skip to main content
Photos
Photos
Advice
Stories From Houzz
Houzz Discussions
Houzz Research
Sign In
Houzz Logo Print
Explore Discussions
landscape designPorches & DecksDesign Dilemma
susanna_thomas

Monster deck advice please

special morning
3 years ago

Hi I am hoping for some advice on a deck i have just had built. It main purpose was to straddle a drop in the garden levels - on the left the top of the handrail is 120cm from the ground and on the right going along the fence, its 270cm drop.
Theres a 1m gap between the fence and the deck, obvious with that steep gradient.
My issues are many. But I cant work out how to nestle it into the landscape. And to screen the views of neighbours' houses when you are on it.
The garden is mainly deciduous although there are evergreens in gardens around. Its fairly traditional as well, not modern. Our house is similar to the red brick one you see - ie Victorian.
Idea 1. Replace the ballustrade with a lighter, criss cross design and possibly paint cream- which will match the paint on the house windows?
Idea 2. Plant some hedging between the deck and the fence that will grow along level with top of pergola - eg leylandii but better, or griselinia littoris.
Any others ideas welcomed.
You wont offend me as I pretty much hate the thing right now.

Featured Answer
  • Sonia
    3 years ago

    Step away from the leylandii, or any conifer! Most of them are huge forest trees which will totally engulf your deck. There are several lovely evergreen shrubs, usually reaching 8-10 feet max, but can be trimmed if necessary. Things like Viburnum tinus (flowering now), Ceanothus (needs sun and has blue flowers in May), Fatsia Japonica (exotic big leaves), Star Jasmine (climber), some Honeysuckle (climber) and Choisya. Deciduous shrubs that are gorgeous are Cotinus (purple leaves), Hibiscus (exotic pink or purple flowers), Japanese Acer (prefer shade and shelter). If you have acid soil apart from Rhododendrons, Camellias are beautiful but don’t like morning sun, west facing is their best position. Wouldn’t a Wisteria look lovely on the pergola giving you shelter and privacy?

    Your deck will fade with time to a lovely silver and will seem less obvious. You can oil it once a year to preserve it. Below are pics of Cotinus, Hibiscus and Choisya ternata Sundance.

    Comments (16)

    • keiblem
      3 years ago

      I think it’s the shock of the new. Once the colour has mellowed and plants have grown around it it will no doubt settle better into the landscape.

      I would caution against leylandii. People may generally have forgotten by now but they caused a great deal of angst and strife between neighbours because they got out of hand. There are a multitude of plants and climbers both deciduous and evergreen that you could choose instead. You just need to know the soil type and aspect (sun, shade etc) before you choose. Then check their expected size before you buy. Take a look at neighbours gardens to see what they are growing.

    • mii2
      3 years ago

      Brilliant tucked away storage area underneath for the usual garden eyesores - I would go with the tree idea you have already begun and put another in place, but keep access to below open. In my garden it’s the wheelbarrow and a number of years ago the paddling pool that could have found a home under there! Also think of a hedgehog house to help your native wildlife! Also some lovely climbers like evergreen jasmine and honeysuckle will give colour all year round on the pergola. Continuing rhododendrons along the lower edge of the deck will help cover the height of the wall and bland with surrounding planting. Looks the perfect gin spot!

    • special morning
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      Thank you. I mocked up an idea I had to change ballusters also?
      @mii2 - where do you mean for continuing rhodos?

    • Angie
      3 years ago

      I agree a wisteria would look lovely. And whilst waiting for it to get going, how about some hanging baskets from the pergola to provide colour and some privacy? And a shrub or two planted in front right where the ground is lowest would reduce the visual impact. Honeysuckle would also clime well over the pergola, although as soon as you have planting over the top you’ll have drips for some time after rain!

    • special morning
      Original Author
      3 years ago

      @Sonia thank you that's amazingly helpful

    • keiblem
      3 years ago

      I have just noticed. Is that a road on the other side of the fence? I think I now see why you were considering the dreaded Leylandii!

      There are so many other hedges that would do the job. Yew makes a superb hedge. Beech is deciduous but keeps its leaves until the new growth. You may want to consider a hedge on stilts (pleached). A hedge with bare stems that will provide screening where you need it up on high whilst at the same time allows access at ground level for maintenance.

      I hadn’t noticed the rhododendron. It looks healthy which likely indicates you have acid soil. Plants that like neutral to acid should thrive.

    • rachelmidlands
      3 years ago
      last modified: 3 years ago

      I don’t think the deck looks too bad tbh. Might look a bit orange now but will soon weather to a silvery colour. It may well need some oiling for weather protection so do look up treatments and their affects before deciding on anything. Painting it cream will make it stand out more and I imagine would take a lot more to keep looking fresh but with the right plants it could look good.

      I’d go for one or two more trees in the gap or a pleached hedge as mentioned. And (like Sonia said) definitely not conifers! Something columnar/upright shape would be nice. I quite like the look of these, I've no experience of them tho.

      https://www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/liquidambar-styraciflua-slender-silhouette-tree-p674

      Looks like quite a shaded gap so anything too small will struggle to get going. Definitely improve the soil if you plant anything there, compost, leaf mulch etc. top dress with bark chips and water well for the first year.

      A climber that might be suitable is clematis armandii. Takes a while to get going but when it finds the sun it will easily scramble away. It’s also evergreen.

      Also some nice flowering plants or small shrubs in front of the decking might disguise the slope a little.

      Hope this helps.

      This is clematis armandii



    • PRO
      Sandra Lawson Interiors
      3 years ago

      Shrubs and climbers added now will serve as a longer term but maybe splash out on decorative panels/posh trellis to enclose two upper sides of pergola for short term privacy? Like voile curtains it would let light through but keep prying eyes from being able to see inside. I can appreciate that right now you feel as though you are “on stage” or on display when sitting on the deck! As per other comments you have a great opportunity to have storage underneath the decking due to varying ground height so that’s a plus! You will get good use and enjoyment of this new garden area- it just needs for you to get over it’s newness. It’s rather stark in it’s just finished form - try thinking of it as a room.

    • maxibird145
      3 years ago

      Also don’t feel you have got to completely fill the gap to the fence, you could find it makes the deck feel too enclose, I like Rachelmidlands idea of the column trees, the link to them looks great, just a couple more trees down that side and once they grow you would have the best of both, privacy but still light, I think it will look great, cocktails for me on there rather than gin 😉

    • jansinget
      3 years ago

      I like Sandra's suggestion of decorative panels as a temporary or even longer term solution. Screen with envy offer some nice ones and regularly have sales. Check out their Instagram for lots of photos of their screens in use. Also, you could consider replacing the short section of balustrade above the big drop with a glass balustrade -



      this would provide a safety barrier but would visually open up the decking to make it more part of the garden. https://www.screenwithenvy.co.uk/?cmp_id=8882369964&adg_id=89045951949&kwd=screen%20with%20envy&device=m&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpdqDBhCSARIsAEUJ0hO7oX0R3VkZMMNbEIu6gZ8WApT3cdHs6vdWlE8bpgVmZ8lcPwfgngEaAm48EALw_wcB

    • alyper
      3 years ago

      Relax - it will soon look a lot more comfortable in its space. Suggest some planting along the right hand side - Sonia's shrub suggestions just right. In a year's time you will wonder why you were so upset!!

    • sderoeper
      3 years ago

      I think doing a cut and fill to the garden to create separate levelled areas (especially where the deck is) would make the whole garden much more inviting and enjoyable to use. Using gabions filled with rocks would help support the filled soil, so that the area under the deck is used for storage, with entrance to it on the far side away from the house. Creating levelled areas would make planting ideas much more visually enticing. With the 1m area between the deck and the fence, you could create steps using heavy oak sleepers and another material e.g slate or gravel etc. to walk on which will also make it fun for kids to run around. This area could be planted with shade lovers to soften it.

    • Janine McMahon
      3 years ago

      Hello, new is always bright and, sometimes, not great but after a few weeks of rain it should dull down the brightness. I have a question - the deck looks very narrow - only seating width 2 persons? Why didn't they take it out to the edge of the dark green mound picture 3?

      Picture 2 - I would suggest getting some pretty aggregate and making a pathway between the fence and the deck BUT I would seal up the sides of the decking and even concrete the ground under it (or at least put something over the bare earth) to use as storage area (presumably this hasn't been done).

      I'm going to probably make people comment on this but with a garden like yours I would have taken it down in levels/ terraces (removing the soil for possible use later) and built retaining walls and steps and having a semi-circular stone terrace at the house end if possible (round end facing away from the house) and another at the bottom end (round end facing the house).

      However, you have what you have so.... you can paint the wood and why not put a board at the road (?) side of the decking (Pic. 3-4) so people cannot see you eating/drinking/sleeping :-) if this is'nt possible then add a curtain of some sort around the whole area so you cannot be seen by neighbours. If the width of the decking is wide enough, and I'm not sure it is looking at the layout, then suggest planting small conifers in pots (or troughs) around the edges of the decking and once these are established and grown to approximately the height of the pergola roof the trail lights through them and around the frame work

      For a quick and immediate "FIX" get some trellis with artificial ivy, or similar, and attach it to the pergola on the street side - lots of companies offer Artificial Extendable Trellis Hedge Screening - check out the internet or your local garden centre.

      It will look very pretty, very quickly once the newness has worn off and, almost certainly by summer depending on the weather. Another quick question - did the builders seal the wood?

      Thompson Morgan

    • nancyorford
      3 years ago

      I wouldn't use hedging, pleached or normal. Don't forget, hedges have to be cut/ maintained regularly - and access to do this would be complicated. Better to choose shrubs that will eventually fill the space.

      Also like the idea of leaving some space for storing garden "stuff".

    • Bryan Lee
      3 years ago

      Keep the back panels on the deck and place decorative panels between the handrail and the top of the very top bar, open the front handrail to give more view to the garden. You could weave sails between the over head bars and have either drop down lighting or again weave lighting between the top bars. Will look great once the newness has gone

    Sponsored

    Reload the page to not see this specific ad anymore

    More Discussions
    Panelling hallway & cupboard
    0
    basement level renovation would love ideas please
    8
    bathroom renovation advice
    0
    Further Education & Training Centre Open Day: Interior Design Classes
    0
    Authentic Feng Shui Workshop
    0
    Ireland
    Tailor my experience with cookies

    Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.