Rear landscaping

[D.T.]

Hi folks,

I recently completed building my PPOR. The front landscaping was included as part of the build but the rear looks like a desert.

My main priority is to get something done so that the property can be revalued and buy another IP. With this in mind, does it really matter what the rear landscaping is in terms of valuing, as long as something is done right?

My 2nd priority is low / no maintenance. If something needs cutting or caring for, chances are it'll die because looking after plants isn't my thing.

Luckily for me, and partly by design, my block is about 300sqm total. There's a rear alfresco which is paved and there's only about 2ish metres from the edge of that to the rear fence and the back fence is about 13 metres long. I can attach some photos tomorrow to give a better idea of the space available (i'd like some 'before' photos anyway).

Ideas i have so far are:
1) Just pave the whole thing as in the back area and both sides. I have a guy coming out to measure and quote on this this week. My rough measurements have shown it to be about 90sqm total. This may look a bit 'hard', but im willing to put some plants in pots on top of paving to soften it up a bit and connect them to the retic.

2) Chuck down some fake lawn and some pot plants. Looking at prices online, this isnt much different in cost than paving but will perhaps look a bit softer.

3) Ask the landscaper who was appointed to do the front landscaping to do something more 'real' at the back.

#1 is my preference at the moment as its simplest but will this affect revaluing?

 

[geoffw]

This afternoon I was watching a program about women having backside implants, and now a thread about rear landscaping.

You could just use bark mulch, red gravel or white stones. I've done the white stones edged with sleepers and fence painted white in a small courtyard, with a potted Japanese maple, to give a Japanese look- a relatively cheap way to landscape an easy care area.

 

[wylie]

My 2nd priority is low / no maintenance. If something needs cutting or caring for, chances are it'll die because looking after plants isn't my thing.

If you are saying you only have a two metre strip to play with (13 metres long) then I'd put pavers surrounded by bark chip or gravel and lots of green.

Our back yard is mostly pool with a small area that has been grass, pavers and bark chip, vege garden, now just bare with weeds (we are wondering what to do next).

The thing is our back yard looks lush because the plants we used are hardy and thrive on just the rain we get. When we first put in the pool we watered the plants to get them established, but for at least 12 years we've not watered them at all.

We have a row of Dracena (?) tall spiky plants behind the pool that grow from cutting off the top of an established one, agave, golden cane palms, various pots and nothing is watered (except maybe once a month I'll chuck some water on the potted trees).

The yard needs a good clean up after we've neglected it and there are weeds everywhere, but this gives you an idea of how lush you could go without having to lift a finger. I'm guessing Perth weather and rainfall would be somewhat similar to Brisbane?

 

[D.T.]

Heres the current area i have to play with
carport side
across the back
laundry side
alfresco area

Edit - sorry somersoft flipped them

 

[wylie]

Heres the current area i have to play with
View attachment 10654 carport side
View attachment 10655 across the back
View attachment 10656 laundry side
View attachment 10657 alfresco area

Edit - sorry somersoft flipped them

Whatever you use there will slide to the bottom .

I'd be doing some pavers surrounded by bark chip (or pebbles if you are worried about termites enjoying the barkchip a little too much) and plenty of plants against the fence, tall thin ones like behind our pool will hide the expanse of the fence and soften it all up. You won't want bushy plants as it will use up too much space for a narrow area.

 

[Rolf Latham]

Pebblecrete

Ta

Rolf

 

[westminster]

Ugh why are the posts for the alfresco so far in from the edge? That is lazy building from your builder - it really reduces the amount of useable area.

OK you know I love green

I know you love not gardening

From the looks of the pictures the area to the side of the alfresco, ie the top corner looks to be a decent size - perhaps 2 x 3m? I would synthetic grass that. On the other side I would do the same or some pebble work with some plants along the fence.

To make the grassed area stand out you could cut a square in the middle and put in a small tree like a frangipani or lemon or lime tree to have with your Corona on the back alfresco.

Down the side of the house you could do some paver stepping stones and pebbles around or just standard paving.

There are a few synthetic turf shops that sell their offcuts on Gumtree
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/mirr...cuts-aus-made-and-top-quality-turf/1013790007
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/joon...own-stock-run-out-this-sunday-only/1012980977

 

[MTR]

Ugh why are the posts for the alfresco so far in from the edge? That is lazy building from your builder - it really reduces the amount of useable area.

OK you know I love green

I know you love not gardening

From the looks of the pictures the area to the side of the alfresco, ie the top corner looks to be a decent size - perhaps 2 x 3m? I would synthetic grass that. On the other side I would do the same or some pebble work with some plants along the fence.

To make the grassed area stand out you could cut a square in the middle and put in a small tree like a frangipani or lemon or lime tree to have with your Corona on the back alfresco.

Down the side of the house you could do some paver stepping stones and pebbles around or just standard paving.

There are a few synthetic turf shops that sell their offcuts on Gumtree
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/mirr...cuts-aus-made-and-top-quality-turf/1013790007
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/joon...own-stock-run-out-this-sunday-only/1012980977

This is very attractive.... I like

 

[Dave - OGD]

Hi,

You really need to get some green in there! Especially on/against the fence. Try and keep the space fairly open so it doesn't visually shrink up, this can be achieve by using large shrubs on the fence line and low growing plants as a foreground with the main section of the space filled with grass and stepping stones or the like.

 

[D.T.]

So I extended the paving and did "gardens" around the fence margin. Main time usage was the paving, took me contacting 11 pavers to find one who'd turn up.

What do you think? Especially in comparison to the before photos in previous post above?

 

[sanj]

personally i still find it a bit harsh, needs some more softening but certainly a better option than paving the whole thing.

why did your builder not put the posts for the alfresco around the edge???

 

[Redwood]

So I extended the paving and did "gardens" around the fence margin. Main time usage was the paving, took me contacting 11 pavers to find one who'd turn up.

What do you think? Especially in comparison to the before photos in previous post above?

Looks good very simple and easy to maintain. Well done

Cheers, Ivan

 

[devank]

I would go with something similar to westminster's picture but with synthetic grass. Sides also synthetic grass. Plant Japanese boxes. They grow very slowly.

I'm not sure if you are allowed to pave the whole thing. You will have some restriction on the 'site coverage'.

 

[D.T.]

I would go with something similar to westminster's picture but with synthetic grass. Sides also synthetic grass. Plant Japanese boxes. They grow very slowly.

I'm not sure if you are allowed to pave the whole thing. You will have some restriction on the 'site coverage'.

You're a little late mate

 

[westminster]

Dave - it's not green but I like what you did
I especially like the corner urns and hedging. That will look a treat.
Looks heaps better than paving the whole lot and the plants will grow and look good

 

[devank]

You're a little late mate

Whoops.. I got excited after looking at westminster's pic

I think you did well with your 'limited' garden area.

 

[MRCCON]

Ugh why are the posts for the alfresco so far in from the edge? That is lazy building from your builder - it really reduces the amount of useable area.
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Yes, I'm sure the builder just woke up one day and said, you know what? I can't be bothered bringing the posts out the full length of the house.............

It's a trussed roof, the posts are on the max span of the trusses, and the overhang is the max overhang of those particular trusses. It's obviously been built in the most cost effective manner, saving on engineering......

If you want to blame someone, blame the draftsman or the owner for not forking out the extra $$$.....................

 

[gooram]

Ugh why are the posts for the alfresco so far in from the edge? That is lazy building from your builder - it really reduces the amount of useable area.

OK you know I love green

I know you love not gardening

From the looks of the pictures the area to the side of the alfresco, ie the top corner looks to be a decent size - perhaps 2 x 3m? I would synthetic grass that. On the other side I would do the same or some pebble work with some plants along the fence.

To make the grassed area stand out you could cut a square in the middle and put in a small tree like a frangipani or lemon or lime tree to have with your Corona on the back alfresco.

Down the side of the house you could do some paver stepping stones and pebbles around or just standard paving.

There are a few synthetic turf shops that sell their offcuts on Gumtree
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/mirr...cuts-aus-made-and-top-quality-turf/1013790007
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/joon...own-stock-run-out-this-sunday-only/1012980977

Hi Westminster,

Who did the front fence in this pic? Looks great.

 

[westminster]

Hi Westminster,

Who did the front fence in this pic? Looks great.

Sorry I have no idea, it was just a random picture I found on the internet to use as an example.