Hi, I am trying to gather some ideas on how to make my front yard look a bit better. I want to start off with laying some pavers towards my mailbox and some plants alongside the driveway. Wondering how to do it the best way. Ta.
Hi @cal2,
It's fantastic to hear you want to get stuck into some landscaping at the front of your home.
With projects like this, where you are a bit unsure how to proceed, the best advice I can give is to sketch it out. A quick bird's eye view sketch, with some measurements for scale can really help to clarify what you are trying to achieve and oftentimes the act of doing that sketch will give you some ideas. You don't have to do everything at once, but oftentimes having a clear plan for the future will reduce the amount of double handling and extra work. Check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/garden-design/how-to-plan-and-landscape-a-garden-makeover and https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/landscaping/how-to-design-a-landscaping-plan .
Once there is a plan in place, the first step is generally to clear the area and roughly level it. At this stage, you can also add some weedmat or geotextile fabric to help suppress the weeds. Check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/landscaping/how-to-install-weed-matting for some guidance.
For the path to the mailbox, mark out the width and shape with string lines or marking paint, then excavate enough to allow for a compacted road-base layer, bedding sand and the thickness of the pavers. Installing a solid edge restraint on both sides will also help to keep the pavers from spreading or shifting over time. This can be done by making a concrete haunch, or with something like garden edging or sleepers, held in place with pegs. Check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/building-construction/paths-and-paving/how-to-lay-a-base-for-pavers and https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/building-construction/paths-and-paving/how-to-pave-a-pathway for some further guidance.
Along the driveway side of the path, a well-defined garden bed would help make it feel more finished. You already have a relatively well defined space, but a simple barrier, such as the garden edging or sleepers mentioned above, along the side of the driveway, can help to keep things in place and looking neat and tidy.
Low-growing groundcover plants are a good option near the driveway, so they do not overhang the paving, restrict access or block visibility. Check out https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/garden/planting-and-growing/11-ground-covers-for-your-garden for some options.
Once you've planted, finishing the garden beds with mulch will help suppress weeds, retain moisture and protect the soil from temperature extremes. It also gives the area a neat, finished appearance, but keep it a few centimetres clear of plant stems to help prevent rot.
Hopefully this gives you some ideas to start with, and we can assist further once you move past the planning stage.
Let me know what you think.
Jacob
Also, allow me to tag some helpful members to see what ideas or inspiration they might be able to offer - @Dave-1, @Noelle, @Herrenovacation, @homeinmelbourne, @R4addZ.
Hi @cal2
Some more pictures might help. Have you given any thought to what you want and have you given any thought to reticulation as that may need to be one of the first things needing sorting out.
Afternoon @cal2
As @R4addZ has suggested, a few more pics would make it easier to come up with some ideas. A couple facing the house showing the width we would have to play with. Your footpath verge if you have one. I do admit it can be daunting posting pictures of your yard. (the first few times I did I was ummming and ahhing) but in the end it came down to "local people may recognise it" but really how many people would? :) (haze out a street number and you are even less likely to feel pressure.
The sketch that @JacobZ has suggested is well worth the effort, you dont have to be a great sketcher just able to draw some circles that represent the hard things in your yard (taps, mailbox, driveway, plants/trees. Once you have the ones you want to stay were they are then the yard will pull you in a certain direction.
Taking your time - I landscaped my front yard in a big way a few years ago. Thinking it was the "end all" lol Nope, far from it. So think of the bigger solid things you want, a pathway, a wider drive way (can be gravel with the plastic stabilisiation under it) A tree or two, deciduous or evergreens. Factor in drainage routes (downpipe from side of house or front to the exit point in your street gutter)
I installed berms around my yard as when I landscaped we were having heaps of rain. Now it looks like we will have less rain and maybe more frost so im factoring that in for my yard. Frost means berms would work better because as the frost rises it would go around the berm before overtopping it. Windbreaks either physical or something alive like a hedge or bush.
Do you want a shallow pond? or birdbath? (ponds come with rules so keep that in mind) If you are in WA your soil may be on the sandier side, Im on the East coast and my soil is more clay driven.
Looking forward to the extra pics and maybe a sketch :)
Just some sketches of part of the yard, you can see the first idea change as the sketched solidified what I wanted and also what was possible.
The "Hard things" that were staying for me were the pathway and the figtree. The gabions could be moved, the slope could change.
Dave
@JacobZ @R4addZ @Dave-1
Thanks heaps. I have sketched out my front yard with measurements. one with the planned walkway to the mailbox.
:) Thank you for the sketch, it makes it easier to picture.
You have the water meter in the middle of the yard? Or is it a stormwater access point (plastic lid) or could also be a sewage point access lid.
I have added a few suggestions, mostly to offset the path so the letterbox ends up on one side of it. It has a nicer feel to it than having to walk up the driveway for everything. If the meter is above ground then Id curve the path past it (same design as yours but just angled a bit.)
The B in green is for Bush, something hard wearing and long lasting (Like a daisy busy) The T with round circles are fro small trees. I like Crepe Myrtyles for the colour and bark. These will need to be maintained ever couple of years pruning wise to keep them at a size you like. they provide shade in summer and open for the sun in winter.
The BB in blue is for a birdbath of some kind, or a water feature but like the idea of a birdbath to start with as it gives you a sense of coolness.
Hello @cal2
That layout suggestion from @Dave-1 is fantastic. Would it be possible for you to post a photo of the entire front yard? We can then do a sample AI render of your yard to give you an idea of what it can look like. I've placed a sample image below using AI to give you an idea of what can be done.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
The first thing I personally would do is build a sloping wall down from the side of the letterbox to the drive to soften the imposing look of such a tall letterbox. Do you want any grassed area ? If you do , you could move your proposed path so the left edge lines up with the side of the letterbox and this would leave you with a strip where you can have either flowers or small shrubs with the advantage of the path keeping the grass from invading it. You could also make the slab for the wall wider to create a return from the drive to the back of the mailbox giving you a choice of access to get the mail. Depending on how high the water meter is, you could put an enclosure over it like the pits used for reticulation valves but I would check with your supplier if that is acceptable as they need to read the meter.
With regards to the reticulation, does the paving run right across the front of the house or is there a break where you would be able to get valve control wiring across from the house to the garden?
Edited to add that whilst I was typing @EricL did his rendering of a similar change with the path as I was proposing, looks good.
