Back Garden suggestions and advice needed

A question about : Back Garden suggestions and advice needed

I hope to tackle my back garden at long last, however I am not sure where and how to start. I know I need to have a plan if I am to achieve the garden I want. I hope to set aside a budget of about Ј1500, this would include the purchase of a new garden shed and a lawn mower. I don't know how to post pictures on here.

Toni

Best answers:

• Photo's are always good, I use photobucket to host my pics for this site.
  To help we need to know what you will be using the garden for, how much time are you willing to commit. Where in the country , soil .
  Are you going to do it all?
  Quote:
• Yep, need to know size of garden, flat or sloping, any young kiddies, pets, which way back of house points, any large trees creating dry shade, how you want to use the garden, interest in gardening or seeking 'low maintenance', type of soil etc.
  Ј1,500 isn't a huge budget unless you do a lot of the labouring yourself.
  This is a good time to get the design done, start buying plants in pots then use the Easter long weekend to get stuck in after the ground has dried out
  Looking on t'web is as good a way of getting ideas any. These days, everyone wants an 'outdoor room' -
• I am trying to post some pictures of garden. I have uploaded to photo bucket. Don't know if I have done this right. Tried to put link here but unsure what to do.I want a garden to relax in, I have grandchildren so would like to retain the small lawn area. Please note I am a complete novice when it comes to gardening. The garden has 2 small patio areas. I would like to eventually have one/two trees if I had to go for a theme it would be tropical to reflect my heritage.I would love to have colour in the garden and use it as proper outdoor space.
  The shed is too large I think for the garden and on its last legs so that will be going. I recognize that my current budget wont go very far, but a see this as a task that may take a while.
• In your photobucket, click on "img code", it will tell you the link has been copid then paste the link over here
• https://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...pspdw4osyx.jpg
  https://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...pspdw4osyx.jpg
  https://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...psnalnrlui.jpg
  https://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps3zu5ix8r.jpg
  https://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...psgdpepfnh.jpg
  https://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps9jciwcwc.jpg
  https://s722.photobucket.com/user/Sha...tml?sort=3&o=1
  https://s722.photobucket.com/user/Sha...tml?sort=3&o=2
  https://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...pstjds8gr6.jpg
  https://i722.photobucket.com/albums/w...psnalnrlui.jpg
• Additional information. I live in Birmingham in a1970's style of house therefore garden not very large at the back.Large garden and drive at the front. I have used the compass on my phone and I believe that my garden faces south Sun in the afternoon/evening. On the whole the garden is flat a slight step from the main patio area via Railway sleepers to a small lawn and then a second small patio area at the back.I am thinking of buying a Keter shed possibly 6 X4 having looked at prices I think this will not come out of my current budget. As you can see I have started to get some plants together.But need some larger shrubs/trees as my garden is overlooked to give me some privacy. I don't know what type of soil I have, but I know it is not clay type. My plan is to focus the next few months/years on the garden starting with the back. Appreciate your feedback and suggestions on what I should do.
• OK, a picture from the upstairs window looking down would be helpful to see the entire garden in one go.
  From the shadow in this picture, looks to me like the rear of the garden gets most sun which is why the patio and small table has been put there.
  You'll need to put some money into those fences before they fall down!
• I'd suggest this sort of layout -
  Keep the lawn, but make oval to give a contrast to the "box" of garden
  Really seriously widen the borders so you can put in broad-leafed plants and shrubs which hint at "sub-tropical" look
  Remove the conifers which don't match 'sub tropical' at all!
  Pull-up a couple of rows of slabs from where the patio meets lawn and replace by raised beds for better drainage. Plants here will partly obscure the rest of the garden and make it more interesting, such as grasses and verbena bonariensis.
  Plant the standard trees you have in pots on either side of the gap between raised beds and lawn
  The lawn needs some work with suitable weed-killer once the grass starts growing again
  Nearer the house, use big hostas in pots to help with slug/snail control
  A shed is always going to look ugly in a small garden, could you get away with a smaller garden store box tucked at the side of the patio?
• I have spoken where do you get your garden photos from? They're always fan and your ideas/comments really helpful and spot on.
• Thanks I have spoken you have certainly given me some ideas. I will try to post a view from upstairs at the weekend. The fences that are falling down are my neighbors. I do like the layout that you have suggested it seems quite cosy. Love the image. I will be ordering a 6x4 shed. As I keep the lawn mower and garden table etc in the shed.
  I like the suggestion of the raised floor beds. Can you suggest what needs to be done first. My gut feeling is to start by getting rid of the conifer trees and narrowing the lawn area. Am I on the right track, I will be asking some friends to give me a hand. I really want to succeed at this.