OT: Backyard Design: Landscaping, Patios, etc..

[Julia M]

Hi Everyone,

Well, after many years of our backyard being ordinary (mow strip, play structure, sandbox, play house, digging areas in the dirt!), I think we are ready to redesign and landscape our backyard. Our kids are now 8, 10 and 13, and don't use the backyard much.

So, I want to pull out the current shrubs and bushes, take out the mow strip and patio, transplant our rose bushes and start over.

I'd like to lay a new patio.....either those big tiles or concrete where you dye and stamp it, so it looks like tile. We'll put grass close to the fence line, with some kind of border (maybe river rock, which I love, or some kind of border plant.) Also, we'll need a dog run. (My dog digs, so he can't have full run of the backyard anymore!) I also want an outside heater and a hot tub.

While I will contract out some of the work, I will need to plan it out, and know what I want. Does anyone have recommendations for books or websites for information? Do you have any suggestions for me, having done it yourself?

We live in California, so this will be an entertaining area for us, that we can use most of the year. Our area gets so hot in summer (we don't have air conditioning), so we'll use it alot in the evenings in summer.

Any suggestions are warmly welcomed

Julia

 

[soccerchick]

You might get more responses on the flower and garden forum. I tried to take advantage of the local nurseries/landscapers. Many offer free consultations from photos, etc. at their location. Some charge modest fees to come to your home ($25 to $35, one credits it back to you if you go with them). Others charge lots of money. They are great for gauging costs and getting ideas.Look through the designers' books at the photos they took of their work. Then you can decide if you really want to do it yourself or consider hiring someone. We hired someone to do the patio (flagstone and brick) even though DH is very handy. This is a nice new house and I didn't want an amateur patio. Concrete, brick and stone is too hard and too expensive to rip up and start over. I also didn't want to get divorced or sent to jail for fighting over it

Sorry I can't help with specific books, but I've checked some out from the library. Black and Decker has some home and landscaping books that we liked and took ideas from.

 

[StephMK]

Ahhh, that sounds like such a fun project!! I don't know of any books but craiglist.com has sections that list people to hire for consultations - have found some for landscaping/gardening. I posted an ad looking for someone to help and an amateur gardener is going to come give me advice in exchange for some of my plants. Just a thought for another idea.

 

[Taja]

For learning the basics about plants, pick up Sunset Garden Book. It isn't inexpensive, but it's an invaluable tool when you fall in love with a plant and discover it won't do well in your yard!

All of my books are ancient, but still have good ideas. There are computer programs available, but I haven't used them. My suggestion is to buy some large graph paper, measure your property lines and draw them on the paper. Do the same for the house and any hardscape you won't be changing (driveway, sidewalks, pool, etc.). Note the sunny areas, shady areas, etc.

Then you have a couple of options: photocopy the basic layout or purchase a roll of drafting paper to create overlays. I like the overlays, as you can see the grid lines, which helps to keep things to scale. Diagram the areas you have in mind, and have your DH do the same. Combine your ideas.

When you have a plan you like, contact a landscape designer or landscape architect who will work with you on an hourly basis or set fee to develop the final plan. This should include drainage, hardscape, plant types and placement, etc. When you interview specialists, let them know that you plan to do a great deal of work yourselves, will be doing it over a longer period of time, and that you need an overall plan to keep you on track. Some will work with you, others won't.

I had 7 interviews with landscape architects before I found one who suited my needs. The landscaping is still a work in progress, but it will be completed in another two or three years. It looks good, but I know it isn't finished yet!

 

[ChristyJ]

Also check Lowes & Home Deport-they have free "how-to" booklets and sometimes have workshops on this sort of thing. My husband just picked up a booklet about putting in a patio-now let's hope he gets it done!

 

[CheapMom]

We have the dyed, stamped concrete around our pool that looks like brick. We love it. My DH is pretty handy but he never could have done this himself.

 

[grlpwrd]

You also might want to check out http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums . There are forums that may be of use.

HTH and GL!