I've spent the last week pulling weeds and while I still have a couple hours left to go, I was curious about what I could do next to make things a little prettier? I don't have access to much besides elbow grease and perseverance. I can afford a few grow beds here and there but won't be able to do any grand diy projects for a while. Any recommendations would be great, thanks for taking the time to read and reply.
by the-naked-archer
8 Comments
Do you want grass or ground cover? You can make raised garden beds, I used cedar fence boards, handsaw and a drill. Nails work also. Trellis for vines or support for tomatoes. Low cost and makes it look nice with plants.
Are you opposed to planting grass? Look into what grows in your area, some of it can be quite pretty. You could also grow clover or native wildflowers.
Definitely get some grass in there! Get some grass seed (black beauty) and some good fertilizer. Then do some raised garden beds on the side there. You could move the local of the trampoline and bees back there.. you have a lot of options
Do a sun audit to determine where grass can survive as that very tall wall and tree may make it too shady for it to do well over the entire space.
There’s the lawn and food garden. Smooth its boundaries for the lawn bit and put in edging. Either scrounge bricks/pavers/broken concrete or install plastic edging. In all cases mostly or partly burying half to most of the depth so they stay put. If edging wide enough it might double as floor is lava racetrack and for mower wheels to ride so less edging required.
Where there’s no lawn put in free chipdrop wood chips. I get the impression from that brick wall and fence style that you are not in the US, they are arborist chips that are given away rather than paying dump fees. This means no more walking outside barefoot but free is good. Best if you collect mountains of cardboard to lay down underneath it. With lawn and not lawn separated this will look more intentional.
You might gussy up the shed [which looks like a prefab from the US] to look more like a barn, cottage or playhouse. Paint the doors a pretty color. Put a pair of small planting beds made from those cheap fence boards to either side for a pair of small ornamental grasses, small shrub, 6 pack of annuals bought to suit how much sun is back there. Add a fake window to wall/door if you are feeling creative. If the area in front is sunny enough would be an excellent spot to add some raised planting beds for veggies so if you squint it looks like a country cottage/farm with cottage garden/’fields’ surrounding. If used as a playhouse put in a low fence with gate on 2 sides with raised beds outside the fence and I’d probably scrounge up pavers as floor inside and patio outside.
Well, you’re lucky and that you have a nice big space to work with. First, I would suggest some Evergreen shrubs against the back wall. Not only will they hide the wall, but they will stay green here around. Always keep in mind the amount of sunlight that you get when you’re planting something, a good choice for something inexpensive that will come up every year are daylilies. And Rock Gardens are always a nice feature if you can find somewhere to “steel” some rocks. Hope this helps give you some ideas to get started. and don’t forget flowering trees.
I would move the trampoline closer to the house and use the room at the back to layer trees and native shrubs, with some perennial flowers in the front (or vegetables). Right now the main view from your yard is wall, trampoline and shed. I would plan a variety of plants (tall in back, shorter in front).
You don’t need raised beds to garden. I am currently on year 3 of killing off lawn and planting overtop by sheet mulching using cardboard and mulch.
If your feeling overwhelmed, I’d suggest taking small steps at a time. But also, take time to story board your end goals, what you want to do with the space when finished, be as brutally honest with yourself as possible. Would you really use that, and do you actually see that happening kind of stuff.
Help get a good end goal and picture. What’s you have planned the space you really want, space the actual plan and stick with it and to it.
This is what is killing Me on My own remodel. So many things I’d like to do, I soe d more time playing out never going to happen stuff when what I need to do most is pick one and start grading..
Grass is not a zero maintenance thing, but it’s always nice to go out and enjoy. Clover and other ground covers are cool but not grass. For beds, gardening is a high sweat equity, so plan what you know you will eat and leave just a little space for things you want to try…. my parents had to struggle on this as 6 kids all had something they didn’t like so be careful.
Good luck and have fun!
I say ditch most of the grass in favor of native plants. You can usually find free seed for things around if you’re patient enough to collect for an entire season. Leave a patch through the middle for the kids if you want but the flowering natives will bring all the fun non-plant life to the space. Mowing turf grass is for suckers.