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scully931

Need advice on shed area

scully931
13 years ago

Hello and happy three weeks 'til spring! :-D

For my project this year, I am going to try to make a very small patio near my shed.

I have been trying to add gardens to as much of my land as possible because it's very hilly and difficult to mow. Last year I added mulch and plants to the little hill leading to the shed and two strips leading up to the shed.

Now I need help tying it all together. I've never been fond of the straight lines of the strip, but after hauling a million buckets of mulch up my hills, I said "no more this year!"

So... what are your suggestions for softening this area and tying it all together once I get the little brick patio in? I would welcome and and all suggestions! Thank you! :-)

These are the two "landing strips" i need to arc or wave or something. The small square patio will go to the right. (Your right as you look at it)

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Where you see the table is where the brick will be set. You can barely see the beginning of the small hill, which is also mulched and planted.

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This is a long shot so you can see the other hills and planting areas. I'm afraid it's getting too choppy and would like to somehow tie it all together.

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Comments (12)

  • girlgroupgirl
    13 years ago

    Scully, how about simply adding a few larger shrubs (and I don't mean huge) to the edges of your current bed areas by the shed. Meaning that it would give the areas a soft roundness and curvyness over time. I'm thinking of shapes that can be fairly broad such as a shorter forsythia, or perhaps spirea, maybe lavender. Surrounding the non-garden side of the patio with similar plants will also help, and it would help the two areas fit together more.
    My other thought would be to create a more simplified way to get mulch up your hill to the shed! How about a pully system that drags something up with mulch? It looks very steep.

    GGG

  • Calamity_J
    13 years ago

    I gotta hankerin' for boxwood this yr...and esplinier fruit trees....maybe that would work for you too? I have a HUGE sloped back yard I am trying to reclaim, I am actually using tires to build a sloped path down, so now I can get a wheelbarrow down there, I am hoping to have a nice pergola/Girl cave/greenhouse type thing this yr, your pic is getting my ideas perking!heh heh!

  • tempusflits
    13 years ago

    Increasing the number of plants in your bed could reduce the amount of mulch needed. Winter Sowing offers a large number of plants fairly quickly for you. Some of the perennials might take two years to bloom, but combined with a few annuals, they'd help fill in the beds.

    The link to the GW WS Forum is below. The Winter Sown site can be found at wintersown.org

    Here is a link that might be useful: Winter Sowing forum

  • Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca
    13 years ago

    I agree with ggg, my first thought was how beautiful limelight hydrangeas or pinky winky would look next to the shed! And I tried ws and loved it, you could fill in the border quickly like tempusflit suggested.
    Your patio area is going to look so charming!

  • scully931
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    That's a good idea about the shrubs on the edge. The picture was taken pretty soon after planting it, so the area did grow in quite a bit. There are several catmints, so I know it will look fuller next year.

    I have three ruby spice shrubs on order to frame the patio. Since it's going to be square I want to soften the edges.

    I'm very grateful for all my land, but ugh. Hills!!! >:-Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be sure to post pictures once I get things going. :-)

  • tkhooper
    13 years ago

    A more organic look can be achieved if you would stop using squares. Make your patio a shape other than square and add curves to your flower beds.

    Or maybe I don't understand what you are asking for. That happens a great deal with me.

    And definitely, to pull it all together, choose a plant that you can do in multiples. That will get the eye to move from one area to another area. An evergreen is nice for this because it has interest all year long.

  • christinmk z5b eastern WA
    13 years ago

    You don't have to do it on both sides of the shed strips, but how about making a free form wavy/round-ish "wing" on the right side from the shed all the way around to that reddish pot in pic #2? I am TERRIBLE with edging and making lines, so basically go free form when making all beds. I like that they are informal and you don't have to worry about making things even.

    Originally I made the patio very big (something like 8x12 or so). Never used it. Then I got the idea to make it smaller and surround it entirely with plants and grasses and allow them to drape/creep over onto the patio to soften the look of the concrete. Now I love it and use it all the time. It feels secluded and comfortable being surrounded with lush green growing things. Sorry if I ramble! What I mean is that planting all around your patio might help to include it into your gardens and not separate it.
    CMK

  • natal
    13 years ago

    It's a very pretty area, but I agree that adding some curves would go a long way to softening things up.

  • scully931
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Yes, I agree -- too many squares and straight lines. That wasn't really the intent. haha... just happened.

    I wanted to make the patio curved, but see, there are tree roots all along there. That means I have to do a raised patio with 2x4s. Still, I think planting all around it and putting round pots on it will help.

    Multiples, yes! I agree.

    Thanks so much for the additional advice. I hope it works out as well in reality as it does in my head.

  • tkhooper
    13 years ago

    I hope so too. I look forward to additional pictures. If you are doing a raised patio you could use benderboard rather than two by fours to get it curved if you wanted to. I've seen it on DIY shows although I haven't actually tried it.

  • scully931
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I hope the benderboard comes with all the carpenters from those DYI shows. ;-)
    I'll look into that because I really would like to make it curved. Thanks for the suggestion.

  • tkhooper
    13 years ago

    That would be so nice. What a dream. I'm out in the garden and here come a bunch of landscape designers with their crews and create all my gardens just the way I've always invisioned them. And it doesn't cost me a dime. What a lovely dream.

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