Garden inspo needed.

[CluelessInMyGarden]

Long time poster but name changed for this as family members use the site.

I am not a good gardener, and am stuck with what to do with the structure of some of my garden. Hand being forced by the decking being rotten and needing to sort it.

Pic attached. It’s not to scale but has all the major elements. The bold lines are brick walls so not looking to change them and probably not the patio/path either unless really necessary. Need a lawn for the dog and don’t want something that isn’t worth keeping a lawnmower for. The washing line sits in a stone circle and is in a good spot for drying (north facing garden). The annex is set below ground level slightly, so the area between that and the wall is lower than the rest of the garden. It’s a large house and the annex provides additional living space.

The decking is rotten and DH not keen to replace like with like. He wants to put a summerhouse/garden office in the top right corner, but as that is the spot that gets the most sun I think that’s a waste. (He has an office in the annex which he doesn’t use as well and I don’t think we need more living space.) He argues that we don’t spend much time outdoors anyway, but I think that may change with some better design. The lawn was a bog before we fitted the French drains, which also run under the decking.

The trees need pruning back (protected) as they are overhanging the decking at the moment. We need to maintain access to the area behind the fence so would need to keep at least one of the gates but could potentially lose the other.

Interested in almost any idea at this point. Don’t want a hot tub and already have a gym in the annex. It would be nice to have a space outside that we could use on summer evenings, maybe with a bit of a BBQ/outdoor kitchen so any ideas around that would be welcomed. Low maintenance is a must.

Thanks in advance!

@CluelessInMyGarden Can you ask MNHQ to move your post to the Gardening board? You're more likely to get gardening types replying on there.

By the way, do the trees have TPOs on them? If so, you'll have to get permission from the council to have any work done on them, and it is also bird nesting season (Mar-Aug) and illegal to disturb nesting birds, so you will need to wait until the autumn for that.

I thought this was more structural. When I looked that was more plant focussed?

Well aware of this.

Neighbours have twice severely breached the orders in relation to the trees on their side and the council did fuck all. “Fining them won’t bring the trees back.” We planted a load of saplings in the gaps which aren’t protected. They are the ones that need pruning as they are much shorter than the original trees. The protected trees are tall enough not to shadow the decking and there are no nesting birds in the newer trees.

I would take the decking down, put a large flower bed in and fill it with shrubs. They are pretty low maintainence and will be lovely to look out on from the house

I too would replace the decking weigh a big flower / shrub / small ornamental tree bed . You can include a seating area within the bed by putting a path through to a secluded spot at the back .

Personally I'd remove the decking and extend the flower border right round the corner, getting rid of that gate. Not sure on the dimensions, but if it was big enough you could have a small patio within the border with a bench and arbor or something like that. Beautiful!

If the decking is in the sunniest spot then replace with either deck or patio and invest in some lovely furniture, we have a sofa and chair set like this https://www.cotswoldco.com/garden-furniture/lounge-sets/ashcroft-4-piece-garden-lounge-set-natural/?xcm_campaign=Shopping-Cotswold&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1586207482&gbraid=0AAAAADSUgKllba0L0-i84oldN6elZU0XK&gclid=CjwKCAjw-dfOBhAjEiwAq0RwI4m4Aw8Dr3a3yEepff3vexg4LJtyKSPPHEWOavekBPlsDwfowThzZRoCZtIQAvD_BwE

And then a separate table with benches to eat at. Maybe you would use it more. Also you could add raised beds around the edge and plant them too. If crossing the lawn is an issue add a path somewhere.

I'd pave it with something nice and put outdoor sofa's there. Eat near the kitchen in the shade which is perfect when it's blistering hot and lounge in the upper corner with a G&T. Presume if you have brick walls it is sheltered too? Not sure I'd pave all the area that is currently decking. You'd need to work out how much you want and whether you need a path from the annex to that corner or should return to lawn/border between the two.

If he's not happy with his office in the annex then he should look at ways to improve it but madness to use the sunniest corner of a north facing garden to boil in an office shed.

I fear my lack of scale has confused things.

The decking area is about 5ft at its narrowest point and 10ft+ at the deepest. It would be far too big a flower bed, and it rains so much here the dog would just bring mud in constantly, pretty much year round. We aren’t keen gardeners and are very time poor so would not be able to maintain so much planting without employing a gardener. We also have a reasonable size front garden.

The brick flower beds are also quite large and overgrown. If we struggle to keep on top of those I don’t really want to add to that.

If we replace the decking with paving it would be more than half of the overall space paved with a grass “island” in the middle? I am also not sure we could do that without having to redo the French drains as I’m not sure they are deep enough to have concrete over top.

The house, garage and annex are brick walls, and then the flower beds and the retaining wall near the washing line. Everything else is fenced. The trees screen the houses behind in summer and cover the gardening leaves and seeds the rest of the time.

I like the idea of a seating area and being encouraged to spend more time outdoors. Maybe we could do something with the larger part of the decking area and return the rest to lawn or something.

That said, when we had the landscaping done 15ish years ago we didn’t really sit outside. DD enjoyed playing out there now but is now a vampiric teenager who is scared of sunlight!

Agreed. There is a 3ft difference in height between the annex and the washing line through so can’t put a path in there.

If we replace the decking with paving it would be more than half of the overall space paved with a grass “island” in the middle? I am also not sure we could do that without having to redo the French drains as I’m not sure they are deep enough to have concrete over top.

You could simply gravel it which might mean the drains don't need work? Not the whole space but the largest bit for a seating area. Return the rest to grass.
I've seen gardens where the gravel is interspersed with pavers square or rectangle, and also where wood is used like mini sleepers which are set in and level to the gravel. Google gravel and paver mix and go to images and you'll see a multitude of ideas. You can also use "gravel grids" which keep the gravel in place and will stop the dog from scattering it far and wide.
Whoever put the drains in for you should be able to quote for it.

Realistically though it doesn't sound like the garden is working for you all and you don't spend any time in it other than it's a massive chore? So while an office/outdoor room might be a poor use of a sunny corner, it might mean the garden is actually used.

Have you considered using a gardening service a couple of times a year? Come in and blitz all the beds, do the pruning, dethatch the lawn and clear out dead stuff. Much easier to then keep on top of it during the summer yourselves and make the experience more enjoyable. We'd be overwhelmed without it as simply do not have the time or inclination to spend every weekend gardening from sun up to sun down.

Thank you. We fitted the drains. I should have pictures on an old hard drive somewhere that shows where there are and how deep. :)

I’ll look up some of the suggestions you make.

Ultimately, we have been here 20+ years and built the (large) annex 15 years ago. That was a space which got no sun, had been fenced off by the previous owner and wouldn’t have served much as part of the garden. So building on it made perfect sense and it added flexible 2 storey space which could be an office and a gym (as currently) or in future be a separate living space for DD (it has a shower room but no kitchen). So I don’t feel we need more living space as such.

The garden was great when DD was small - pretty flat, decent sized lawn, room for a playhouse and beds to grow things in with her. We’ve just gotten busier over time and aren’t naturally people that enjoy being outside that much. By the time we finish work it’s 8/9pm and I am aware that people will have kids sleeping and windows open when it’s warm so don’t want to be making much noise outside. And it rains so much that it’s just not a habit we have made to spend much time outside.

I think at some point we will sell up and retire somewhere else so don’t want too much permanent stuff in the garden that wouldn’t appeal to families and would cost a lot for them to change. It’s a great house in a great location and the north facing garden would put enough people off without further issues.

If the drains run along the fence line you could just return it all to grass. Buy an automatic robotic lawnmower and watch it pootle about.

Does the area bottom left not get the westering sun? Or are the walls too high?
It seems an ideal place for an evening dining/BBQ area - sunset and handy for the kitchen. (Make the paving area bigger here by relocating some of the slabs that are currently outside the living room?)

Put a patio type thing in the top right, so you can have your first coffee of the day sitting in the morning sun (re-purpose the washing line stone circle?). Make it a 3D effort (e.g. a gazebo, or an archway / pergola heading off along the back property-line) to give a focal point to look at from the house. Have some nice planting around it and return the rest of the ex-decking to lawn.

They run perpendicularly under it, from memory.

I think a gravel patio is the answer. Definitely don’t want to give the dog more mud to bring into the house!

Bottom left doesn’t get sun - fence is 6ft, the drove is 2-3ft higher than garden level and next door’s house is at a 90 degree angle so blocks the westerly sun. Not easy to access from kitchen either as would have to come out of back door (other side of fence) or dining room anyway. And there is a manhole in the corner of the paving that we can’t extend the paving over. It’s a busy thoroughfare with stuff going back and fore to the annex, getting to the washing line etc so furniture would have to be moved constantly.

Washing line circle not big enough for a seating area, and I’m awful in the mornings (night owl) so first coffee is when I get to my desk.

Sorry - appreciate I’m countering every suggestion. It is as helpful to know what doesn’t work as what would and am grateful for all objective views!

Did find some inspiration pics though.

For something different, with a big impact, and very easy maintenance....

The current decking area..
Whitewash the walls, lay a cream or beige coloured patio with large slabs,
Add a couple of palm trees - one each side - either in the ground in planting holes in the patio, or in very large pots; and some relaxed seating on the patio under the canopy of the palm trees.

You could under-plant with a low growing Mediterranean shrubs such as lavender or agapanthus, but the palm trees might well provide sufficient focus without it if you'd just prefer a paler stone mulch in the planting area under the trees.

Perfect for a sunny afternoon spot.

There aren’t walls around the decking and I’ve said I don’t want any more paving. :-s

Ive said I live in one of the wettest parts of the country. Not sure it’s the right climate for palm trees!

Actually some of the wettest parts of the country with the most rainfall are the best growing regions in the UK for hardy palms (hence why I suggested them!).

The Southwest and Northwest of England, South, West and North coast of Wales (eg: Llandudno - well known for its palms along the Victorian promenade), parts of Scotland and Scottish Isles all have a milder climate due to the Gulf stream which keeps winters warm enough for them to survive.

Fair enough if you don't want more paving...

Palm trees at Millport on Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland

Fair enough. As I say, I’m not into gardening or outdoors particularly to have a working knowledge of palm trees.

I think we have the tree thing covered already.

Do you know what species of tree you already have? If your soil is that soggy, you need something to soak it up. Willow and birch do well in wet soil, possibly blueberry shrubs if your soil is acidic. Acers and pear trees will probably be quite happy too.

I really wouldn't pave over more, that will cause more flooding (I presume some water can still soak away under the current decking?).

They’re rowan trees.