With lots of time on our hands and the beautiful weather we’ve been having, we have enjoyed being out in the garden so much. Since moving into our house 7 years ago we’ve made lots of changes and learnt so much. I’ve gone from someone who knew nothing about flowers and gardens, to producing a garden that looked like this last year.
Please keep in mind that it looked like this when we moved in!!
We made lots of changes and enjoyed a lovely summer in it last year, enjoy BBQ’s, friends over and family days in the garden together.
Then the building work hit last September!
and my beautiful garden dissappeared!!
So this is year is all about putting it back together and making it beautiful again. So I thought I would share with you our plans for the garden this year and the jobs that need doing.
Concrete Removal and New Patio Slabs
As you can see the builders needed to removed the thick concrete that was outside the house. This ran all the way around the house and needed removing for the extension and drainage. So we got them to remove all of it across the full width, as you can see in this photo it was very thick!
Once all the building work was done, they left it as we asked, all the thick concrete was gone and some hardcore laid down to create a firm base. We can now extend the patio slabs and create a wider patio area and take them closer to the house. We will still be running a channel of stones down the edge as this gives a soakaway for the water and saves cutting these massive tiles which is hard work!!
Create A Secluded Feeling To The Garden
When you start using a space you start to learn what you love about it and how you want to live in it. We live in a built-up residential area and surrounded by houses, we have the benefit of this with the children schools close, shops and access to many areas easily, which for now at this point in our lives it suits us well. Luckily it’s such a peaceful road and you can easily forget that when sitting in our garden.
However, I would love to create a more secluded feeling in the garden, using plants to create a living boundary to our garden and hide the neighbour’s gardens and houses.
Take this side of the patio, we’re going to use this side for an outside dining area. Having a dining table in this space and the sofa seating the other side. But I want to place plants and shrubs to this fence line and new planter to create privacy and hiding the other side. Kev has created a new flower bed here in this planter to retain the mud area as the next door neighbours level is higher than ours so has a big drop. I will paint it up white once rendered to match with the large planters we have. This can be filled up with soil so I can plant my new flowers here too. It gives me an excuse to think of some new plants to go here!
I also would like to hide the water butt and drain area too, and plants are a good way of doing this.
Same with the other side, placing plants with height or structures with height to hide the neighbour’s conservatory and them being able to see over.
Fencing
Fencing is something that requires a lot of thought and preparation for, and pricing up the cost to install fences. This length of fencing at the back of the garden needs to be replaced at some point, it’s ours, and whilst talking to our neighbour who has lived here since the houses were built, she says the fence has never been replaced!
We’ve painted the fence panels which has really helped with the maintenance of them as this type of fence paint protects the fencing from the rain and creates a barrier. But they aren’t going to last too much longer and are starting to fall apart.
The children’s climbing frame has started to break as well, which considering it was second hand when we purchased it 6 years ago it’s done brilliantly. So it might be next years job to create a completely new area to this part of the garden!
Hot Tub Area
Last year the girls saved up their money and purchased a blow up hot tub!
They got so much enjoyment from this and spent hours and hours in it. This little patio area was being used for the outside dining table before their hot tub and the extension, it makes a perfect area for the hot tub. Using the Acer trees as shading and creating a pretty little area with flowers and trees around it.
We used a quick adhesive to secure these tiles down and it’s rubbish! The tiles have lifted, so we’re planning on lifting them, setting them properly and then grouting to finish them off. I will also keep planting up this area to make it more scheduled and a pretty space to be in.
Kev has also added in a little retaining wall on the left-hand side to match up with the existing white planters. This will keep the mud of the flower bed retained and the grass from growing into it. I will paint it white to keep it all matching nicely. This area of grass needs to be reseeding to extend the lawn out around the little patio.
Fruit Trees
Along this fence line we have three patio fruit trees, and each year we have been getting more and more apples, it’s very satisfying. This year I have lots of pears appearing on the pear tree too!
The cherry tree next to the shed isn’t producing much, but it makes a nice tree in this spot to create privacy.
It does make me want to grow more of our own fruit, any suggestions?
So do you have any plans for your garden this year? I would love to hear them
16 Comments
Wow, you have been busy. This is amazing I love the kids climbing frame and the hot tub. You have everything covered!
It’s great to be able to keep the kids occupied outside, love them being outside
What a great space. Good luck with all your plans. Love those fruit trees! And that hot tub looks brilliant
Thank you very much, the kids lived in that last year!
Your garden looks gorgeous already but completely understand the need for privacy. We would love to change our garden but we are in rented so can’t do too much.
– Hannah | http://www.savingmovingmummy.com
Ah you could add some flowers in using pots, that way you can take them with you if you need to move
I am so jealous of the space you have here. It looks fab!
Ah thank you x
The garden is looking great, I love the painted fence panels – it’s a very modern looking colour. We don’t have a garden but it doesn’t stop me lusting over other peoples!
This was the biggest change to this garden that I felt was being brave, but it’s paid off. I love the colour and makes the flowers stand out more
Having a secluded area is so important in a garden surrounded by other houses, I agree. That’s one thing that’s missing from our garden. Yours looks lovely, great progress!
Yes it’s something I’m really focusing on fo the garden, I want to feel like we’re in a little oasis of our own!
Love your garden, it’s so big! We moved into our house last summer but still haven’t done anything to improve the garden, but this post has plenty of inspiration!
It’s one of the big things we loved about this house was the garden! We love having this space to chill in, gives an extension to the house in the summer
What a lot of hard work from you all. Fantastic result- your garden is beautiful. This was inspirational for me as a garden novice – thanks for sharing.
Thank you, amazing when I look back at it!