Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Nov 18, 2008 6:52 pm Does anybody have any resources?
I kind of know what I want, pretty simple, tropical, succulants, cyads etc but I'm having trouble putting it all together. I really think I can do this myself, but I just need some inspiration. Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 2Nov 19, 2008 6:12 am Sometimes local garden centres will draw you a plan free of charge if you agree to buy the plants from them. After 4 years - we're in! Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 3Nov 19, 2008 8:38 am Hey Rachelle, House and Garden are online and they have heaps of inspiring photos and articles........It migt help.
http://www.houseandgarden.com.au/house_ ... ardens.htm Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 4Nov 19, 2008 9:42 am Hi, thanks for that PK, I'll go look now. I neeeed help!
Thanks stonecutter, I might resort to that but hubby worked as lanscaper for a few years out of highschool and won't let me talk to a professional as he says he can do it. aargghh!!! Anyway, stayed up late last night playing and this is what I've come up with. I haven't checked that everything can actually grow where I've put it LOL, I'll do that next, but this is my first draft: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The covered sandpit will double as a little platform with pillows on it. The kitchen window overlooks the side hedge and lawn. The dining overlooks the sandpit. The Alfresco has bi-folds opening from the corner. One of the king sago palms will be tall and the other short. Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 5Nov 19, 2008 9:59 am Rachelle, If I understand it correctly your dining looks over the sandpit and your kitchen is next to your dining?......What is inbetween the garage and the deck?
You are a very clever young lady with all your planning by the way..........what software are you using for this layout.? Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 6Nov 19, 2008 10:23 am Thanks, I'm not that clever, just stubborn LOL!
I just used Powerpoint. I got some of the symbols from MS Visio and some I drew in powerpoint, the lady palm is lots of little lines, the king sago is two of the foxtails, the cardboard I had to draw etc. haha I just started typing a lengthy explanation and then realised I can just do this.. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We shaved 20cm off the top side, and 90 off the front and I think 20 off the back to fit it. Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 7Nov 19, 2008 12:42 pm Hi Rachelle, What I wanted to say before I went out was, have you considered putting a water feature or just a feature outside the dining room and putting the sandpit cushion thingy on the other side so you can see the kids playing while you are in the kitchen and then you also get something nice you can have on, ie like a feature with lighting or something to have on when you have dinner parties etc. Other than I love your back how you have planned it. I am a big fan of planter boxes and your whole kitchen alfresco area looks so inviting and a really good entertaining area. Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 8Nov 19, 2008 1:49 pm Wow - very nice plan!
You've inspired me to give it a go myself After 4 years - we're in! Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 9Nov 19, 2008 3:30 pm Thanks PK, yeah I love planter boxes too, keeps everything nice and tidy!
I think we might put lights along the back wall, inbetween the lady palms for some lighting for some feature. I love water features but I'm a stress head so won't have a pond, or a fountain or anything that a kid could possibly drown in. I might look at other feature options though, maybe something with running wather that goes down a drain - they'd probably enjoy that more than the sandpit!! The other side we wanted to keep as clear as possible for ball games or whatever my four year old chooses to get up to, he's quite boisterous so we want to keep as much grass as possilbe for him to run aournd - we don't have much though as you can appreciate too!! In reality they're probably getting a bit old for a sandpit anyway, they'll be 5 and 3 by the time we move in, so I'll definitely have a look at some options. Thanks stonecutter, it was doing my head in trying to sort out what I liked but a few trips to the nursery and lots of pictures etc helped, I just knew I wanted tropical, but not jungle looking, so lots of repetition. I think I'm happy with this, now just have to find out if everythign will work! Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 10Nov 19, 2008 7:29 pm The Ladys finger palms would look great but do they grow in the sun in Sydney? I know here they would cook in hours What about Magnolia Little Gem? Raphis Excelsior is a slow growing palm and very expensive to buy. For such a feature area you'd be looking for a good size. chick-ching! The Golden Cane would be an alternative or maybe a clustered fishtail palm?
Cycas thorassii is a cycad that would be worth a look in. They look much more tropical than the sagos. Faster growing too. should be easy to find over there. get all the mondo in 100mm tubes. The Yuccas will get massive so give them space for later or just buy them small. They can grow quick in some cases. maybe Draceana marginata instead? will have the same structure but not get "huge-normous" can be cheaper look for the fox tails in 25- 30ltr size or bigger. The mystery plant out front, well why not a grass tree? would look ok with the agaves around it. clever work on the design how long did it take? go for a soft leaf buffalo or better still, Empire Zoysia Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 12Nov 19, 2008 8:21 pm I was actually going for this look for along the back fence, but I thought the lady palms would be more affordable.
Is this a Dracaena marginata? I guess this would be ridiculously expensive? We wouldn't mind if it took a few years to achieve the full look, and we'd have to raise the planter box. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 13Nov 19, 2008 8:26 pm no they are yuccas and they will get a whole lot bigger than that
hang on I will get some pics of both ... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ yucca Elephantipes (the one "they" all use) and dracaena marginata... Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Here's how West Aussies can make sand into soil Checkout The Forever Project Before starting your landscape attend a FREE Great Gardens workshop Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 15Nov 19, 2008 8:33 pm well that one maybe 50 years old or more but they will reach a good size quite fast, say 10 years maybe much less in ideal conditions Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 16Nov 19, 2008 8:39 pm cool, I think I like those then, I'll just spread them out a bit more, and will keep the garden bed at 40 or 50cm.
While I've got your help, and thank you so so much, could you tell me what the succulants in this pic are? I thought these were yuccas, clearly I have no idea! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 18Nov 19, 2008 8:46 pm joles Rachelle, your plan looks great.... when you've finished can you start on my block? Jo i think you just put your hubbie out of a job Rach That is very professional looking. the photo shows agave attenuata. Not all agaves look like these, some look like weopons from horror movies with lots of spike and thorns. they are nice. They get huge flower spikes when mature. There used to be one on the ocean here on west coast highway years ago that was massive. The flower went about 3 or 4 meters up. very speccie. should be fine in the garden. If they get too big just chop the big plant and let the pups grow up underneath Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 19Nov 19, 2008 8:46 pm Yes that plan is fantastic Rachelle! And Fu I can't believe that is a Yucca!! It's huge!!!
Rachelle it looks like you have a sago palm in the middle of your house though would make a nice internal feature!! Re: Landscape plan driving me insane 20Nov 19, 2008 8:49 pm Landscape Design Parramatta We have been doing a large amount of landscape design work in Sydney… 0 3 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 Thanks very much! And would the landscaper/contractor generally involve the engineer or is that something the client would do? Thanks for your help 2 10025 |