Front yard decoration - can you use mulch close to the house?

Hi folks,

I am working on my front yard project. Following are the images and what I am planning to do. I am laying turf, mulch and installing Water fountain. My question is: Is it okay to use Mulch close to wall? I am asking this I am planning to plant some flowers on mulch after laying them. Will the mulch attract termites? I would really suggest if you have any suggestion on this.

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Comments

StevieB

Thanks for sharing your project with us, @Sugar.

Let me tag @LisasGarden, @Adam_W and @MitchellMc to help with your question. Just note that our resident D.I.Y. expert @MitchellMc will be back on the site on Friday to assist.

Really looking forward to seeing the end result with the water fountain.

Stevie

LisasGarden

They say you shouldn’t have garden beds against the house walls because it can encourage termites to gain entry into the house. You could use stones/pebbles and some beautiful pots and maybe have a garden bed away from the house walls

redracer01

Hello @Sugar

Welcome to Bunnings Workshop. Thank you for sharing your diy project with the community. In these situations I would probably suggest using timber sleepers against the house or even bricks to provide a buffer against the mulch. Mulch tends to hold moisture and might become a source of mold against your wall. So by providing a buffer such as sleepers or bricks you have that measure of safety. Looking forward to the finished project.

Red

Sugar

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/13116#Comment_13116

Thank you all for the advice. So I was in the right direction. I was feeling reluctant to use mulch against the house wall. @LisasGarden I like your idea of beautiful stones or pebbles. I think I will go with this. The only thing I am worried about is the weeds growing from the ground when pebbles are used. This is the current case as you can see in the picture. I like to control weed growing also.

LisasGarden

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/69052#Comment_69052

You could lay down weed mat or shade cloth etc first to help control the weeds and then the stones.

MitchellMc

It's great to see you've received some helpful replies from our knowledgeable members @Sugar.

As mentioned, if you are in a termite prone area, I would suggest keeping the use of mulch to a minimum. If you are to use it, there will probably be local regulations regarding creating a buffer between it and the wall of the house. However, it sounds like you have made the wise decision to go with stones or pebbles, and we have a great range to select from. Weedmat would indeed be the ideal solution for controlling weed growth.

Have you decided on what type of grass you'll lay? We offer Sir Walter Soft Leaf Buffalo and Hybrid Bermuda turf. You should find this step-by-step guide useful: How to lay instant turf.

Do you know what type of fountain and arrangement you were looking for? I'd be happy to make some suggestions for you also.

I look forward to following along with your project as I trust you'll have some magnificent results.

Please let us know if you have any questions or need further assistance.

Mitchell

Sugar

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/13148#Comment_13148

@MitchellMc Yes, I am very thankful for everyone's reply.

Regarding the pebbles, my wife and I are still deciding which one to go for.

So far, I am planning to use Tuscan White Aztech Pebbles and black polish in combination.

Regarding fountain: I am planning to go with a pump powered by the solar panel.

Grass: I might go with wintergreen grass. Last time, I used seeds and they were washed away by rain the next morning :). So this time, I am preferring to go with instant turf.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/69076#Comment_69076

Hi @Sugar,

The combination of black and white pebbles sounds like it will look terrific.

You might like to read through this discussion: New water feature! by @Adam_W. His results were very impressive. I'm sure you could use a solar-powered pump in combination with it. You should also find this step-by-step guide useful: How to create a water feature. Here's our range of solar-powered pumps.

I'd have to agree that instant turf can be much easier, and you get results right away.

I can't wait to see your results.

Mitchell

Adam_W

Hi @Sugar ,
Although uncommon mulch can attract termites but more often what it does is provide cover for them to get into the underneath of your house unnoticed. That's a major problem.
Two solutions...
- Cypress mulches are termite repellent, tea tree mulches too but probably not for the longer term.

- Pebble mulches will also work well as termites are unlikely to travel underneath them to the house.

Sugar

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/13180#Comment_13180

Thank you all for your valuable advice here.

I am definitely going with pebbles and not worry at all about termites. I think White and Black pebbles will transform my front of the house dramatically, with some cactus, etc.

I measured the height between my soil and pavement as 45-70mm as shown in the picture below.

To me, it seems like the surface is too low for turf.

Do you think, I need to add some soil and bring up the level to flush with pavement?

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/69085#Comment_69085

Hi @Sugar,

You might like to add a 50mm layer of Scotts Lawn Builder 25L Organic Lawn Soil Topdress & Underlay. Not only will this raise the lawn level, but it will provide some organic medium for the grass to grow in. It is possible to grow grass in sand though it's fairly free-draining and won't retain much water for long. Because of this, you'll require frequent waterings, and the lawn will be harder to maintain overall without the underlay.

Mitchell

Sugar

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/97526#Comment_97526

@MitchellMc

I think you are right. The ground consists of a higher proportion of sand than pure soil. Adding this organic lawn soil should help in this case.

Since the ground is sloppy, I might need to distribute the soil more towards the pavement and less towards away from it, as you can see in the image below.

Rainy weather in Gold Coast during the weekend and PH on Monday did not really help me to achieve on this weekend. Left this job for next weekend.

Adam_W

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/115438#Comment_115438

@Sugar always good to have any areas near the house sloping slightly away from the house. Reduces the risk of seepage under the house & flooding.

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