Cheap fix needed: Tidy up and level out ugly side return

[Lelivre]

We have just taken down an old shed on our side return and it could give us some useful garden space with some westerly sun but...funds are pretty low. What can we do?

We need to level it out we’ve got paving stones of differing sizes and levels plus some gravel where’s there’s gaps and a concrete path and a drain cover.

I will post a pic if I can delete it after! It’s that ugly! The area is about 7x6m

Also this area drops down a bit from the rear of the house where there is a paved patio. So a decked area would be the cheapest right? Or anything else to tie us over?

Here’s the picture

Gravel. Pots. Paint fence. Climbers. Seating area. Sorted!

You can leave some of the slabs and mix them in with the gravel too

That might work except for the concrete path leading to the front comes off this area and then it’s tarmac sloping down; maybe I would have to gravel all of that. I’ll have a think. Thank you.

This could be really nice with a bit of tlc.
Could you get a handyman to come and help fix it up?
I think paving and gravel looks nicer than deck but it depends a bit of the age of your house and its hard to know without seeing the patio.house.,
Deffo worth sorting out though esp as you get evening sun there,

It’s a 60s house, the rear garden is ok. It was landscaped I expect in the 80s; with a raised pond and patio on two levels and a lawned area, but this side return is just a neglected ugly dead space. I am sure you are right I can do something quite transformative. It’s not really my subject though. But gravel probably is the way to go for something quick. I don’t have a handyman but husband has a few days off! I would have liked a deck to get a bit more height as it drops down at this side and would be nice to carry the level
Right around the house from the back but it can’t be elevated much or it would foul the back garage door. I had better get on Pinterest...

I think just tidying it up and putting a couple of planters there would look ok.

I’d put some bamboo ( or similar large plants ) in 3 big pots, in front of your bins, to hide them.
Again, along the fence it put honey suckle, possibly a climbing roses, again in big planters. As others have said just put some gravel ( large size) to fill in the gaps in the paving. Smaller pots with hydrangeas at a lower level. Fill any gaps with summer plants such as bright geraniums.
The planters need not be expensive, there are some great look alike plastic ones.

Thanks! I’ve ordered the gravel and I have a bench pots and a chimnea I can put there and I will take on board the suggestions with plants. I might post a picture if it comes together.

Well done.
Bamboo looks good with modern (ish) houses and looks best planted en masse.
For fences I recommend repeat planting Star jasmine which is evergreen, grows neatly all the way down (no bare stems) and has the most wonderful scented flowers.
www.charellagardens.co.uk/buy-star-jasmine-trachelospermum-jasminoides-7-5-litre/
Pelargoniums in pots are easy to look after and flower well in sun, I like them planted up in a single colour.
www.woottensplants.com/common_name/pelargonium/
Do post back if you'd like any more plant suggestions OP and please do put up a pic!

Oh lovely suggestions tricky. Thanks so much I don’t know anything about gardening and plants. I love those suggestions.

Gravel has arrived but it is not down and I’ve sourced those plant suggestions locally at our bargain nursery really reasonably and love them. I haven’t found the bamboo cheap yet but love that idea too. I’ll buy them when the gravel is down.

One ‘wall’ Is the back of the neighbours she then in front of that some old wire fencing and metal posts. I think I need some cheap screening. What would be the best shout for cheap screening on top of fencing. Funds are really tight! Thanks

This Fencing is the neighbours.

Bamboo can be expensive, but another quick growing evergreen screen plant is Laurel which is much cheaper and can be easily pruned.
I bought my Bamboo at the end of the summer when it was reduced at Homebase.

The cheapest screening, I can think of is brushwood on a roll from somewhere like Wilkinson’s, but I think it would be difficult to fix at the top of the fence.
Nasturtiums are cheaply grown from seed, or in plant plugs. If planted in some plastic troughs along the bottom, they would scramble through the wire.

Cheapest way is to paint it in black woodstain if you are able, its makes fences really blend into the background and looks fab when planted up.
Is that an option?

WIllow panels another option but more money.
www.greenfingers.com/product.asp?dept_id=180&pf_id=LS6441D
How big is the area to be screened?

Just looked at that link on wilko...how would I stick the screens in on a gravelly slopes but please?

Those panels are very very nice but I don’t think I can manage that due to cost. When it stops raining I’ll go out and measure but we have to put a panel of fencing and a gate to the right of this so it’s quite a stretch. Thanks so much for the input.

The black fence paint. I already have some and we just used it on a shed it looks fantastic (compared to before) I’ll have to think about it because of the new section going in to the right and eventually also to the left down the length of the garden, bit nervous will be too much. But I will definitely think about it - thank you

I made some really easy borders with railway sleepers filled with compost.
Also I got some hanging baskets and brackets from Poundland and attached them to our fence post and put violas in some of them and the rest will have bedding plants in in a few weeks.
As well I have some hanging bird feeders hanging off the fence using cup hooks- very popular!