Help needed - North facing block
Shilp Singh
5 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (14)
SP
5 years agoMB Design & Drafting
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Need landscape advice, north facing garden
Comments (9)Start with ripping out the clothes line and side path, then have another look. Maybe sell the shed, or bury it in passionfruit, or diplodenia, or solea. Maybe even excavate the lawn, and think about a sunken garden with winding paths, where you may step down into your little piece of magic. Everything depends what you want (exclusively native [low maintenance], all exotics, or a judicious mix?), and where you are climate-wise - so best to get advice from local nurseries, especially if you feel like planting natives. Sketch out rough designs that take into account functional aspects as well as aesthetics...perhaps seek inspiration from garden magazines or online pics, perhaps purchase a couple of native/exotic plant compendiums and pore over them. A well-planned garden can be a joy eternal so don't hold back at this stage. Once your basic structure is sketched out and planted up, the rest is relatively inexpensive and gradual. My rule of thumb is to eliminate whatever you can first (and be ruthless), and then look at the space again and again. Then work to your simple design in stages, beginning with advanced trees and layout of paths and larger shrubs (e.g., westringias are beautiful and very hardy natives). Start with the sun-loving specimens first, then use them as canopy for planting the rest. You've got a good start with your 'borrowed vista' of trees and shrubbery in the corner along the north side, and you have room for an advanced specimen feature tree - perhaps your only big buck investment - in the centre or towards the opposite corner (perhaps a magnolia or a crabapple, or whatever is your favourite). Then you could pop a bench under it for pina coladas and other slack pursuits. Space and available sun also suggest possibilities for a shade garden - or dappled sections, especially in a shady corner. You might install a pergola extending from the side wall to soften the bare brick; or you could plant a hedge of sun-loving 'prostanthera ovalifolia' or a tea tree variety down the side of the house instead of a path (do you really need it? why not a winding path through the centre of your garden to your door!). You have sunshine that roses love, so maybe some fragrant old roses, or one or two David Austins, could be beautiful against a sunny wall, or beside the steps. I'd go for little paved pathways and circular beds, lushly planted with native shrubs and ground covers that tolerate both sun and semi-shade. Natives from the local region are usually always a success and grow quickly. Kangaroo paws love sun, and make a fabulously dramatic addition to a sunny garden if clumped. Other native grasses can also be used as features to add design and formality, yet still retain a kind of 'wild' look, requiring trimming every couple of years for luxuriant growth. I seriously would hesitate to repeat the lawn, they are high maintenance and for what? Reduce lawn to a small section if you wish/need to retain it. There are native grasses that can be mowed (less frequently than exotics, such as microlaena stipoides), which would create a softer look if you felt like placing a little formal lawn somewhere, once all your designing and planting is done. In any event, from a basic design, you can fill it all in in stages, as inspiration strikes. Mass planting to a formal design (say clumps of lomandra, or fast-growing shrubs in key positions, or lots of native violets for ground cover (hederacea; there are two types, which will take off and propagate themselves in the warm weather) will save lots of indecision about what to plant; heavily mulch empty zones until you decide on what to plant, or pot things up for planting later; you can always dig up ground covers, move shrubs and replant later (after replacing lost nutrients to the soil!). Best of luck and may the joys of gardening be with you!...See MoreClerestory roof for house on north facing block
Comments (2)an architect or building designer should be happy to help design a custom home but you could also check some of the project home plans to suit your block size ..Google "display homes" in your area... there are multiple companies like GJGardner, Metricon, Rawson etc etc and many private local builders who have websites to help start your search.... there are hundreds of plans to choose from that already include or can be modified to include clerestory windows... also check yourhome.gov for better understanding of passive solar design to help you identify the best options...See MoreNorth front facing block
Comments (6)You should consider engaging a local design professional to make the most of the opportunities on your site. The final design will depend on the width, length, slope of your lot, as well as your budget. Many mid-century homes had kitchens with an outlook to the front, sometimes looking into a front courtyard space, so perhaps look to these for inspiration. You won't find many contemporary plans like this as most houses have kitchens facing the rear and sides - which is why you should engage a local design professional. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls...See MoreNew home build - north facing living areas
Comments (13)as big reader says there are many suitable project homes that could be modified or employ an architect to design a new home but, first task is to understand the block and create a site plan.. please describe the local climate, is it a standard rectangle (43 x 60?) or a more complex shape, does it slope in any direction, what is the setback or any easements from every boundary, are there any existing trees, gulleys and/or potential dam sites, how do you plan to use the extra shed, do you have any plans for gardens, animals or special hobbies, where is the front gate, will you need/want tank water, solar power and a septic system, will there be town water, power, phone (pole or underground?) and where do they enter the block, do you expect to have regular overnight guests and how will you use all the bedrooms ....imo many homes suited to suburban sites are not suitable for rural settings and it's a shame to squash the house into a small shape when a more spread out designs with links, breezeways and courtyards can make better use of all that space and make lovely sheltered outdoor areas...having built and lived in several homes on acreage and now retired i would be pleased to share some of our best ideas but more information about the block would be useful...See MoreShilp Singh
5 years agooklouise
5 years agoShilp Singh
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agooklouise
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoShilp Singh
5 years agoShilp Singh
5 years agoShilp Singh
5 years ago
MB Design & Drafting