I am seeking suggestions for a landscaping and drainage project around my home. I am at the very initial stage so as to have a plan in mind and then cater it with any special requirements during the home build. I have seen a few articles in this community with people struggling with water pools in their side and backyards.
My site is classified as P with underlying site reactivity as H2 - very highly reactive clay. So as much as I love to have a lush green outdoor space in whatever limited area I can have, I am also concerned about having proper drainage around landscaped portions in this clay site to avoid water pooling and subsequent slab damage. The site has a slope towards the front where the stormwater connection to the property is situated.
Here are the detailed specifications:
1. **Layout and Dimensions:**
- The side yards are each 1.2 meters from the fence.
- The backyard is 3.2 meters from the fence.
- I aim to lay a concrete apron around the home with a preferred width of 1 meter.
- Additionally, I plan to reserve 0.2 meters of ground along the sides for planting hedging plants to cover the fence (lilly pilly or a similar variety that doesn't grow excessively tall) or star jasmine on a trained wire frame *I am inspired by the star jasmine article in the community workshop 🙂
- Similarly, I'd like to reserve 0.2 meters of ground along the back fence for hedging plants and ground cover, and allocate the 2 meters between the concrete apron and the hedge for a vegetable garden, fire pit area, etc.
2. **Drainage Considerations:**
- Given the concrete apron layout, it's crucial to ensure proper drainage to prevent water pooling or runoff issues.
- I need advice on how to incorporate effective drainage solutions into the landscaping design, especially considering the proximity of the concrete apron to the house foundation and property boundaries.
- Suggestions for drainage systems that can capture water on the surface itself (spoon drains or grated drain) rather than sub-surface drainage (french drain or agi pipes) would be preferred. Digging a trench for agi pipes might be difficult in the sides following standard widths and offsets? Also don't want a situation where this trench is overflown by some reason and the very thing that I am doing to protect the foundation will end up doing more harm!
3. **Plant Selection and Maintenance:**
- I prefer low-maintenance plants for the hedging and fence cover, particularly those that offer aesthetic appeal without requiring excessive pruning or care.
- Can you recommend specific varieties of lilly pilly or star jasmine or other plants that fit these criteria and thrive in the Melbourne climate conditions?
- The orientation of the house is south facing. So all of the fences will have mixed sun exposure
4. **Functional Spaces:**
- In the 2-meter space between the concrete apron and the hedge in the backyard, I envision creating functional areas like a vegetable garden, a fire pit etc.
- Advice on layout design (considering the orientation of the house), soil preparation, drainage and any additional considerations for these functional spaces would be invaluable.
I know it's a long post but thanks in advance.
