Browse Forums Outdoor Living 1 Jan 30, 2010 8:14 pm Hi, Could you please post pictures of your backyard so that we can be inspired from your wonderful ideas? Am tossing up between paving and decking and would like to have any feedback on your experiences with either. How do kids and animals go with the decking/paving? How do you find the maintenance? What have you got under your clothesline? What have you got down the side of the house? Have you got a dog run and what did you use for the gate and flooring? Where have you got your bins and what do they sit on? Thanks. Re: Please show your backyard 2Jan 31, 2010 3:41 pm Ask me again in about a month's time after the landscapers have worked their magic, and I'll post up so many photos, you'll be sick of seeing them. Meanwhile, here are a few answers..... beans How do kids and animals go with the decking/paving? We had decking at our old place and it stood up to all the punishment that three kids and a large-ish dog could dish out. Paving is also fine - about the only downside is skinned knees from falls, but what's a kid without scabby knees? This time around, we're going for paving, mainly sandstone, but there will be some coloured concrete pavers along the back of the house too. The pavers will all be sealed, and we expect them to wear well. beans How do you find the maintenance? Decking is easy as long as you use the right products. See my reply on your front yard thread. beans What have you got under your clothesline? We'll be having pavers in a grid pattern, with mondo grass planted in between. No mud, but not too much glary concrete either. More or less this effect: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ beans What have you got down the side of the house? A rainwater tank, a couple of wheelbarrows , and some Donnybrook toppings with a couple of small features: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We'll add more pavers as stepping stones eventually, plus a bamboo screen along the fence, maybe with a climbing plant. This was a quick and cheap solution to a muddy laundry/clothesline access area. The pots are visible from the narrow lounge windows, otherwise, nobody sees this area. beans Have you got a dog run and what did you use for the gate and flooring? No dog any more...can't help with this one. beans Where have you got your bins and what do they sit on? Ours each sit on a large concrete paver set in toppings. They're at the side of the house, easy to roll out to the kerb, and easy to access from the side gate which leads to our al fresco area: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We've just hidden them with this: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Please show your backyard 3Jan 31, 2010 4:31 pm I have posted this in another thread but here it is again There is also a 6m x4m shed, just to right of screen. http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj187/nurselovescoffee/garden/DSC00037.jpg And the area in front of the shed...... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ How do kids and animals go with the decking/paving? We have stencilled concrete under our pergola, see pic below, and it is fine with our dog and with kids, just sweep it out, hose down if neccesary. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ How do you find the maintenance? as above.What have you got under your clothesline? Our clothesline is a wall mounted one attached to back of house, we have 1 m perimeter paths around the house which we extended to 2m along the back side where the clotheslines are (2 mounted side by side)What have you got down the side of the house? Bark chips and shrubs and a 1m perimeter path, see pic below. this side of block is an iregular shape hence the difference in width of bark chip area. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Have you got a dog run and what did you use for the gate and flooring?Our laundry door opens to side area as shown in above pic, we have a gate at front and a small picket gate separating that area from back yard, dog can access that thru the pet flap door on laundry door. Where have you got your bins and what do they sit on? Side area, just out of view of pic, on concrete path at side of laundry. Re: Please show your backyard 4Jan 31, 2010 4:41 pm Your purple fountain grass is looking gorgeous, Helyn! All your plants see to have grown really quickly. Re: Please show your backyard 6Jan 31, 2010 5:19 pm Try some of these: http://www.ryanslandscaping.com.au/Decks%20and%20Pergolas/ http://www.deckitout.net.au/gallery/landscaping/balwyn12.html http://www.dragonflylandscapes.com.au/deck.php http://www.backyardbliss.com.au/Decks/tabid/54/Default.aspx http://www.impressionslandscape.com.au/Content_Common/pg-Portfolio.seo This may not be very pram-friendly, but it's nice. Helyn, perhaps giants would consider 1.5m a dwarf plant...? That's almost as tall as me. DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair That laser level looks lovely! We bought one for less than a quarter of that price off eBay. It worked really well for us and it's still going now, five years later. After… 1 16711 It's possible but a soak well is usually much larger. Your 'soak well' only holds 424 litres when full. What is your soil type? Soak wells need sandy soils. 10 9009 Need advice on the backyard plan above. Should I excavate and cut all of the dirt to level with the house slab or semi-excavate as per photo above? Both left and right… 0 24864 |