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We still need to get the grass areas properly levelled and turfed. Then the random dirt mounds against the fence in the pic above can be spread out and we can start planting a hedge along that fence. It needs to get to 4-5m high in a bid to protect against future two storey house privacy. They're a bit lower so hopefully 4-5m is enough. Not sure on bamboo as I haven't prepped a 40cm deep root guard and not sure I want to for sure a long distance
So suggestions welcome!
Top two are currently: viburnum and murraya. But different websites say different heights? I'm not sure they'll be high enough.
We have red photina on the high side fence and don't really like the red colour so would prefer not to use it.
Oh how could I forget- we planted two jacarandas smack in the middle of the yard.
I added some plants to the verge- these are bottle brush. I'll extend the garden to include some under-planting and fancy it up eventually.
My husband came home from work and admitted he hated bottle brush, thinks they're quite unattractive
so we'll be replacing these free plants with something else
Does anyone know anything about these long orchids on the fence? They've been sunburnt and are dying so I've taken them down and will replace with star jasmine. I'll try resurrect the poor orchids but not sure past that.
Despite the yard not being finished the kids are resilient and make their own fun
Wow you have been busy love seeing it come to life and those jacarandas will be great to sit under once they are established.
Love the kids making angels in the dirt!
Haha wow you are powering through!
Although given you know how much more you want to do, it probably doesn't feel that way.
It is looking amazing however. You should be super proud of your efforts!
No luck using sketch up I'm afraid. I got the poops with it and haven't gone back to it. After 2 hours I still couldn't figure out how to create my house on my block so I gave up.
It's good looking back through the pictures, nice to see how far we've come!
So next up is these areas:
A kids cubby/fort/sandpit/swing/slide/garden/chalk board combo something like this behind the jacarandas:
Vegetable and fruit tree garden at the back next to the shed. A mini orange tree is already there with tons of fruit on it. We'll add a mandarins tree which I got for Christmas:
The dirt mounds and current dump area needs to be tidied so I can make this curved garden area. Looking at some silver birch in addition to the hedge, with some under-planting.
And of course only the biggest item on the list is the patio roof. Turns out builders are slack with quotes in the lead up to Christmas
Wow you have been busy love seeing it come to life and those jacarandas will be great to sit under once they are established.
Love the kids making angels in the dirt!
Weirdly it doesn't feel like we've been busy at all. It felt like we took several weeks off as I got upset at my parents always pestering asking how much more we'd done each time I spoke to them. I retaliated and stopped work
Mature i know! ha ha
The kids love the packing sand pit! We ended up digging huge holes for them to each sit and play in that day, they loved it, got SO dirty, then they had a nude swim in the pond
Haha wow you are powering through!
Although given you know how much more you want to do, it probably doesn't feel that way.
It is looking amazing however. You should be super proud of your efforts!
No luck using sketch up I'm afraid. I got the poops with it and haven't gone back to it. After 2 hours I still couldn't figure out how to create my house on my block so I gave up.
Oh no!! If it makes you feel any better I have no idea how to use sketchup either! I presumed it was easier than my program simply because you can get it free but maybe its not. Bugger! Do you have a thread for your house or landscape build? (Have I asked you that before? sorry)
If you take the cubby out of the picture it all feels really close to being done. Im so excited about it. It will be so lovely to potter and tinker in my back garden while the kids play. I'm probably going to start the cubby in the next few months. Dig some holes for the posts, etc. I've never built anything like that, but it can't be hard - right??? Youtube will help me
For plant people: Regarding our eastern side hedge
What are your thoughts on lilly pillies? We had them at our old place and my MIL has them; we and pretty well everyone else I know has had problems with psyllids which is a huge pain having to treat. I've just discovered "Yates Confidor Tablets" (
http://www.yates.com.au/products/pest-control/insects-ready-to-use/yates-confidor-tablets-garden-insecticide/#y6Z0OeCd11efTuCq.97) which is heaps easier that using the spray to treat the plants, though are they worth the hassle??
I ask because this lilly pilly might suit our needs? Particularly as we need to keep the hedge thin so we can get a caravan down the side one day without scraping it (when we're rich and can afford one- ha ha, or more likely either of our parents want to camp their fancy pants ones in our backyard) :
https://www.ozbreed.com.au/advanced-trees/pinnacle-syzygium-is-a-very-narrow-growing-native-tree-which-is-great-for-screening-advanced-trees-range/ Anyone have any good lilly pilly experience...?
Check out this website I just discovered!
http://www.bestplants.com.au/You can put in all sorts of search criteria to find new plants to use.
Those orchids needs a bit of shade, that type of orchid likes dappled light... Are your orchid are under direct sun? Try to clump them together and plant out near semi shade area.
If you have any left over bromeliads... throw them over my fence. I need to collect more.
[Top two are currently: viburnum and murraya. But different websites say different heights? I'm not sure they'll be high enough. ]
Both Viburnum and Murraya will be suitable, really depend on your preference. I have previous grown both Viburnum tinus ( small leaf compact growing a little slow growing) and Viburnum odoratissimum ( large leaf grow quickly but uneven growth - branches shooting off all over ). At that time I was not sure which type will be better for blocking my new neighbour so I had both type of Viburnums growing together, 3yrs later I end up heaving one plant long... one plant short. The large leaf one grow very tall 6-7meters.
Currently at the back of my Town House, I have a row of Murraya (will take photo tomorrow ) block out my backyard neighbour completely and about 4-5 meters tall (but I suffer a lot when its flower - very overwhelming flower scent lead to allergies )
Take a look at these for your retaining area ( replacement of orchid area)
Grevillea " poorinda Royal Mantle"
Climbing roses.
Pandorea Jasminoides bower vine
Children are soooooooooooo cute!
I do enjoy reading your post, large Jacarandas are great for Summer.
Building Thread :
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=81624Landscape Thread :
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=86133
Both Viburnum and Murraya will be suitable, really depend on your preference. I have previous grown both Viburnum tinus ( small leaf compact growing a little slow growing) and Viburnum odoratissimum ( large leaf grow quickly but uneven growth - branches shooting off all over ). At that time I was not sure which type will be better for blocking my new neighbour so I had both type of Viburnums growing together, 3yrs later I end up heaving one plant long... one plant short. The large leaf one grow very tall 6-7meters.
Currently at the back of my Town House, I have a row of Murraya (will take photo tomorrow ) block out my backyard neighbour completely and about 4-5 meters tall (but I suffer a lot when its flower - very overwhelming flower scent lead to allergies )
Thanks for orchid tips. I've taken them down, will put the roots in some type of soil as the ones whose roots reached soil were doing better than those that hadn't yet. I've got two star jasmine already so I'll plant those there. Thanks for the other suggestions though!
Your Murraya and Viburnums have done great to get so tall. Everywhere I go or look at says max 4m but mostly 3m.
I love the bright green leaf colour of the viburnums, if only I could guarantee they'd grow at least to 4m. I just visited a local nursery... holy balls plants are expensive! No way I'm getting 30 x $29.90 plants. Surely somewhere online has to do a better deal
Looking much tidier now without the orchids. Replaced them with some mesh and two star jasmines. Hopefully they do okay in this heat!
Just caught up on your thread again. Your landscaping is looking fantastic! You should be so happy with all you have achieved. I love how big your yard is perfect for kids
Still haven't found your house lol Ive driven around a few times with no luck
It may help if I actually googled your street though.
Did you guys do all your own retaining walls? Our builders just told us we have to do ours
not looking forward to it at all lol
Just caught up on your thread again. Your landscaping is looking fantastic! You should be so happy with all you have achieved. I love how big your yard is perfect for kids
Still haven't found your house lol Ive driven around a few times with no luck
It may help if I actually googled your street though.
Did you guys do all your own retaining walls? Our builders just told us we have to do ours
not looking forward to it at all lol
Haha I'll PM you the address. Good work trying to find it though!
Thanks so much, yeah its a terrific size. We love it.
Retaining walls - yep we did them all. Yikes man what an effort. We have two types - (Hastings concrete blocks by Austral), and the treated timber pine walls. I can honestly say the treated timber pine was the HUGEST waste of money. They've warped like you wouldn't believe and look about ten years old already. They're maybe 5 months old.
The concrete blocks - we had a concreter do the footing and put some reo in (in hindsight was probably massive over kill), then had a professional do a cash job and mortar the bottom row in. We did the rest ourselves after that.
How much retaining do you have to do? What are you thinking of making it out of?
Just caught up on your thread again. Your landscaping is looking fantastic! You should be so happy with all you have achieved. I love how big your yard is perfect for kids
Still haven't found your house lol Ive driven around a few times with no luck
It may help if I actually googled your street though.
Did you guys do all your own retaining walls? Our builders just told us we have to do ours
not looking forward to it at all lol
Haha I'll PM you the address. Good work trying to find it though!
Thanks so much, yeah its a terrific size. We love it.
Retaining walls - yep we did them all. Yikes man what an effort. We have two types - (Hastings concrete blocks by Austral), and the treated timber pine walls. I can honestly say the treated timber pine was the HUGEST waste of money. They've warped like you wouldn't believe and look about ten years old already. They're maybe 5 months old.
The concrete blocks - we had a concreter do the footing and put some reo in (in hindsight was probably massive over kill), then had a professional do a cash job and mortar the bottom row in. We did the rest ourselves after that.
How much retaining do you have to do? What are you thinking of making it out of?
To be honest Im not sure where we need one
I'm so clueless. I figure prob out the front as it slopes down toward our house but I thought the back looked reasonably flat though I think that's where they are talking about
Hey cat_dunc, I can't believe I haven't been getting notifications to your thread!!
I LOVE what you have done and you are amazing having dug all those trenches all by your lonesome!!! With kids in the background. I don't know how you did it all.
As for a screening plant I know we had some pittosporums (silver sheen?) in a rental we lived in a few years back which were great for screening.
There is always the "neighbours be gone" lillypillies that grow fast...
Your retaining walls are fab as are your paving efforts! I wish I had your skill.
I have some mango seedlings at the moment and may have a fig tree or two soon if I can get them to you (if you want them!)
Hey thanks mate
we don't eat much mango so i think it would be wasted on us. My mum is propagating like mad and brings a car load of little plants she's grown from cuttings each visit. God love her
We've gotten to a point where we're waiting for the patio roof before we do more. Also tossing us putting a pool in, just negotiating between us when it happens. I want to extend the loan and do it now but hubby wants to wait a year or two and save. I just don't want to have to re-do any landscaping later which would be the case if we wait.
Our patio roof is here... technically
Certifier stalled us - as we lowered the roof and changed the small gable to skillion the certifier refused to sign it without a re-application to council-despite it being same footprint and less impact on neighbours. Load of cr@p but we did it. Waiting on council to tick off the modified design before builder can erect it.