Ideas for boring backyard!

19 years ago

Hello all!

I have a very rectangular backyard (all grass and very boring!!) and toward the back, it begins to slope down. Nothing major, but does make it difficult to mow (also, no drainage problems - esp. since we never get any rain!!!). So, in order to reduce mowing and give my backyard a "life", I wanted to landscape the area where it begins to slope all the way down to my fence. We are just talking a few feet here, but I am limited to the areas where my cable and power lines don't run (those suckers zig zag all over the place!)

Here is a quick (very rough!!!) sketch I did of the layout of my backyard. The orange triangle area is the desired target area:

Here are pics of the actual yard:

{{gwi:33174}}

I can't go all the way down to the fence for fear of hitting a power line.

I have the following plants in pots:

2 Viburnum

3 Weigela Florida

2 Hollyhock

2 Nandina

2 Quince

1 Nikko blue hydrangea

I know it's an odd variety of plants - but will any of them work together? I got the weigela specifically for this area; however, I don't know how to arrange them. This area gets full sun all day long. I certainly don't need to use any of these; however, it's just a few things I currently have in my "stock" of plants!

I don't mind working in the yard. I know I don't want any crepe myrtles or azaleas. I do need to think of plants that are somewhat drought tolerant and can withstand the sun. I do want some color. Privacy is not an issue as my fence is very tall and I don't think my neighbors ever go outside anyway ;)

I apologize if I am not using proper jargon or giving enough of a description. I'll be more explicit if needed! I have toyed with the idea of calling a designer to give me some ideas, but thought I would pick your brains first.

Thank you all so much in advance for your advice!

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Comments (3)

rhodium
19 years ago
Call dig-safe or your regional equivalent before digging near utilities or suspected utilities.

A utility marking service can come out and mark the approximate location of any buried utilities. Mind you that is only within +/- a few feet.
aeb4au
Original Author
19 years ago
Oh yes - I called them first thing. That's how I know where all of my lines are and that they run crazy through my yard. That's been my problem - working around them as not to cause any damage!
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karinl
19 years ago
Well, here's where I would invoke the principle that landscaping does not always have to have anything to do with plants.

Your issue is that you don't want to mow. It doesn't strike me that you necessarily want an elaborate flowerbed to take care of instead. And flowerbeds do need care.

You could simply make a flagstone or paver patio back there, maybe with a pergola over it, or with a shade tree planted adjacent perhaps, just to give yourself something nice to look at that requires no work. It could be level or sloped with the current grade.

Or you could just plant vinca at the area where you don't want to mow, and soon you wouldn't have to; just wade in with clippers every so often.

If, however, you do want a flowerbed to take care of, then I think you've chosen a shape for all the wrong reasons, and I don't like it at all. It is too angular, its shape bears no relationship to the shape of the yard overall, it's placement looks random, and I think with that much room you certainly don't have to cram up against the fence.

And finally, you have an obvious place for a flowerbed adjacent to your patio, so why not play there instead?

I think I would begin with mulch or vinca or some other indestructible low care ground cover over the back few feet on the power line, so you don't have to dig or mow there.

Then I would see if you can get the cable companies to put the lines running through the centre of the yard into a single conduit. If not, the lines need not stop you from planting or installing hardscape there; just that you need to build up, rather than digging down.

Your design does not need to be a slave to those lines in order to accommodate them.

KarinL