Just moved into this house! Needs some ideas how we can fix up this part of our yard. The house & the fire pit area is high up and there’s a very steep slope down to the rest of the yard. We do plan on moving the fire pit down to low part of the yard.
Yes the door is broken 😂 the people before us filled this space with a bunch of pea gravel (not sure what reason) and when my husband was weedeating, he broke not only the door with the wood but one of the other panes on the other glass doors. I don’t want to fix the doors until we’ve fixed the yard so we don’t break brand new doors 😂
We will definitely need to have dirt brought in since it’s washed out so bad around the foundation.
Would like something. We could potentially do ourselves, but not opposed to hiring someone for a concrete pour etc.
main concern is to prevent that wash out from happening around the foundation.
This is the only part of our yard with full sun, zone 7
Thanks in advance!!
by jtay22
28 Comments
stage and stripper pole – always the answer . . .
Hardscape
Pavers or slab. Serving, cooking and sitting areas. Plants and some kind of a sunshade or pergola?
Cool looking house. Any interior pics?
I would 100% start with a covered patio. Add a shed roof to the house just below the windows on the second floor.
For a sloping yard, use a terraced approach. Put in a short retaining wall to define a level-ish backyard and fill that with new dirt. Remember to incorporate drainage into the project to help prevent future washout.
Paver patio
Hardscape is great especially if theres heavy rainfall/flooding possibility and fire protection.
Do a xeriscape / drought tolerant or plant some trees
Spread some seeds grow some veg
If you’ve any interest in growing food then consider putting in planting beds on the top level. I could see working some of them into a retaining wall so from below beds are raised. Possibly the top level could be the main outdoor kitchen and dining area. Make the fire pit on lower level really special so it’s also the living room.
Suspect the patio area needs to be hired out whether you put in pavers or concrete. Perhaps you could do a block retaining wall with a couple sets of integrated steps yourself IF it is less than 3′ tall. Adjust the size and shape of the patio and maybe you can make it so. I’d want to keep the patio as far from the trees as possible anyway.
Bioswale down the yard with a rain garden towards the end. Lots of plants in 2/3 of it, you could do some stunning flowers and wildflowers. Small patio opening in the flat area (by those rocks?) with seating forming a small circle. You could make a little woodland feel by the edges at the property line with a few small groupings of shrubs and get an open but private feel.
Plant natives
I think since you just moved in , put down some grass seed & keep it watered . If you want to spend more money . Haveyour local Spring Green company or equivalent do this for you .good luck .
Do major stuff later . First , just settle in to your new place .
Concrete slab, stamped and/or stained. Or paver patio. If you do pavers make sure you know what you’re doing or hire a professional. Do a nice hard scape/landscape around the perimeter of the patio. Black dirt and grass seed the rest. Make the patio larger than you think you need to accommodate comfortable outdoor furniture and a grilling and eating area. I like to plan on some sort of cover for shade that covers at least around 50% of the patio surface, depending on how large the area is.
Just moving in… add some soil and grass seed. Enjoy the new home and take some time to decide what you really want in the yard.
I’d build a stage and hire Blink 182 and Shaboozey to perform
Submerged conversation pit surrounding an even lower fire pit.
Two levels. (“Levels Jerry” j/k). Up against the house hardscape or deck. You’re pick. Extend it to the windows if you can (do an end item otherwise) bed etc, but definitely put to the rocks on the right. Then a small step down with some small varies shrubs.
To Second layer which is a fire pit Adirondack chair area.
Water it…
Sit on the bench. Contemplate. You got this.
We built a deck and threw down some black mulch with plants and flowers that are native to our area
Water it
Grass it up, some nice soft blue grass or something like that, make the fire pit 10’ diameter circle of stone/gravel
Add a pond below the small hill & make a creek waterfall water feature going down the hill into the pond, plenty of seating, add a hammock somewhere. Enjoy
Garden Railroad
I took the first year of being in my new home to figure out what I really wanted from the yard! Don’t rush into anything 🤷🏼♀️
That said, no-mow fescue grass might do really well back there and it is so soft and pretty. And maybe a paver patio around the fire pit and doors
Maybe a little farm
First of all examine your downspouts and guttering ( non glamorous, I know). Then go out and watch during a good rain to see where the water is going and how. Figure out any adjustments to get the water away fast. Then add soil around the foundation.
Consider rain barrels, bioswale, stream/waterfall feature using your run off. But most importantly pause a bit and see how you use your house and what is your lifestyle in your new home. Then plan accordingly.
First decide what you want to do in your yard. Do you have kids that want a play space? Like to cook out? Want a bonfire spot? Veggie garden? Views you’d like to screen?
Disc golf basket