Drainage points in Backyard
b Moh
5 months ago
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Comments (9)
Kate
5 months agoRelated Discussions
What is your backyard crying out for?
Comments (10)Live in a condo so no back yard. However, my parents place needs plants to screen the view of the neighbor's pile of junk in their back yard, but nothing that will get into the chain link fence or be so close to it that it would be difficult to paint every 2 - 3 years....See MoreWhat to do with our massive backyard?
Comments (30)Analysis first, then plan, as Tookoo recommends. Use native plants, as neotoma recommends. Get specific plant recommendations locally, as Terri & sgelade recommend. Here is my two cents worth, for the shortterm. a. Remove and stockpile the lawn edging and most of the mulch back against the fences. b. Take a can of spray paint, or a bundle of surveyor's flag, and mark the largest circular or curved form that will fit within the fenced areas, no matter where the trees stand (inside or outside of the line) to form the temporary edge of your lawn area. See if the entire family agrees on the alignment or just do what looks best to you as the Senior Gardener. c. Add the wood edging to the new edge, or, it will look a lot better if the edge is not visible, using a steel edge whose top edge is down just above the grass roots and no longer visible, and not an impediment to the lawn mower. (when you form the plant beds, you will dig down a couple inches at the edge, where it meets the steel, and then slope the bed up from there, and the mulch will be contained at the level of the lawn, beyond) My recommendation, after you call in your landscape advisor, is to fill the beds totally with ground cover, beneath the shrubs, so no mulch will be seen after the two years of plant growth, using only a finer textured mulch which will become part of the soil bed. (Maybe the bark mulch will smell good in your new fire pit, along with the wood edging.) d. Plant the entire area with grass seed or sod and enjoy the beauty. The curved edge will make the space appear and feel larger and will decrease the maintenance of the smaller bed areas. On the subject of tree placement: analyse first, then plan. Look at all the views beyond your fenceline from all windows of the house, the living/ dining areas, all the bedrooms, to enhance the good views and to block the big, the bad, and the ugly. The large trees on your list will block views from the upper windows, The small horizontally branched trees will be a piece of sculpture in your downstairs view throughout the year, while their flowering and fragrance yet another reason to be alive. For instance, if you have an attractive small tree that has attractive flowers and foliage, PLUS has attractive bark color and has a sculptural quality in the off-season, you won't have to visit the museum quite as often, with a sculpture garden right out your window....See MoreIrregular shaped back yard
Comments (11)I'm sure most people would envy you the pool and potential this area has. Not sure what your requirements are when it comes to "use" of the land. Have you thought of a cabana at the end of the big pool in front of the shed? It would hide the shed and at the same time give you a focal point that draws the eye to the beautiful length of the pool... and at the same time provide a visual full stop with the cabana. (If money is an issue....I recently purchased a beautiful outdoor gazebo and placed it on our outdoor wooden deck which was always too hot to sit on and the whole family now sits out there under the gazebo for most of our meals-I like to make flat land-useable land) The surrounding gardens (I agree with fianou) that large leafed, tropical plants would help soften the overall look (if that's what you want/like) . Other people like the harder lines and a starker more modern look. If that's the case then put in more structural plants. Just depends on your own personal taste. Not sure that the existing palm trees are a help or a hindrance as many drop seeds into the pool and from a visual point of view can look like telegraph poles if not under-planted with other medium sized shrubs that balance the overall design. If there are surrounding areas that you want to use as pathways...Astro Turf is a great alternative to traditional hard surface choices.Good luck with your plans!...See MoreNeed ideas for backyard makeover
Comments (18)Two plants I can suggest that I have chosen for my garden, are virtually unkillable, will grow in almost ANY soil or weather conditions & require little maintenance are: butterfly/african iris & Celtic Cascade tree. Both can be left to go a little wild for a natural look, or be cared for, to fit perfectly in a more formal garden. In regards to the iris, I removed my entire garden of mature, property damaging trees when I moved into my new house, but didn't want to wait years for a new mature garden, so I searched online for ppl selling/giving fully grown specimens away before they did renovations or re landscaped! The plants were a cinch to dig up, replant in my heavy clay soil & are thriving! I even cut some of them in half before planting and it didn't phase them!...See MoreKate
5 months agoStephen Hall
5 months agoStephen Hall
5 months agoDevyra Atelier
5 months agoKath
5 months ago
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