My Backyard Needs Help - PICS

I need suggestions. I have run out of ideas at this point. It is very overwhelming. We want a nice backyard, nothing over the top, just grass to grow already, and make a new flower bed in the back.

The backyard dirt/grass area from the deck to the back fence is about 25' deep and from the fence to the shed is about 58' long. So we have a good size backyard.

I need ideas. If this was your backyard, what would you do with it? Bring the deck out further off the house? Extend the patio area past the deck? Swing in a corner? Make the whole back fence a flower bed with a water fountain? Any ideas or suggestions would be well appreciated. We want to enjoy our backyard and we want to spend time in our backyard. One other thing, we might put a pool back in over the next 5 yrs, but it will be much smaller than the one we had, probably a round medium size pool in the corner by the Hosta's. And we plan to have kids and entertain more of our family & friends.

Thank you!

Where the pool would go if we put one back in.




We will probably (depending on money) bring the deck out to where the staircase comes out to. We need some more room for the long table we have. So about another 3-4 ft out from where the deck is now.




Where the gazebo is, is where the patio is. It's a year old.



The red stepping stones will be removed and recycled and we will put in grey ones to match the patio.


The cement you see to the left of the pic is part of our driveway that is behind our fence. Hopefully next year it will be all pavers because we are hoping to redo all of our cement with pavers.



I can't wait to hear everyone's ideas and suggestions. Thanks everyone!

Re: My Backyard Needs Help - PICS

U know my ans,, DEF a pool . Maybe once you re install that then you can build a deck around the pool from whwre it starts now.....

Maybe a retaining wall, Dont you have that , not sure,,

But yea Jen a freggin pool,,,

Re: My Backyard Needs Help - PICS

oh, i would have a field day planting garden beds along the fence line, nice ones! i would bring pics to starky brothers and ask for suggestions on perrenials and some small shrubs, nice little trees... lilac or dogwoods ... mini ones that don't get too big and need little maintenance.

i would simply plant some grass seeds, or sod for the small area that has no grass and wait until i could afford a pool...

get some bocci balls and play on the lovely new grass!!

i can envision loveliness, but to tell you which plants i would plant, that i can't do b/c i don't know names...

Re: My Backyard Needs Help - PICS

I think it's overwhelming because it's a blank canvas, but you can start with foundation plants and focal points, and build around them.

First off, which way does the back of your house face? North, south, east, west? The trees past the fence look like they provide shade for the back border of your yard which would necessitate part sun plants. You would need to keep the sun exposure in mind when looking for plants.

Foundation plants are tall, background plants, shrubs and trees. You pretty much already have a nice green background with the trees past the fence. You could plant things that contrast the greens - reds and purples like barberry, purple smokebush, purple leaf sandcherry, dwarf red japanese maple.

Focal points can be specimen plants, trees, or other man made elements like fountains, arbors, trellis, gazing balls, seating areas, benches. You could install three or five (always odd numbers) trellises along the fence and grow some nice, well behaved vines like clematis.

You know how I love curves and I think in your case, you have only straight lines. Except for the nice raised bed you planted with the stone wall, everything is square. How much space would you not mind losing to a border? Laying down a hose is a great way to visualize planting bed shapes.

Once you have these, you can build around them. Tall always goes on the outside like ornamental grasses and shrubs. Mediums in the middle like echinacea, black eyed susan, japanese anemone. Shorts in the front like hosta, heuchera, veronica, dianthus. Mix complimentary colors, textures and shapes, and keep in mind when they bloom so you can have a continual border.

I hope this helps! It's the approach I'm taking to my own borders, which will be a work in progress for a few years. For my foundation plants I have mock orange, purple smokebush, beautyberry, variegated miscanthus, lacecap hydrangea, bridal wreath spirea, euonymus. I'm going to build everything else around those over time.

Re: My Backyard Needs Help - PICS

You havea great entertaining space! I think you should extend the deck out where your bbq is now or make more patio to fit a table and chairs. that way you'll have your seating/entertain area on one side of the yard and then you can do your pool and/or flowers on the other side. Maybe plant some shrubs or plants that will grow taller along the chain link fence.

Message edited 8/12/2009 9:36:34 AM.

Re: My Backyard Needs Help - PICS

Thank you all for your GREAT ideas. Now I have a lot to think about. My DH is going to want to kill me.

Anyone else have any other ideas?

Re: My Backyard Needs Help - PICS

Posted by JldDolphin

My DH is going to want to kill me.

Re: My Backyard Needs Help - PICS

I would start with planting beds and grass for now - including updating your pavers to the gazebo area, etc.
Your interests/needs may change over the next few years (you said you want children) --- you may want to add a swingset/playhouse/pool/etc so you don't want to cover the entire area now only to change it say 2 years from now.
So for me, I would start off getting the grass back, creating beautiful borders around the property, and improving the pavers.

From there you can do anything ....

Re: My Backyard Needs Help - PICS

Posted by greenfreak

Posted by JldDolphin

My DH is going to want to kill me.

Please don't mention my name, he must already be annoyed with my enabling.