Garden layout

Kemik · 8 Aug 2017 at 17:13

Hi guys,

This is the layout of the current garden.

The double doors lead to a very small patio with the blocks continuing to the shed. The door on the right is the gate to the driveway. The top right of the garden slopes quite significantly downwards. This is a west facing garden. A tap is located to the left of the double doors.

How would you change this layout with the purpose of entertaining? We don't have kids or anything like that and the shed is probably a bit bigger than this layout suggests (7ft x 5ft?).

My dad reckons I should move the shed to the top right and continue the path to the shed. I should then extend the patio to where the shed currently is and add seating there. Not sure what to do around the rest of the garden though.

What do you think? Leave the shed where it is and put the seating area in the top right? I would need to level it off.

Thanks!

BigBoy · 8 Aug 2017 at 18:20

What direction does the garden face, where does the sun sit the most? I planned our garden around the movement of the sun so there is always a place in the sun and shade and had seating in both. Our garden is North facing and gets sun until 4pm.

Selekt0r · 8 Aug 2017 at 20:27

If the garden is west facing then the bottom right is arguably the best place to have a larger patio for entertaining, as it will get the most/longest sun in the afternoon/evening. However, if the top right of the garden slopes down significantly then perhaps this is not the easiest place to relocate the shed. Are you able to post a photo of the garden to give us an idea of how significant the slope is? Also, what hedges or fences (and what height) do you have along the boundaries, as that could make a difference to your decision?

Kemik · 9 Aug 2017 at 09:07

Selekt0r said:
If the garden is west facing then the bottom right is arguably the best place to have a larger patio for entertaining, as it will get the most/longest sun in the afternoon/evening. However, if the top right of the garden slopes down significantly then perhaps this is not the easiest place to relocate the shed. Are you able to post a photo of the garden to give us an idea of how significant the slope is? Also, what hedges or fences (and what height) do you have along the boundaries, as that could make a difference to your decision?

This photo might be better to help. You can see by the way the fence panel stagger. The slope can't be more than three foot? Slightly concerned with where water will run off. Obviously the shed would be on concrete but might surround with a ditch and gravel to ensure it doesn't soak the wooden base.

Selekt0r · 9 Aug 2017 at 14:18

I'd probably be moving the shed to the 'bottom right', although you will need to make sure that the concrete shed base is level obviously.

If the top of the concrete slab for the shed is a couple of inches above the grass level at the front then the back will have greater clearance, so I would not have thought that water run-off would be a problem, unless you have experienced flooding in that corner of the garden before.

The only potential downside to having the shed in that corner (and potentially a path to it) is that it occupies space on the side of the garden which gets more sun. If you ever wanted to add/plant up some borders then the right hand side would be best as it gets the most sunlight (I presume the left hand gets very little/none due to the shadow from the fence).

booyaka · 9 Aug 2017 at 15:20

good luck - looks like a nightmare being hemmed in by 5 other gardens/paths etc

samcat · 9 Aug 2017 at 16:44

Get the shed out of the way, add some slab stepping stones down to it.. Whats in the shed, and is it stuff you need often or is it lawnmower/gardening tools that you only need when gardening?

Sun should hit bottom corner till late in the day, thats where you will entertain. Might be worth running patio is a solid line full width, with grass on the rest... And the proportions are a guess so maybe more grass/less patio.

Another thought is a veranda built from the back of the house over the patio, trellis and climbers on/near the fences (not all of the fence, strategically placed so your entertaining area doesn't feel quite so overlooked). This will also let you sit in the garden when its raining without getting wet/leave patio doors wide open in the rain without water getting in.

samcat · 9 Aug 2017 at 16:47

This shows the full width patio and veranda.

Kemik · 9 Aug 2017 at 17:34

Great feedback guys, thank you! I had never thought of top left, probably because I assumed the top right will get flooded in rain so the grass will die anyway. I'm only just moving in so no idea what it will be like. Will be putting some veg/herbs in too in one corner/L shape.

Extending the patio to the left fence is a must (as that is where the tap is) and then extending forward was also the plan.

The only thing going in the shed will be garden equipment and car cleaning equipment. It's too small for something like a mini gym (as awesome as that would be). It's a shame we don't have a garage

GinG · 10 Aug 2017 at 13:22

You need to get the builders back in...the fence work has got to be the worst I have every seen, looks very amateur!

Also I would get them back in to sort the grass out...very unacceptable.

I am however assuming this is a new build and within the 2 year period?

Kemik · 10 Aug 2017 at 14:18

GinG said:
You need to get the builders back in...the fence work has got to be the worst I have every seen, looks very amateur!

Also I would get them back in to sort the grass out...very unacceptable.

I am however assuming this is a new build and within the 2 year period?

Yes - moving in next Friday. Grass is back to 100%. This was taken during the UK "drought" a few weeks back. What specifically is wrong with the fence that I should indicate to them? Doing my snag list on Monday so can add it to the list.

Cheers

GinG · 10 Aug 2017 at 19:31

Kemik said:
Yes - moving in next Friday. Grass is back to 100%. This was taken during the UK "drought" a few weeks back. What specifically is wrong with the fence that I should indicate to them? Doing my snag list on Monday so can add it to the list.

Cheers

To me they look very rough and ready, especially the ones across the back...it mayuu be the way the Camera has picked up but there seems to be gaps where the posts have gone in, also it doesn't look very straight, almost zigzag.