Advice needed for backyard. Pics!

17 years ago

Hi!

I have a nice size cottage-type garden in my backyard. There was nothing when I moved in a couple years ago. Last year I added a little blue corner garden and a tropical garden closer to the house. (I know... tropical and cottage aren't exactly in the rule book, but I love them both!)

This year, I'm looking to add a sizable garden with cannas, elephant ears, etc. to the last expansive area in my backyard. There will still be lots of grass though.

That's what I'm looking for advice on. What do I do with the grassy areas? I originally thought of putting stepping stones leading through the gardens. But my grass grows so fast I'm not sure it would look good most of the time.

There will be enough grass that I don't think pulling it all up is feasible this year. I'm not sure I'd really have the money to mulch it all. I just don't want it to look like a bunch of spotty gardens. I don't know... any advice???

:-)

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Just to the right of this big garden is where the new one will go. On the other side of the new one is this little blue corner garden.

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Here is the tropical one closer to the house.

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And a long view.

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Wow, these pictures are bigger than I thought. Sorry. Meanwhile, woot! I figured out how to put them right in the thread. That was super easy.

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Comments (7)

little_dani
17 years ago
How about making grass pathways through the gardens?

Mark out a garden adjacent to an existing garden. Leave a pathway of grass between them, wide enough for the mower. Make a nice edge, and there you are. Leave pathway materials for later, when you are rich, rich, rich!

I really like your gardens. You have done a good job with them.

I am crazy about tropicals, as they grow like crazy here, and I love the cottage thing too, as it reminds me of my Granny's yard. I like all kinds of gardens, really.

Good luck with your gardens.

Janie
hosenemesis
17 years ago
The grass stays as walkways! Nothing looks as pretty as wide grassy walks with beautiful cottage garden flowers in the beds. Or striking tropicals in the beds.
You have a lovely garden.
Renee
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Deb Chickenmom
17 years ago
Lovely garden, beautiful flowers!! Very nice water features. Looks great!! Debby
scully931
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks, everyone! I had kind of thought of just leaving the grass in between but I sometimes second guess myself when I hear about other's grand plans. That would look pretty nice, I guess.

I'm trying to put in as many gardens as I can. Most of my yard is hilly and it's so hard to mow. I have a teeny tiny house but a huge backyard. There is three times this much out of picture range. For now I'm concentrating on the fenced in part. Maybe the rest should be a "Wild and Free Roaming Grass garden." ;-)
scully931
Original Author
17 years ago
By the way - that black foutain? I got it on sale at Kmart at the end of the season one year. Very heavy. Works great. Guess how much? EIGHT DOLLARS!!! :-)
User
17 years ago
Beautiful. You have certainly done a remarkable job. I would leave grassy walkways too. I really like the look. Can you do a meadow of wild flowers with the larger area we haven't seen? Where are you that you can grow those tropicals? Really very nice. c
scully931
Original Author
17 years ago
Trailrunner -
I'm in Pittsburgh, which is zone 6. Those are all hardy tropicals. Now I do sometimes lose the banana trees even though they're hardy to my zone. Moisture, most likely. I know others have luck with them to zone 4 though.

The wild flower field idea is a good one. I'll have to look into that. Thanks!