Tidying up an odd-shaped area in the backyard

[homeinmelbourne]

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! 😊

[EricL]

Hello @chetti18L

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's great to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about the fire pit.

Let me tag @homeinmelbourne to make them aware of your kind words and question. Generally, this type of set-up often has a brick foundation on the inside of it. Once you've formed the circular shape, you can then cover it with feature tiles to give it that layered stone effect. If you have an old round steel fire pit hanging around, it would be perfect as a succulent planter. 

My only concern about putting in artificial turf in your concrete area is drainage. Often water just drains into the soil, but your concrete floor will prevent this from happening. As for the plants and trees around the area, I suggest looking at this topic - Top 10 most popular raised garden beds. These types of garden beds will allow you the freedom to plant anything you want. 

To disguise your water tank, I recommend putting in some timber trellis or screen panels.  

Let me call on our experienced members @Adam_W and @pete_brig for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[chetti18L]

Thank you Eric. Much appreciated 

[homeinmelbourne]

Hi @chetti18L !

Thank you for your kind words. You certainly have a lot of space to work with in your backyard. So many possibilities!

The fire pit came with the stacked-stone look. We got it from Facebook Marketplace although Bunnings sell a newer version of it - Mimosa 90cm GRC Stone Fire Pit.

I agree with @EricL, some raised garden beds would look great to bring in some plants and greenery in the area.

Another option could be using the space for a 'potted garden'. I'm trialling it in this space and trying to grow things solely in pots. I assume every year I'll have to keep bumping up the pot sizes as they grow but I'm hopeful we'll get some good produce from the potted plants.

[pete_brig]

Hi @homeinmelbourne....terrrific looking result. I like the screen (& colour) around the A/C unit so I hope it doesn't cause problems. I want to do something similar for gas bottles...one day
Cheers, Peter

[homeinmelbourne]

Thanks @pete_brig! I'm sure the screen idea would be great to cover gas bottles. 👍

We installed magnetic catchers and hinges onto the A/C screen for improved heat exchange when the A/C is in use. 

[pete_brig]

Hi @chetti18L . Suggest you start a separate topic so that people can focus on your specific situation & it doesn't get lost in (or takeover) this topic. If you can, also include a sketch of the space with dimensions, adjoining features for context (e.g. house kitchen). 

Cheers, Peter