Any creative solutions for connecting our house the the garden?

9 months ago

Hello!
We are really keen to connect our house to the garden. However we have a big retaining wall outside of our kitchen door.

We are wondering whether we should extend out completely inline with the wall to try and bring the house closer to the garden or should we extend half way or none at all? My husband currently says it feels as if we are in a pristine when we look out onto the fence!

As well as connecting the garden and the house we are really keen to create a way in kitchen.

Pictures attached.

Featured Answer

HU-610367652

9 months ago

Before doing any structural work, you could bring the garden down and closer to your kitchen. A few ideas, hang baskets on your railing with falling plants and large containers on the lower patio, also on each side of the staircase, small pots with aromatic plants will connect with the main garden and be useful for cooking. I will try to find some pictures for you

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Comments (19)

HU-610367652
9 months ago
Search for Goodman Landscaping Gardening for inspirations and build further on your shrub bed left to your staircase
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Daisy England
9 months ago
Perhaps a verandah then you will have somewhere covered to sit under too.
Kerry Russell
Original Author
9 months ago
Thank you for the great suggestions. I had thought of trying to get more greenery into the area but was not sure how it would fare in winter. It is north facing and gets direct sun for 20 mins max a day in high summer, the rest of the time it is in shade.

Apologies for the above typos. I was typing with child in hand and then could not work out how to edit or delete the post.

I should have said my husband complains we are in a prison (not pristine!) and we are also keen to create a kitchen dinner by knocking down the connecting wall.

I will search for the recommended landscape gardener later.
Sonia
9 months ago
I think digging out into the garden, in theory enlarging the patio, could easily be done if you have the budget. However you will need a digger and it will create a lot of unwanted soil so better to use a landscaper. I would also tier the garden gradually so you just have a few shallow wide steps at each point rather than one big drop so you won’t need the prison railings. You could then add some sliding doors or bifolds to walk out into the garden. I hope this makes sense!
Kerry Russell
Original Author
9 months ago
Thank you. That’s an interesting idea. Do you mean digging more into the raised patio I presume? Rather than the garden? We had not considered that idea previously.

As a family we use the garden lots - we have two young kids (6 and 3) so when I getting on with chores I would love to be able to feel more connected to what the are doing in the garden. Maybe that could work…
PRO
The Rooted Concept Garden Designs
9 months ago
Hi there,

Sonia's idea of extending your patio area (in the level that it currently is) further into the garden is great as it would give you more useable paved area (and as you pointed out, for your children to play while you can keep an eye on them). But, as she mentioned, it will involve shifting soil and diggers and therefore will not be a cheap job.

An easier and cheaper solution would be to create a planting bed in front of the wall and use a well thought planting selection to desguise it. That would certainly deal eith the "prison" feeling. It would be even better if you could shift the stairs to the middle and create the planting beds either side of it (but that would be a bit more expensive - not as much as extending the patio area though). As this is a north facing garden, this is a shady area, and therefore the planting should be chosen accordingly. You could then create an useable patio area on the top level (where you currently have only lawn) - cheaper as it would not involve diggers and shifting soil.

I am a garden designer and provide online services. I would be very happy to help you with that if you are interested.

My website for portfolio is www.therootedconceptgardendesign.co.uk

All the best,

Deborah

deborahbiasoli@gmail.com

07548105456
Kerry Russell
Original Author
9 months ago
Thanks very much Deborah. I think we will need a garden designer to help us with the project. This is the house we see ourselves in long term so we are keen to get it right.
Are you based near Hertfordshire? this is where we are based. Thanks
PRO
The Rooted Concept Garden Designs
9 months ago
Hi Kerry,

I am based in Twickenham, Southwest London. I could do a design for you online, using a workflow that I have already used with a few clients all over the country. I could also provide you with visuals of different ideas so that you could pick what you prefer before I start working on the plan. If you give me your email address (or just send me an email), I can send you an example of a design that I have done using this workflow and give you more details.

Many thanks,

Deborah

deborahbiasoli@gmail.com

07548105456
pjdklm
9 months ago
We dropped our sloped garden to be level to the house. Granted ours was just a 3 foot drop, but it had to be done completely by hand thanks to being a mid terrace house with insufficient access width for anything mechanical. It’s the best decision we ever made and made a massive difference, especially for my young kids. Well worth looking at that as an option.
Kerry Russell
Original Author
9 months ago
Thanks. Good to hear it’s money well spent. It’s a big spend for us, but we are starting to think it could be worth it. We can get mini diggers through the back of the garden.

Did you have to re build a retaining wall with your project?
Sonia
9 months ago
Kerry, yes I meant digging into the raised bit enlarging the patio, and maybe adding another terrace further up so it is gradually stepped. Have a look under PHOTOS on Houzz and search for terraced gardens and also search STORIES for articles on gardens. Pinterest is also good for ideas. Garden Designers do plans only if you wish, but then you’d have to find a landscaper. Here’s a couple of ideas. In the first pic you can just see another level further up the garden.
PRO
Carla / kolours.space
9 months ago
Will depend how you use the garden and where you would place outside eating. In UK is never too hot and rains so the low part alow wind protection but needs to be well done drainage wise. In simple terms you apply same principle of steps, left / middle/ right, will depend on the house access and functionality
N G
last month
If you’re not set in extending the building out, turn the existing patio into an outdoor dining area. Expand the window or knock out that wall, if it’s not got units against it, and out in glass accordion doors.
Ivana Ćurčić
last month
Lovely palm trees! Would they make the extension of the patio tricky? If extended, the patio would make a lovely outdoor dining area, with plants around, as mentioned earlier. That would would leave the rest of the spacious garden to be green. It’s true that these suggestions don’t allow for watching the children, but they are getting to the age when this may not need to be too intense.
PRO
APk.r
last month
I agree lowering the garden and forming a sitting area in the garden would merge the garden and interir spaces .

you could consider a conservatory space along the garden elevation ?
pjdklm
last month
Kerry- I’m sorry I have just seen your question re: my post now. Yes, we did have to build retaining walls. I did a lot of research and became convinced that at the height needed a wood retaining wall would work, so convinced (well maybe insisted) our landscaper to create it while doing the fencing. We used Jackson fencing heavy duty slotted posts, and dropped in tannalysed timber “2 x 4”s” stacked up to the right height. On top of those went the fencing panel. That was 7 years ago and we haven’t had any problems, but if the wood ever needs replacing it will be a fairly simple job to remove and slot in a new piece.
PRO
i-architect
last month
If it's not the house that is causing you frustrations but it's more about feeling disconnected from the garden because of the change in levels outside then it sounds like you'll get most benefit from altering the garden.

I would definitely suggest working with a garden designer or landscape architect on this. You could look at terracing the garden to create more of a gradually stepped approach so you can see more greenery and physically have a more gradual transition up to the rest of the garden from the lower patio. Changing the metal railings for glass or large planters that would prevent someone falling over the edge and adding greenery to the patio would help - I think they might be where the feeling of being in prison is coming from! But something more structurally radical would be more effective and could be really stunning.

Best of luck with your designs.
Lizabeth
last month
A living wall and lots a plants and festoon lights. It could be a nice area for a glass of wine when kids are in bed with another family patio on the main I like it. It's quirky

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Any creative solutions for connecting our house the the garden?

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