Need hardscape advice

last year

Hi everyone! I’m looking for suggestions on what to do with my side yard. Pictures are attached. The area I want to improve runs along our driveway and garage and has a very tall existing pine tree at the front. The last picture shows the area from the side. The green grass is where my neighbor’s property starts. Ours stays relatively green until mid summer and then looks like this, which I hate. We don’t have irrigation in this area so I’m assuming I’ll need to do hardscaping or maybe a few drought tolerant plants. I could do a short fence or maybe a paver walkway? Any suggestions would we helpful as I’m unsure how to handle it.

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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK

last year

last modified: last year

Since you keep the bins around the side of the house I'd want a fence there so your neighbours don't have to look at them. And I'd want a hard surface in that area with a path so you can easily wheel them out to the front for collection. You already have a fence dividing front from back so I'd move that to follow the property line and then bring it back across to the corner of the garage and insert a gate. That would give you a useful utility area beside the garage.

Once that was done I'd have a bed round the tree, self-mulched with the natural pine needles and planted with whatever will grow in that situation in your region. The irises seem to be ok so I'd add more of them. Irrigation would use precious water and encourage surface rooting of the tree. I would absolutely not use gravel or landscape fabric. You'll get weeds in the gravel and have a constant battle against pine needles in the stones. Work with that beautiful tree, not against it.

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Comments (16)

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Celery. Visualization, Rendering images
last year
Some option
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
last year
Impossible to make any practical suggestions without knowing where in the world you are located. Not the zone but a geographical location.
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Jenny Varcasio
Original Author
last year
Hi, sorry! I’m in Denver, Colorado
kathleen MK
last year
Celery has the best easy care option. just be sure to put weed block fabric under the gravel or crushed granite. or just water grass in hot summer more.
ratherbesewing
last year
I would want a walkway so I wouldn’t have to drag trash cans through a snowbank to the the street. If there is a gate at the fence, the walkway would be a natural pathway.
laceyvail 6A, WV
last year
You could also use a ground cover like Geranium 'Karmina' which would be evergreen, highly weed suppressing, drought resistant and deer resistant. And neither aggressive or hard to control.
apple_pie_order
last year
last modified: last year
Denver may have some high fire hazard areas. Do you know if you are in one? If so, does the city or your insurance company intend to tighten the rules for flammable material (plants, wood fences, etc.) near the house?

https://climate.colorado.gov/colorado-wildfire-risk-public-viewer
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Since there's already a wooden fence in the pictures I'd assume they're allowed. If the rules change the whole fence would need to be changed so adding a short new stretch shouldn't be a problem.
cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
last year
last modified: last year
Is there a gate in your backyard fence? I cannot tell if there is. If not, I would not put down hardscape there. I would move the shrubs at the corner of the garage out and add one or two to the side to hide your bins which would then be right next to the drive and easy to move into the driveway and to the street-also because I think they look squished up against the garage. Just a thought.

One other thought is to explore native shrubs/trees, perennials (depending on whether yo like to garden) which are suited to your specific area. They will handle your weather better than most other non-natives.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
If there is a gate in the backyard fence I'd move it forward so the bins are not visible to the neighbours or the street. My idea above includes a gate so you could just reuse it.
littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
last year
It’s likely the pine tree is sucking a lot of moisture up from this area. Don’t fight it. Build a bed around it similar to Celery’s example; I prefer the natural pine needle mulch over the gravel she shows.

Then use some of the other options for a privacy fence, gate, and sidewalk along the garage for hiding the trashcans and providing access to the backyard.

But instead of continuing the walkway right beside the garage, I’d build the sidewalk VERY NEAR THE PROPERTY line, leaving a narrow planting bed next to the garage. And privacy fence it all in.
dan1888
last year
First step, add irrigation to match your neighbors. That solves the late summer visual problem.

2nd, move the bins into the garage. You're done.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
Irrigation will mostly go to the tree. Denver is facing water shortages. People wanting artificially green lawns cannot be helping. Working with the situation rather than against it is more responsible and sustainable. And cheaper.
nicole
last year
Celery's drawing is the most feasible. I'm in Colorado Springs Colorado. Gravel is fire resistant and gardening over tree roots...no. I'd leave the Iris.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
I am not advocating gardening over the tree roots. Adding soil over roots for a bed is obviously a no no. But one can garden around trees without piling up soil or much digging. Just slip the plants among the roots and allow the tree to self mulch. I would not add landscape fabric or gravel around a tree, unless you have someone prepared to prink it continually.