Back garden / yard ideas....

[MariaAngustias]

Hi - we live in an end victorian cottage which is quite 'cottagey' inside and the front garden (pic) is also traditional. We moved in 3 years ago and the previous owners had ripped out the garden at the back and replaced it with (very well done and expensive) paving over concrete. There is a small area of grass (it was plastic and is concrete underneath) and the rest is paved.

Ideally, I want to rip the entire thing up but DH is not keen because - it is low maintenance and we go away a lot and also it would cost a fortune (we would need diggers, drills and a mass of top soil).
So, I have attached some pics (excuse the poor quality my phone camera is on the blink) and welcome ideas on how to 'pretty it up'. It does need a good jet wash and tidy!
I am thinking maybe - paint the fences all one colour and a lighter shade, maybe include the walls.... change the table and chairs... different pots. We cannot plant anything directly as the patio is so solid.

Any ideas welcome!

more pics..

Yes I like your ideas, it does need lightening up. I think colourful climbers on walls/fence. Large pots with something with a bit a highly to it. Maybe you could get some wooden raised beds if you want a bit of space to plant and grow. Think I’d go for a Mediterranean type of planting - not too themed as like you say, the rest is very English country garden.

I would add lots and lots of pots. My mom and dad have done this so they can take plants with them when they move (supposed to be happening for the past 10 years but it looks beautiful. Could you also have one of those wooden ladder things and have pots on it? I follow a couple of people on Instagram with similar gardens. Let me see if I can find them.

Sjes a bit bonkers with one of her stuff but lesleydaviesdelightfulfinds has a similar garden and has stacked it up with pots.

Big wooden raised beds. Lovely.

The thing about lots and lots of pots is that means lots and lots of watering, and if you go away a lot then they’ll suffer. Some low-maintenance perennials in wooden planters, though, will fare better.

Pots and troughs but add an irrigation system to keep it looking lush.

The front is very pretty, you could put the stone birdbath and birdbox there and a brighter front door would look nice. The back is stark, could you put a canopy above the patio door, relocate the palm to the grassy bit, change the furniture to wood, paint the fences if you're allowed, that fence with the birdbox looks like its attached the other side so you need their permission to paint it, you could put bamboo screening all around instead. build or buy some raised planters, hide the bin in a wooden bin shed, install some lighting and plant up cottage shrubs and flowers. I wouldnt paint the walls, bricks can look lovely especially if they are old. The plant pots are a bit random, they could go by the front door.

Lots of ideas thanks - I agree it is stark. The fence on the wall with the birdbox is just onto a little lane at the side so we can do as we please! Any ideas for colours for the fence - thinking maybe cuprinol muted clay? Also, I am quite interested in the raised beds - can these be put on a concrete base, just wondering how they would drain...

Long wooden troughs along the side of the fence - plant climbers, tall shrubs and nice "spillers" at the front. Some large pots to break up the areas (B&Q have some nice Mali pots - sorted of bleached teracotta that work well in bundles). I have a bee jasmine that is next to a fence and it is rampant and covers everything! Paint the fences - mine are a lovely sage green and makes such a difference.

I was going to paint my wall but was advised against it as once painted it will always need to be painted. I covered mine with dark bamboo screening instead.

What do you use your garden for? I like a place to eat lunch and then somewhere comfy to sit and enjoy a glass of wine in late afternoon sun so have arranged mine like that. I also wanted a tropical/coastal/med look so I have lots of palms, cordylines, frondy things, grasses and bright geraniums (I also managed to grow a mini banana grove which makes it looks super tropical but my garden is a very sheltered south facing one so the bananas like their spot and it's a late seventies house so I'm not trying to keep it true to type!.)

I picked furniture with the same in mind so I have a coral dining table, blue dining chairs and pale wicker lounge furniture with bright cushions - it all helps with the vibe.

How exciting - you can have such fun with that space.

Would any of the slabs come up easily? You could create small beds in amongst the paving. I wouldn't paint the brick wall as it adds some lovely texture. Your front garden is beautiful.

@longtompot - sadly, the pavers are well and truly concreted in with a layer of concrete and hardcore underneath - great solid job they did :(

Thanks for comment about the front - it makes me happy that front does and it was just gravelled when we moved in! It is a bit crazy random but full of bees and birds

@DailyMaui love your ideas - and I just like my garden to sit in with family and, as you say, have a few glasses of wine in!

You can buy wooden planters in loads of shops, Wilko have them and you can stain them, they have legs for drainage. I would keep to a cottage theme, maybe all wooden furniture, a wooden bench, a playhouse or shed which you can paint to keep stuff in and lots of tall evergreen grasses, wild flowers. How old are the DC, would they enjoy creating a vegetable patch or wildflower area. You can get tall lanterns which come on a pole.

I think it needs more greenery at height as well as in pots/raised beds. What about a pergola with a wisteria or something similar growing up it?

Oh yes A pergola would look lovely, maybe grow a climber in a large pot to cover the patio door. Tall bamboo covers a lot of bare space.

Come and join the gardening board!

You have 3 or 4 "rooms" there - the lawn, lower patio, higher patio and possibly the odd little bit at the side (I can't really see what is there as it is blurry). The back of the house feels quite modern so you could pick any style you want. What style do you like? Tropical, Mediterranean, cottage, architectural, formal, Japanese, an edible garden, a fragrant garden? You will definitely need an irrigation system or at least self watering planters if you want an easy life...

I would make one patio a dining area, and one a sitting area (unless you need a play area for young DC?). I think you need a focal point at the end of the garden - a large tree or shrub in a planter, seating area, water feature, bird bath, garden mirror, decorative wall, lighting etc. I would do the same with the little odd side area, create a focal point. I would divide the 2 patios into separate feeling spaces too - either with a pergola, plants to create an "entrance" on the steps eg a box ball "hedge" with 2 standards to create a "gate" or planters with different height plants in a curve, if you want a softer feel. Climbers on the fences and over the shed/garage, to soften the edges. If you paint the fence a dark colour and have climbers with dark foliage, then plants with light foliage in front, it will create an optical illusion of space.

Step 1 - decide the style/colours you like and how you would like to use each "room" in the garden

Step 2 - come and ask the gardening board for ideas on how to achieve that and planting suggestions!

@chesirecat99 thanks - love your ideas, will join the gardening board. We have no children at home folks - just us and the dog. I do what to retain a cottage style if possible though I agree that the back is modern.... will start to get some ideas together but this has given me a lot of wonderful ideas already

You can get automatic waterers to water eg troughs that you put in