Landscape/Backyard - Help grounding home in its space
Landscape/Backyard - Help grounding home in its space
Hi. We bought this home a few months ago and were told to live in the space before we do anything. All we know we want to do is remove the wood decking. It gets stained by the water and the tree dropping and we think it actually works against helping ground the house in its space as we think it divides up what isn't a big space too much.
It is blank canvas which is great but overwhelming to know how to make the space inviting and bring the house and yard together. The summers are hot so we need some sun shade and open to something more permanent than an umbrella. We would live an eating area and a sitting area in the space. All thought appreciated! Oh....and there is a photo of the boring front porch area and the images are from the house was staged, so that isn't our furniture that we want to use...actually we haven't bought any yet. THANKS!
Hi. We bought this home a few months ago and were told to live in the space before we do anything. All we know we want to do is remove the wood decking. It gets stained by the water and the tree dropping and we think it actually works against helping ground the house in its space as we think it divides up what isn't a big space too much.
It is blank canvas which is great but overwhelming to know how to make the space inviting and bring the house and yard together. The summers are hot so we need some sun shade and open to something more permanent than an umbrella. We would live an eating area and a sitting area in the space. All thought appreciated! Oh....and there is a photo of the boring front porch area and the images are from the house was staged, so that isn't our furniture that we want to use...actually we haven't bought any yet. THANKS!
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1. re grade the rear yard to the drain to the rear with a dry stream bed running left to right across the space. This will mean berming up the space in front of the retaining wall along the back of the streams meander. With this push back you will have room for adding a gazebo and add plantings to the area between the house and the gazebo, with naturalized paths to the house doors and smaller paved patios.
2. as to the higher part of the yard use depends on your interest from baci ball, horse shoe or putting green or just a great garden area. (note: the use of old carpet scraps as ground cover for gardens is one of my favorites. Just lay it upside down on the the garden area for 8 months then cut slots for the plants. Given I'm seeing dryscaping on the side yard I'd add white rock on top of the carpet and keep it moist during the dry months. This will compost the old grass while you wait to plant your first crop.)
3. While your doing the yard work bring a water line up to the higher level for watering plants.
I am in favor of paved or deck areas because it makes it so much easier to deal with lawn and watering. Half my 7000 square foot back yard is slate tile and i LOVE it. There's half the yard I don't have to water and I grow drought resistent plants in pots all over the patio.
I have a picture somewhere of a water feature like that... I will come add it if I can find it.
So here is the next hurdle, the front yard is all Xeriscape but my husband hates it. The house was entirely redone and so the previous owner landscaped the front but left the back a blank slate. So....although the occasional succulent and other low water plants can be used in the back yard, it wasn't going to be the overall look. I have attached a photo of the front yard. Marriage is all about compromise so I the backyard will be ours. :-) thanks.