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How to improve awkward area beside Townsville house?

YveB

Dear everyone, I am struggling with inspiration in relation to this area.

Currently there are 4 big loader tyres which I was at first repurposing for a veggie garden which didn't work at all. It slowly became I stick whatever in there from ginger over to pineapples.... herbs didn't want to stay alive either.

Love to hear what you guys think what could be done? Thought of a BBQ area but then there is no roof... a wildflower kind of scenario... I have plenty of seating areas around the house as well.... I am a little lost. Any help be appreciated.

I am living in Townsville QLD so it isn't the easiest to keep things alive.

Thank you

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JacobZ

Hi @YveB,

Before jumping into ideas, I'd probably take a step back and ask what you'd like this space to do for you.

Does it need to be functional, such as food production, storage or entertaining? Or would you prefer it to be primarily decorative and low maintenance?

Could you tell us a bit more about how you use that side of the house? Is it a space you regularly walk through and see from inside, or is it more of a forgotten corner? Sometimes the best solution comes from understanding how you want to experience the space rather than deciding what to plant in it first.

I'd also be interested to hear what didn't work with the veggie garden. Was it too much sun, not enough water, poor soil, pests, or simply that it wasn't being used? That might tell us a lot about what direction to head in next.

You mentioned you've already got plenty of seating areas around the house, which would probably move a BBQ or entertaining space lower on the list for me. Similarly, if the veggie garden experiment wasn't particularly successful and you're not enjoying maintaining it, there may be no point forcing the space into a productive garden.

Given you're in Townsville, I'd also be thinking carefully about how much sun the area receives, how exposed it is to the weather and how much ongoing watering and maintenance you're willing to do. Those factors can help narrow down the options quite quickly.

Some possibilities that come to mind are:

A native wildflower or pollinator garden.
A feature garden with rocks, driftwood and sculptural plants.
A low-maintenance gravel garden with a few standout specimens.
A pond or water feature.

You might also like to have a look at some of these articles to see if anything jumps out and inspires you -

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/181516/top-10-most-popular-backyard-projects

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/132853/top-10-most-popular-landscaping-projects

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/181002/top-10-most-popular-fire-pit-projects

Also, allow me to tag @TedBear, @R4addZ, @LizzieCro and @projectmumdanni to see if they have any ideas.

Jacob

R4addZ

hi @YveB

Looks like a great spot for a jacuzzi to me! :-) :-)

LizzieCro

Hi @YveB ,
Go straight to the naughty corner! First up I have got to say get the tyres off your property. They categorically should never be used for edible plants. Tyres leach out heavy metals, lead, copper, zinc, and other nasties into your soil. Plants then take this up in the water in the soil, into the plants, and you could be unintentionally causing yourself and family serious health issues. These chemicals leaching out are probably why your plants haven't thrived there, as many will negatively affect any plant, not just edible ones. If your soil has a tendency to be more clay-like, acidic, the leaching of chemicals will be more rapid. A very quick Google:

Here are the key details:

Contaminants: Tyres contain over 400 additives. Key heavy metals released include zinc (highly common), lead, and cadmium. [1, 2, 3]
Environmental Impact: Tire wear particles are a major source of microplastics, with high concentrations of contaminants found in urban stormwater runoff. [1, 2]
Soil & Water Contamination: When used in gardening or in the environment, tires can leach toxins into the soil, which can then be absorbed by plants. Acidic soil can accelerate the release of zinc. [1, 2]
Specific Toxins: 6PPD-quinone, a chemical formed from tire wear particles, has been linked to mass salmon deaths in the USA and has been detected in Australia. [1, 2]
Risks: These substances are hazardous to aquatic life and represent a "chemical cocktail" with potentially toxic impacts on the ecosystem. [1, 2]

Due to the risk of heavy metal leaching, it is generally advised against using old tires for growing food. [1, 2]Would you like to know more about the imp

OK. This will sound pretty basic, but I've been a horticulturalist for many decades, and landscape design and construction was one of my many lives. Trust me, these are the things which may help you work out what to do. Regarding this spot in your yard, I always find it's easiest to grab a comfortable chair, sit opposite the area in question, and sit and have a drink (tea/alcohol, whatever floats your boat), and just look at that area. Put the chair in the place where you'll most often be looking at that view, then ask yourself, 'What would I really like to see here?' Do you want to see lush, green growth or bright flowers? Would you like to see birds splashing in a bird bath? Would you like to see and hear a water feature? Would it appeal more to you if it was a tall arrangement of foliage which screened something beyond, or something which framed the view beyond? Can you utilise the existing established plants to frame your new garden? Under the tyres I can see the grey paving has a curved edge to it. What used to be there, and can you encorporate that curved edge into your new garden? A curved edge would certainly look better than a straight edge. And ask yourself, 'How much time do I want to spend tending this garden?' Be realistic. If you aren't a keen gardener don't get too carried away with hard to grow plants. Put in low maintenance grasses, or Philodendron Xanadu, or other common tropical plants. Have a really good think about it and jot down your thoughts.

You'll need to take into consideration how the space is currently used (apart from tyre gardens which we'll never speak of again!). Is it a thoroughfare to another part of the garden? Do you need to store your bins there/other garden things? Or is it just a corner of the garden which needs something doing to it? If it is a storage/thoroughfare that will affect what you do.

One of the most critical things is light. At the moment, in your photos, it looks as though it gets a lot of shade? (Another reason veggies wouldn't do well. They need full sunlight). From your photos, you seem to have taken these photos from a seating area under a verandah roof?? So, I'm assuming you'd sit out there and would just like something nice to look at? Which way is the garden facing? That will determine what time of day your area gets light and for how long.

You've said it's difficult to get things to grow in Townsville. In any area things can be difficult to grow, if they don't ordinarily grow in that climate. I'd suggest you go for a walk around your local area, and take photos of gardens and individual plants that appeal to you. Photo plants which are doing really well in a similar level of light that your garden spot has. Decide which ones you'd think would work best together in your yard then take those images to a local nursery and ask the horticulturalists there to show you those plants. You can also do a reverse Google search with the photos, which usually can identify them.

When creating your garden, put the taller plants to the back of the garden, and small at the front. Don't plant in straight lines, be more random. Often it pays to use just a few types of plants, but more of them. It can look much more cohesive. And don't forget to mulch! Mulch is like the frame on a piece of art, do it.

Given what little information we have, if this was my spot I'd fill it with lush greenery, low maintenance plants, maybe some colourful Bromeliads, and definitely either a bird bath or pot with a gentle water fountain.

Good luck with it!

YveB

Thank you so much guys! I don't know how to tag you all but super grateful!

I been spending a lot of time thinking about it as it is right beside our patio / entrance. It is a house on acerage where the front is the back and the back has become the front entrance. I also see if from the Window on the kitchen, also from when in the pool or at the fire place in the back corner of the yard. There used to be two old concrete water tanks.

A jacuzzi is an awesome idea but I might not get a buy in with the pool being just across the pathway.... that would look so nice with some lightening over the top.

Eeekk I thought I was doing the environment a favour fishing those tyres out of the creek when we bought the place. Boy, I was very wrong wasn't I?

The area is getting a lot of shade in winter (if there is such thing in Tville lol) and hammered with sun in summer. The tank with the grapevine also restricts some sunshine. Looking from the photos it is facing east.

I love the idea of the wildflowers but also the waterfeature my green frogs be in heaven (worried to be overrun maybe by cantoads).

As it is all concrete and red rocks I def would be the easiest to have a high garden bed (not the tyres lol) or gravel with something on top..... we have a really tropical garden and good old hedges. Most just grows from cuttings. I don't have a green thumb or lots of spare money and not much time but I try and we do have a sprinkler set up at the tyres currently. I love to recycle and make things look nice. We do have bees so it be nice something there also for them for sure.

JacobZ

Hi @YveB,

If you have bees, I would be doing everything I can to make them happy. They need all the help that we can give them.

Perhaps you could remove the tyres and install some raised garden beds with an assortment of flowers?

You can use https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/planting-and-growing/how-to-build-a-raised-garden-bed-with-sleepers as a guide.

In terms of plants, I'd focus on Australian natives such as native violets (Viola hederacea), fan flowers (Scaevola spp.), native daisies (Brachyscome spp.) and smaller grevilleas that tolerate part shade. These plants produce nectar-rich flowers that attract both European honeybees and native bees while coping well with the tropical climate. Native mint bush (Prostanthera spp.) can also perform well in sheltered positions and is highly attractive to pollinators when in flower. By planting a mix of species that flower at different times of the year, you'll provide a more consistent food source for bees and create a colourful, low-maintenance raised garden bed that thrives even in areas that don't receive full sun all day.

Have a look at https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/planting-and-growing/how-to-attract-bees-to-your-garden for some further info.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

YveB

@JacobZ oh that sounds like a fabulous idea. We only have one hive and they are very busy with giving us loads of honey so giving back to them would be amazing. Also adding the little safe house could help the native bees.

Wonder if i could add a water feature in the middle of it?! Some feature in the middle of those beautiful flowers and maybe some solar lights.....

It will look stunning from the guestroom and when coming to the house or stepping outside.

Shame sleepers aren't coming in a round shape 🤣.

I better get onto the demo and organise a trailer to get these tyres to the dump.

Only thought though.... it wouldn't be too close to the house and entrance into the house???

🍯🐝🏵🌼

JacobZ

Hi @YveB,

A water feature would be fantastic and would add another wonderful element to the area. We have plenty of https://www.bunnings.com.au/products/garden/garden-decor/garden-water-features-fountains and https://www.bunnings.com.au/products/garden/garden-decor/garden-ponds/pond-pumps/solar-power-pond-pumps to go with them. Have a look to see what you like.

If you want to keep the round shape for the raised beds, then there are certainly options. These https://www.bunnings.com.au/jack-900mm-oxyshield-podium-landscape-ring_p3321632 or these https://www.bunnings.com.au/jack-800-x-450mm-round-raised-garden-bed_p0807486 would work well. You could also make your own garden beds using landscape blocks such as these Charcoal Eziwall Blocks. The trapezoidal shape allows you to create curves with them relatively easily.

I can't really say whether it would be too close to the entrance to the house, but if you are kind to your bees, I can't see any reason this would be an issue.

It feels like we have a bit of a plan slowly coming together. If you have any other thoughts or question, please add them.

I can't wait to see you get started.

Jacob

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