Need your help with some ideas for my back garden please

joeyvicks

Hi folks,

I have a large area at the bottom of my garden which is now pretty much a blank canvas after plenty of back breaking work last year removing things. I cannot decide what i would like to do with it and would very much appreciate comments and ideas to make this a much nicer part of the garden.
I am open to anything really, whether it be wild flower borders or hedging or shrubs, whatever it is i just want it to be a nice tidy space that my little girl can play in this spring/summer. We have clay soil so i have planted a combination of winter field beans and grazing rye in the borders to help break up the soil ready for planting in spring.[IMG][/img]

blossomhill_2

That's a lovely space to play in - I'd be inclined to grow things tight up the fences to retain the space but make it colourful and pretty, try clematis under protective mesh so they withstand footballs etc
And perhaps a couple of multiheaded sunflowers like "teddy bear"
And it needs a cat, a garden is empty without one!

OddjobKIA

I would move the shed to one side. might even turn it sideways on. then you can grow in front of the shed some thing like Jazmine or honeysuckle. Having the shed sideways and slightly hidden will give the illusion of even more space. also having the shed of to one side will give a nice area to one side that can be a kidy patio. I would accentuate the curve of the path, Put in a few bushy plants down each side with enough space inbetween so that when fuller in a few years there are hidden spaces. Even if these spaces are on a few feet in size it all helps with the illusion of size.

OddjobKIA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67111972@N03/6716689791/in/photostream
hope this works

joeyvicks

doesn't work oddjob...

Do you mean planting in the borders or along the pathway?

I like the idea of rotating the playhouse and having a nice area in front of it

RAS

Which end of the garden does the sun shine at midday?

And agree, turn the shed round and create a hard playspace in front.

How old is DD?

joeyvicks

if looking at the picture of the playhouse the sun at midday will be at about the 2 o'clock direction. This making the border with the field beans in absolutely ideal for growing mot things but just not sure what. The area in front o the playhouse also gets the sun until it goes down

RAS

joeyvicks wrote: »

if looking at the picture of the playhouse the sun at midday will be at about the 2 o'clock direction. ..... The area in front o the playhouse also gets the sun until it goes down

Thanks

So

1. The dark area beneath the conifers at the back gets enough light for plants to grow? I appreciate that it is probably very dry but breaking up that solid dark green would be a good idea.

2. if you want DD to be able to play there, you might actually want to put some tall plants in front of the patio at 10 o'clock so that there ia some space there that is shaded (unless you go for full cover clothing?)

You adults might want somewhere to rest later in the day. Where does the sun shine after work?

if those are planters at the base of the trellis, dith them as they are too smnall to be useful. Plant direct in the ground. Light weight stuff like sweet peas, canary creeper etc this year, may be clematis for the future.

I would either trellis the white shed or put a trellis up at an angle behind which to hide that dalek (I think that may be the best place for the dalek as it should be shaded and close to the house).

joeyvicks

What would you suggest planting in te patch in front of the playhouse? It gets quite boggy there though due to that being the bottom of a slightly sloped garden.

OddjobKIA

will try again

OddjobKIA

try this link instead

http://flickr.com/gp/67111972@N03/3uQ538