Design me a garden

[Kazz]

Okay I think I want to change my front garden....not sure from what to what, however I think I want to change the levels.....not sure why or how, the garden soil is normal good soil...but seems to grow almost everything I plant. The garden is South West facing.
These were taken today....well at 2.15 the day is overcast.

So design away.....
From the upstairs bedroom window the Cordyline is worse for weather wear. The conifer is due to be trimmed, and the green sundance is winning the battle for control....and due to be either removed or cut right back...not sure

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/kazz76/DSCN0200.jpg



From the other bedroom window....this is mostly a Summer perrenial bed...so can't see much yet.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/kazz76/DSCN0197.jpg



From the side gate the Magnolia (tallish bare branched pant forfront of picture)is in bud and due to be in flower soon.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/kazz76/DSCN0168.jpg



From the front gate looking towards the house... showing the fast growing sundance...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/kazz76/DSCN0169.jpg



From the front door down to the gate,...ie the path

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/kazz76/DSCN0170.jpg



Again from the side gate showing the whole disaster.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/kazz76/DSCN0165.jpg



So open to all ideas and suggestions....:-D

[angieh]

An important question Kazz - do you want to keep all the paving/paths etc? And what level of maintenance do you want?

[Kazz]

I am not sure about paving....I want I have no idea what I want really........I put the paving down. And the slabs with gravel in between and made the beds, I
cannot have lawn...for soem reason it is terrible by me...everyones is Useless at the front.

I want plants, I think I may get a couple of quotes to replace were the gravel and slabs are including where the path is to be replaced with either new paving (yet to be decided) or block paving or the concrete print thing....pattern put into concrete....

But it is functional and tidy if not pretty...but there again given the time of year is anyone's.....while I was out taking the pictures two of my neighbours (from where not sure but they pass often) stopped and said planning more changes I do love your garden. Always worth coming past.

[calismum]

Kazz - what is the rough size?

[Kazz]

About 30ft wide and 22ft deep from house to fence.

[angieh]

Front gardens are generally much more tricky!

[Kazz]

I know other people see them....

[calismum]

I found this quite difficult to do - I wanted to ask loads of questions as I don't really know your likes and dislikes. I think the idea of paving and gravel is ideal in a front garden. I also love containers.

Other problem is - I like your garden the way it is!!

Anyway here are a few ideas.

1 - Add two arches on the diagonal path. The lightweight black metal ones from B&Q or similar. I'd place them at a third from the gate and a third again. Depending on your taste but I'd plant some of the big flowering clematis to cover them. If you do a bit of research you can have flowers spring to autumn. I'd also plant some annual sweet peas to climb up through them and give you glorious summer scent.

2. Plant up more containers all different sizes/heights and group them together on the area that you have the two square pots at the fence. I wouldn't try and centre them as I think it'd be hard to get it right and would drive me mad.

3. If you don't want lots of pots then try a couple of feature pots. Stack three pots one on top of the other (should be ones that are wider at the top than the bottom) plant trailing plants in the bottom, flowers and foliage interest in the middle and a structured one in the top.

4. Group of three pots with different coloured grasses can be really effective.

5. A spiral ivy is really easy to do. Just plant two coloured ivies in a large pot. Add a wire spiral and train them round as they grow. This can be as tall or wide as suits the area.

6. In the area the cordyline is in I'd consider a sculpture. I love the colour of the slabs you have so I'd try and get some more of the small ones and just pile them up in a random manner.

7. In the perennial border I'd leave it for lots of summer flowers etc. But I'd maybe add a bit of trellis at the back and have some climbers with lots of flowers.

8. If you don't want to keep the perennial border then I'd turn it over to bamboos and grasses and put more gravel as a mulch. I'd also add a sculpture here of different heights of bamboo posts hammered into the ground in a group of 5 or 7.

So there you go. That's my ideas.

[Kazz]

Will read and digest thank you will get back to you.....I need to print your ideas then sit in the garden with them.....

I am about to have dinner so will be back shortly.

[dandysmom]

Great ideas from CM! She's given that a lot of thought. I personally love containers, there are so many interesting shapes and colors available.

[angieh]

Yes, containers are grand and grouping different size ones is a very good idea, especially if you could get some really big ones - they could be plastic and not heavy when empty. Some look very much like ceramic, especially if you coat them with yoghurt and cow dung!!! A "dry" garden sounds just great with grasses, bamboo, agave and yucca perhaps. Very drought tolerant, although I'm not sure how some would survive the winter we've just had. Love the arch idea, although not sure about the positioning because I'm not sure about where your front window looks out.

[dandysmom]

Just a personal comment about yucca: if you decide you don't like it, it's almost impossible to get rid of if it's in the ground. There was a huge one in my back garden when I moved; dug it out, came back from a bit of missed root ... went on for three years before I was finally rid of it. I like the arch idea too.