As you can see in the pictures, I have this strange corner against my house that I am trying to figure out what to do with. I hate the gradually declining mulch garden that the previous owner went with but want to know what options people can envision… can I remove all the dirt and mulch and just pour a concrete slab that is level with the sidewalk and yard or is that a bad idea. Any ideas are helpful
by Impossible-Guess1367
37 Comments
Small retaining wall
If it were me: dig out existing mulch, add gravel, stone & pavers, then add sand in the voids between the pavers. Put down planters for tall blooming plants that are native to your area. Maybe a bench to sit on.
French drain. That’s always the answer. Good luck.
Butterfly /pollinators gardens
Dig it out, pavers, small seating area plus potted plants
Level>paver patio
Small retaining wall, level, plant and use decomposed granite instead of compost.
Bird fountain and some native grasses and native flowers
Hosts
Herb garden?
detached patio area
Id out a knee high block wall (L shaped to the bulk head door) and fill the area with whatever flowers you like, add a nice ornamental tree or a couple butterfly bushes maybe.
Put back up the border wall and plant native plants. Besides clearing it out at the very end of winter you’ll have no maintenance but lots of butterflies, honey bees and good smells.
It appears that there is already concrete or concrete bricks underneath the mulch. I would remove all the mulch to see the condition of the concrete below it. Then clean it up and maybe put some attractive raised beds for gardening.
Mini water fountain with native plants, or a starter vegetable garden.
I grow strawberries in an area about this size in my backyard. That’s more gardening than landscaping, though.
100% budget dependent but like others have said s patio/deck there would be perfect
That’s not a weird area, that’s a perfect flower bed or a garden bed or whatever kind of planting bed or water feature area, because there’s no weed in encroachment from outside lawns.
Herb/ kitchen garden, raspberry patch
Build a bed room for my structural engineer
Flowers and herbs grow very well together. They bring in a ton of pollinators. When you go outside and sit you can smell the great fragrances and see the pretty creatures.
Given the proximity to your stoop and the path right there, a kitchen herb garden would be ideal. Thyme, oregano, sage. You could place a few pots out as well for mint and lemon balm (if you plant those in the ground they will take over within a couple years). You could also hang a cable trellis from you gutters down to the ground to train up a bing plant like hardy kiwi, hops, or passionfruit. Other options abound, as well. What hardiness zone are you in?
Sod.
What kind of sun do you get in this spot? That would be my starting point for any design. Personally I wouldn’t pour concrete but that’s just a preference. I would definitely put up some type of retaining wall that is slightly taller than the last step and put some kind of lighting on it so it’s not a trip hazard. I’d want something up by the AC like a long planter box maybe even with a trellis to hide the unit.
Depending on location, light, and how you envision using the space these are my ideas:
– If you’re in the southwest or someplace drought prone, a xeriscape with gravel/rocks would make it pretty low maintenance and you don’t have to water it as much. I don’t find that enjoyable to hang out in (again, just personal preference. If I lived in an arid area, I’d probably have a different opinion) but the right plants in the right place makes your garden thrive and a thriving garden makes for a happy gardener.
– If it’s a spot that gets some afternoon/evening shade, I’d probably do a cottage garden with a couple chairs and a bistro table. I’d play with color and height using a mix of pots and in ground plantings. Then it’s a nice place to sit when you get home from work.
– If it’s full sun all day, I’d plant a rose garden because I’m a sucker for them. Again I’d do some potted, some climbing, some landscape, and some shrubs.
– If it’s shady all day, I can see a nice Japanese *styled* garden with lots of green shades and grasses. I don’t necessarily mean an actual Japanese garden but use that as an inspiration and use things like hosta, liriope, and grasses in gentle sweeps. You could put a gravel dry creek bed to catch any run off from the air conditioner (which you might want to do with whatever you decide if the unit drains into that area).
– A small kitchen garden with a couple things you enjoy and maybe an herb garden as well.
– A native plant pollinator bed. That will be totally based on where you are as to which plants you use. This bed can be harder to curate because it can look overgrown and weedy pretty quickly if you aren’t careful. But the upside is all the butterflies and wildlife it attracts.
Flower bed sitting nook.
Herb / pollinator garden. Flowers to feed pollinators and herbs to keep pest insects away from your home.
I would plant wild geraniums. They are low growing, leaves smell nice and they attract pollinators. Very easy to take care of.
Hostas!
Dig out mulch (close to house = termite magnet) and replace with gravel or P-rock. Get some nice terra cotta pots and plant some native pollinator host plants. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to set up a little section for herbs as well- rosemary especially can grow like gangbusters and will make your entryway smell amazing. Add a bird bath.
You’ve got a great little spot here to add a wonderful pop of color to your yard- and the number of butterflies that visit will be visible from your window.
Also, I see you’re also part of the r/MetalCasting sub… would be a great place to display some of your castings!
Remove the mulch, dirt and landscape fabric, throw away fabrc, retain mulch and dirt. Remove existing pavers. Obtain1/16″ steel sheet 10″ wide, long enough to make an edge along the sidewalk and stairs. Install sheet as retaining edge using a piece of 2×4 as a hammer block.. Replace dirt and plant native plants of your choice to increase beauty and ecological benefits while requiring far less water and growing like it’s their jobs. Enjoy all the benefits of a little hard work.
Remove everything, use the dirt and mulch elsewhere on your property and concrete it, it will look terrrible, but that’s up to you
Make it even weirder
This absolutely looks like a spot for a small patio. I would level it, put down pavers or stone, and get a small bistro table/chairs and some potted plants.
It almost looks like there was a paver patio there before because at the corner I can see some blocks… maybe someone filled it in for plants?!
Make it in to some sort of garden or a pond or something
Putting green!
Level it and put in a bar
Rock
Dig it out and put in a plunge pool with a window in the basement.