advice required for making my small garden look larger

[want2bgreenfingered]

Hi
my family and I have moved into our first home with a garden! I Really would love to change certain aspects but not sure where to begin. The garden isn't very big and the shed is currently situated at the front of the garden I feel that we are losing some space due to where it is positioned. The shed isn't in bad condition and ideally I would like it to be dismantled and reassembled in the top left corner of the garden. Is this possible? there is two things that concern me 1) it has a steel bike pole running through it, 2) the shed is mounted on a concrete base.

If this can be done it will really help create a bit more space and I would love to hear your advice on tackling this project.

Also I would like to paint the shed and fench a fresh pale colour to make our space appear larger I'm going to plant vertically and will attach a herb garden to the fence along with climbers and trellis and I am keen to make a terracotta water feature using a solar power pump as no outside electrics. I'm also planning on doing a feature of the side of the shed to have a wall of green and will use lots of artificial foliage to make it low maintenance with a mirror angled to catch the view to try and make garden seem a little bigger.

another idea we like is to have a small walled raise bed going around the perimeter to incorporate extra seating (as well as planting colourful scented flowers with a brick built bbq at the top centre.

please can any experienced landscaped gardeners advise whether this will work or would I lose even more space?

any helpful advice highly appreciated

 

[Sean Regan]

Hi and welcome.

You need to create different focal points to catch the eye as you look down the garden and try to avoid straight lines.

Ours is about 90' X 30' and in it, has a 24' X 8' garage, an 8' X 7' shed and a summerhouse in the bottom right hand corner, that is 12' X 12' overall. But it appears to be bigger than it is. Well we think so.
We did have a 12' X 9' koi pool in it until very recently but we had it paved over.

As for moving the shed, it depends on its construction. Store bough sheds can fall to bits if you try to move them. If it is just panels screwed together, it may be possible. But the base is a bit different. You may need to hire a Kangol hammer or something similar to break it up and you may need a small skip to get rid of the concrete. Hopefully , it won't be too thick. You'll then need some top soil to replace the concrete.
You could place your shed on some cheap paving slabs from B&Q. For what the average shed holds that's sufficient. But they need to be level.

Post some pictutes and you'll get more suggestions.

 

[Arden Sage]

Welcome to our world at Gardening Forums.

my family and I have moved into our first home with a garden!

Very exciting times ahead for you all! Congratulations on your new home and welcome to the world of gardening Those are two very big things to be taking on board - new home always equates to new place for familiar things; fresh ideas on decor etc. The second being the "wow" factor of a garden.

If you have little or no experience of gardening then first things first. Take some time to enjoy what is there right now. The general advice is always to "live" with a garden for a year before making any changes. This is sage advice on a number of levels. Firstly, it allows you the time to see what pops up where in the sense of what may already be planted. Secondly, it gives you a chance to really get to grips with the light levels in your garden. June sunshine is very, very different to December sunshine. Using the "one year" guideline gives you time to see which areas of your garden gets the heaviest levels of healthy sunlight and which areas get the least. In the long game, this can save you a lot of money!! Plants in right places is the whole essence of a "green thumb".

Now, light levels may (or not!) give you a big clue as to why the shed has been placed where it currently is. Of course, it may simply be a folly, in which case, moving it to a location more preferable may well be the way forward. Just, take a bit of time to assess what you have and the why's/wherefores before going through a major move.

Synopsis: take an analytical view of your garden - which way does it "face" (N, S, E or W?) This will have an impact on what you can grow. Mirrors can create an illusion of 'space' but the placement needs careful thought on a couple of levels. Firstly, you won't want it to become an obstacle which may endanger birds (who may fly into it and concuss themselves or worse). Secondly, you won't want it to be in full sun thereby giving it the unintended consequence of being a magnifying glass and scorching everything in view during the hottest months of the year.

Pictures of what you currently have would be an advantage but not essential to offering advice.

Sheds are often placed on a concrete base but other options exist. So, if you wanted to move the one you have, you may want to research a new base to place it upon. If so, that then means you need to think about what you will do with the concrete base now remaining?

A herb garden isn't usually attached to a fence simply because climbing herbs are limited. A herb garden is either placed ad hoc in garden beds or a dedicated "herb garden" area.


An artificial screen on the side of your fence may offend a serious gardener, but I don't have such reservations ;-) They can look ok if thoughtfully placed and often a living clematis running through it during the Spring Summer months can look very effective (and still remain low maintenance).

Before you tackle anything my advice would be: a) know which direction your garden 'faces'; b) know your soil type; c) know which direction the wind is prominent. Get these basics under your belt and you can progress from there.

Wishing you much happiness and good health in your new home and many happy gardening hours in your new green oasis

 

[Tetters]

Good to have you on board @want2bgreenfingered - welcome
As @Sean Regan has mentioned, it would be really helpful to see a few photos of your garden to give us something to get our teeth into - I'm sure that would prompt all sorts of ideas for you.
I would add that having something large near the house with a pathway disappearing around it can make you want to explore, and can give the impression that the plot is larger. Not good to see the garden in it's entirety from the back door.

 

[Sean Regan]

I'd add that it's best to do it all in stages. Sort out the hard landscaping first, so that you don't have to move things twice. Formulate a long term plan. Then start with the bit nearest the house. When you can see the efforts you have made close hand, through a window, it will incourage you to do the next bit. Unless you've pots of money and can afford to landscape the lot in one go, it's best to do it a bit at a time.