Garden/Jungle Design Help

[AdoptedGardenHelp]

I will attach a photo.

Recently moved, garden potential is epic.

26ft across and 32ft deep garden.

side access and storage for bins and shed bikes. General garden junk all hidden down side of the house.

Need help on a low budget to make my garden usuable. I have been cutting back the borders and very slowly emptying them back to soil. 6 trees in the garden parameters- ideally take them all down!

help with planning, how to cut down tree, how to design once clear. Any advice appreciated.

Why are you taking out trees? Keep them and work your design around them. Otherwise you’ll have to wait 10 years for new trees to grow.

Am very much an amateur and figuring it out but…

I would begin by figuring out where the sun goes and which seating slots would be best (throughout the day). Dappled shade is my favourite vs full sun.

What’s on the other side of the trees? Are they offering privacy or dampening noise? If you have enough light into your garden I’d really urge to keep them (tbh I’d keep them anyway). In terms of removing trees, double-check with your local council and be mindful that approved arborists might refuse to do the work at certain times of year due to nesting.

Then consider what outdoor storage / bbq / etc you want - for both toys and garden tools, etc. Would you (now or in future) consider a garden room/ conservatory / cabin thing?

Then consider your own ongoing maintenance and effort in terms of planters / even if with wildflowers in and bulbs that will reappear. Do you want color for pollinators / nature? Try your hand at growing fruit and veg?

I think I’d be tempted to enjoy a full spring / summer cycle and see what crops up - we were v surprised to see brambles (technically wild but still v tasty) and bluebells in ours after we moved in November… you might get lucky!

Why are you clearing it back to soil? It's going to cost you a fortune to plant up again. Aside from the trees, what else is /was planted? I wouldn't bin any perennials or shrubs. If you don't like them where they are, in a few weeks you can move them.

Can you take photos of the borders closer up to them so we can see what you have?

On the left hand fence, there looks to be a massive conifer - I'd chop that one down. To big for so close to the house. It'll be taking too much water and too many nutrients from the soil.

If there's ivy, get rid of that

What are the other trees?

Are you happy with where the patio is? Does it get sun there at the time of the day you want? Are you happy with its size? It takes quite a lot of space and it looks like closer to the house is paved/concrete/gravel. I'd. maybe try to create something more cohesive.

Which direction does the garden face? Some of your borders will get more sun, some will get more shade. You need go know which so you choose plants that will thrive for where you put them

How is the soil? Since you've emptied some borders, take the opportunity to dig in some manure/soil enrichment and over the winter dig a trench to chuck your kitchen food waste (no meat/carbs) into to compost.

I'd loose the slab path on the lawn. Looks like you have a young family by the garden toys, keeping a large central lawn would be sensible so they can play.

Agree with PPs, don’t empty it just to start again unless it really is just weeds and brambles! Trees are nice and can always be pruned if they are out of control

i would prune some of the out of control shrubs, and then wait a year to see what comes up.
In the meantime get rid of the patio and replace with lawn. Aimlessly hacking stuff back is very likely something you’ll regret.

What does usable mean to you? What do you want it to do/look like/have in it?

What is the epic potential you foresee?
Make it usable for what?
It looks like you had a well planted garden that needed some tidying but you want to cut it all back........ why?
Trees take years to grow and apart from the environment benefits, they provide shade, privacy, noise barrier, shelter for wildlife etc. What are you hoping to achieve by cutting them down?

Give us a clue as to what you want to achieve and we can advise on how to go about it but to clear the garden just for the sake of it seems a bit extreme and unnecessary.

I would never take down trees if I could at all help it / they clean the air and provide shade and give structure height and life to any garden

Okay. Guess I missed the important parts here. Thanks for all so far.

usable for our family (neurodiverse) is ideally half patio/ half lawn (potentially artificial in future). I guess this isn’t to everyone’s taste but my children cannot cope with wildlife in the garden or trees.
we have a lovely front garden with all sorts of bushes, lawn, plants, greenery. Back needs to be clear space for kids to run around and be safe.
metal barriers for the borders have proved quickly not safe and need to clear the borders to make back to lawn quickly. Chop as many trees as possible.

Beyond the back ‘fence’ falling apart. Is the railway line so happy to keep all that noise barrier. But ideally not invading into our garden still

Ah OK. Well it doesn't matter about other people's tastes. You need what you need.

If we're talking big trees I'd get someone in to remove them. If we're talking big shubs/small trees then chop the branches off with a saw and then take the trunk down. You'll need to grind the stump down or dig it out (hire the kit or get someone in for that) and poison what's left to stop it regrowing.

You said on a budget, so if this is a full diy job, lift the slabs from the path in the lawn and use them to extend your patio. Watch YouTube videos on how to lay a patio.

Then you'll need to remove the metal edging from the border and level the soil to the same as the grass. (Hire the kit for that too) Then chuck grass seed everywhere or buy turf.

Ah OK. Well it doesn't matter about other people's tastes. You need what you need.

If we're talking big trees I'd get someone in to remove them. If we're talking big shubs/small trees then chop the branches off with a saw and then take the trunk down. You'll need to grind the stump down or dig it out (hire the kit or get someone in for that) and poison what's left to stop it regrowing.

You said on a budget, so if this is a full diy job, lift the slabs from the path in the lawn and use them to extend your patio. Watch YouTube videos on how to lay a patio.

Then you'll need to remove the metal edging from the border and level the soil to the same as the grass. (Hire the kit for that too) Then chuck grass seed everywhere or buy turf.

I don’t think neurodiverse in itself is a good reason. Sounds like an excuse. Just because somethings are harder doesn’t mean we should accept less good behaviour- chopping down trees is bad

Please think very long and hard about whether artificial grass is the way forward. It is so horrific for the environment. There are other options that may suit your family.

Please don't use plastic grass! It won't prevent bugs and wildlife and it isn't all that nice to play on - it can get very hot.

Which end gets the sun? That's where I'd put the patio

I can assure you that my children need a safe garden. Unlike you I know my children and their needs.

out of curiosity if I had told you my child was in a wheelchair would you still have an option about what is needed? Whether getting rid of a tree helps my family?!

I'm not sure 'gardening' is the best place for this request, since gardening is not what you are planning. And I really don't mean that unkindly, as a pp said 'you need what you need'. Youll just attract keen gardeners all excited by the sound of a huge garden and plans for jungle planting (including me!) who might make their disappointment clear!
Is artificial grass really OK with your children sensory wise- it's such a horrible texture in my opinion! Bark chippings? A huge trampoline dug down so it's ground level for safety? These are winners for my autistic nephew although he also needs lots of climbing opportunities and trees to sit under. Just putting them out there. It's the perfect time of year to sow grass seed or clover seed and that's cheap over a large area too.

My daughter is autistic and has very high sensory needs. When she is not climbing anything she can find, she is rolling in the dirt and swallowing half the garden. Obviously, I don't know your circumstances, but I do know this is exactly what my daughter wants and needs, and that it is our job to help her navigate the natural world safely.

Why did you move somewhere with a garden if you plan to destroy it. The trees and plants may have been there for years. Your children will be grown up in a few years. Why not move to a concrete block somewhere. Or a street with no nature. And this is from someone with neurodiversity.

Jesus, gardening is supposed to be a relaxing hobby, it's meant to release the dopamine. So much judgement here from us happy garden potterers.

OP maybe the people in AIBU would be kinder! 🤣

I am at a loss to understand why your dc are unable to cope with trees.

This is the key thing. What is your design brief.

Budget?
Built it all in one or phased?
Do you want to do most of it yourself?
Planting forward or more hard standing?
For entertaining/wildlife/play
Style - traditional cottage/contemporary/formal
Are you green fingered or want something low maintenance?

It's a lovely space with lots of options and not massive so your budget will have a big impact.

the trees are beautiful...what a barren space you will have if you chop them down :(

I think the title of this thread (Garden/Jungle Design Help) is a bit misleading.
Perhaps re-title as "how to rip out an established garden" would have been more accurate?

Having read it through I can see your "logic" although I do think it is flawed somewhat.
What happens when your children are in the real world with nature all around them, how will you ensure a sterile, nature free environment wherever they go?

I don't think anyone is being especially unkind. If the OP had said upfront about needing to clear the space for half lawn half patio to suit her family's particular needs she'd have had quite different responses.