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Ideas for my manky lawn and old car port

Hi, We are in the middle of demolishing an old car/bike port that was used by previous owners. We used it just for putting table and chairs under during winter. 

The trouble is the levels, its a sloping garden, and the previous owner chucked a load of concrete up there and so there is now different levels. 

We were thinking decking? But it'll have a massive step up if we do it level with the back gates. 

The lawn is used by the dog as a toilet area and so, coupled with winter and leaves from trees, has become muddy and torn up and full of weeds. I have set aside an area to the left which I will lay bark down for his toilet. But is there anything else I can do other than digging it up and relaying turf? 

Any ideas of what to do with this garden would be much appreciated image

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh294/lucy-h/bikeport_zps6270b66b.jpg

 

http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh294/lucy-h/garden_zps3bfbd4c1.jpg

Posts

  • GardenmaidenGardenmaiden Posts: 1,126

    You can deck the area where the carpot was, but have a step down where you've got the metal ramp.

    Where the brick wall is you could have a bed and plant with a small shrub/perennial/bulb mix.

    I can't tell if the rest of the grass is level with the concrete. If it was, you could have decking the width of the garden.

    If you don't want to keep the grass you could cover with double membrane and gravel or slate it, maybe have a couple of planting pockets.

     

     

  • lucy-hlucy-h Posts: 3

    We are trying to make the garden look bigger so unfortunately no room for a green house. I like the idea of getting rid of the grass completely and replace with decking but my husband wants to keep some for laying about on. 

  • GardenmaidenGardenmaiden Posts: 1,126

    If its as yucky as you say, I don't think he would lie on it. He'd be better off with a free standing hammock.

  • lucy-hlucy-h Posts: 3

    The idea is to improve the grass/replace it? I don't think anyone would lie on it in its current conditionimage

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    I'd pave or deck under the car port, and turn the car port into a pergola - you could have steps up to it - covered with clematis or vines planted at the bottom of the uprights and climbing up and over the beams it would look fabulous - you can put a nice garden table and chairs out there and eat there most summer evenngs. 

    Make a bed around the base of the fence and plant some more climbers and perennials and as Edd says, work on the lawn.  A bit of scarifying and spiking and some Evergreen 80 type fertiliser in the spring (or even just seaweed powder if you're concerned about the dog going on there) will soon have that grass looking like a lawn image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Tropical SamTropical Sam Posts: 1,488

    I would level the whole thing or at least terrace it with a large patio area over most of the top. If you really want a dog toilet (not pleasant for anyone) then the bottom terrace would be used for that. It is a lot of work but not an insurmountable one and could be done quite quickly.

  • Hi Lucy. Is the concrete making a big difference to the levels in the garden or is the ground naturally sloping? Which way does the garden face? Where is the majority of sunshine hitting? Maybe throw up a photo of the back of your house so we can see from the top of the garden.
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066

    The area set aside for the dogs toilet should be slabbed as you will need to clean it regularly with Jeyes or something similar, don't use bark as you will remove it when you scoop and don't use decking as the grooves and gaps will be unhygenic.

    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
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