This odd-shaped area in our backyard has been a tricky one to work with. We've always called it the "triangle area" because of the awkward shape of the space. One positive is that it allowed us to create a separate area away from the main backyard so it can't be seen from the living area inside the house. We plan on using this area as a potted-garden for growing plants solely in pots and containers (strawberries, japanese maple, blueberries, succulents etc.). Should we move, I'd love to bring my potted plants with me to the next place.
We thought we would share the progress so far:
BEFORE:
The area was very damp and the ground was covered in moss. The previous owners used the raised garden beds to grow vegetables.
BEFORE: When we moved in (2021)
Removing the raised vegetable beds and levelling/spreading out the soil:
We attempted to grow grass however with frequent walking along the side and our dog's daily "zoomies", the grass never took.
Planted Syzygium Resilience "Lilly Pilly" and English Box along the fence.
Bird bath is the Lotus Green Bird Bath from Bunnings.
Planted up an old, rusty fire pit with succulents. We drilled holes in the steel bowl for drainage.
We initially planned on having pebbles in the whole area as it is low-maintenance and the easiest solution to solving the problem of dampness, mud and weeds. However we created a larger issue for our dog who would chew on the pebbles (resulting in a chipped tooth) and he also found it uncomfortable to walk on (sadly, no more zoomies). So we went back to the drawing board and hauled out all of the pebbles from the area two days later.
PLAN B:
Our new plan was to create a strip of artificial turf and then a crushed granite area for the potted garden. We used the same method to create the base layer for the artificial turf as we did for the putting green project - lay bed of crushed rock, level, compact, sand, level, re-sand, lay and nail down artificial turf, spread and brush in silica sand.
The material we used for the triangle area is a grey crushed topping (Tynong topping) that we compacted. It is similar to the orange-coloured crushed granite that you see on walking tracks at parks.
Compacting the crushed rock layer:
Rented compactor from Bunnings for the crushed rock base
Levelled the area with sand and rolled over with a water filled barrel roller then we pinned down the artificial turf - nailing down every 150mm around the perimeter and roughly every 300mm on the inside).
Spreading silica sand over the artificial turf and brushing up the grass pile.
BEFORE & AFTER:
The area is still very much a work in progress but we're happy that the dog loves running up and down the side again it's much more comfortable on his paws.
A few things left to do for this area:
- Brick step for the back door
- Source a timber garden bench
- Trim Pittosporum trees
- Star jasmine espalier
- Paint fence
- Paint fascia, gutters and roof restoration
Perhaps you might have a similar area in your backyard that is tucked away and shaded most of the day that you'd like to spruce up. Feel free to share how you went about tackling an odd-shaped area like this or if you have any suggestions or ideas on how we can add to this space, please let us know in the comments 😊
Thank you for reading! 😊
