, but be careful- its addictive! I think you can do a lot with that garden. the biggest point in its favour is that it is level. It would be a lot worse if it was tiered.

without a doubt you cold very easily sprice that up, break up wall, paint, climbers, solar lights on it...easy peasy and in the gravel either get rid. or better still, go for Mediterranean theme, trees in large pots, lots of lovely pots, a little path......painting that wall and sticking stuff on it would transform it imedialty

I thikn its an easy garden to work with out proff landscapers, go on pin interest. i thikn you have an easy plot to work with

Hard to say as have never done a garden from nothing before (am not in the UK but probably comparable prices).

We have been given $1000 (about GBP 600) by the builder for the landscaping. This will buy one tree, the grass and leave a bit over. So we are saving....

Tree we have got - it was quite big so was GBP 250. Grass will be about GBP 200 as sod is cheap. Not dissimilar size to that garden by the looks of it.

it's going to be an ongoing thing, but we can get it going with another GBP 600 for plants I reckon, and build up from there.

We'll do it all ourselves.

Is it a driveway too? The patio bit by the gates looks like it is used for parking. If so, would that have to be retained? What's with all those dustbins/waterbutts, whatever they are?

I think there is potential, personally I would remove the gravel, but is there concrete underneath or soil? It could get quite expensive if you then have to hack out the concrete.

You could lay a large wooden raised bed over the top, taking up most of the garden and grass that over, with little steps leading up to it. Not tall, only 1 railway sleeper high, iyswim.

I think it is a great start, an offer on Freecycle of gravel free but needs to be bagged and it should all go.

A request on the same sort of freecycle group might get you top soil but if not buy a few bags then you have a fresh new garden to do whatever you want.
No need for paid help, just enjoy doing it

No it's not used as a driveway, it's a totally enclosed back garden.

Some good ideas here!

I'm sure I've seen that garden before-have you posted about it before or was it the vendor perhaps?

You've seen it before!

I asked about it before and went to read over the replies tonight and couldn't find the thread, it seems to have disappeared!

You must mumsnet a lot!

not loads-but I've got a really good memory for images-hopeless with names though! I think its got lots of potential depending on how much sun it gets as the walls are quite high

I like the positivity on here tonight!

I think I posted about it on your last thread but I said at the time it had potential. The nice thing about a walled garden is how sheltered it is, so you'll be able to grow some nice things. I'd definitely go for a Mediterranean feel with white render, and it would be a great little spot to sit out and eat/entertain.

Thanks for all the ideas everyone, much appreciated!

snice - I was just about to say this garden has been on here before.

in answer to your question, ignore what is there and imagine what you could do with a space x metres by x metres.

Only hesitation - what is under the gravel? if it is laid on concrete, it will be much much harder to do, if laid on black sheeting or similar not a problem.

I seem to remember you can reduce the height of the back wall, and lots of suggestions for planting trellises, training fruit trees on wall etc.

Check where the sun is, as not much would grow up a north facing wall.

It's not possible to reduce the back wall as it's a field of crops behind and they are v tall.

The garden used to be grass, but I'm not sure what's under the gravel.

What is render?

It needs grass.
I wouldn't be happy with a lick of paint and a few stylish planters. That gravel would be coming up and a lawn and some bloody greenery would be planted.

In all honesty, I probably wouldn't buy the house because of the garden.