Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 May 05, 2012 6:00 pm We're building a new place on an empty block in Kellyville. Backyard will be about 15m wide by 12m deep, so it aint huge and may look quite narrow. We'd like our garden to make the backyard look bigger. We'll be surrounded by McMansions too so thats also a consideration. A few questions 1. Is a colorbond fence better than a wooden fence? We'd like to have creeping vines on it so I figure a wooden fence painted green might look better, but colorbond is lower maintenance? 2. What trees/shrubs would provide shade and round out the boxy look of a backyard fence? Should we elect for a couple of tall trees? PS: Our back fence orientation is aprox North South. Thanks! Re: Making small backyard appear larger 2May 05, 2012 9:52 pm 15m x 12m is HUGE compared to our 14m x 4m backyard. Hopefully will be more courtyard like by the time we have finished. We had no choice about fences as we had to have colourbond. I think I prefer them though after having both types. Re: Making small backyard appear larger 3May 06, 2012 11:06 am Why no choice? Was this driven by your builder or the council? Re: Making small backyard appear larger 4May 06, 2012 12:16 pm Our estate is divided into 'villages' and each village has a certain colour colourbond fence. Our's is 'meadow'...........a rather insipid green. Would have rather had beige or charcoal. Re: Making small backyard appear larger 5May 07, 2012 5:35 pm To make the garden seem larger, paint the fence a dark charcoal colour. Unlike indoor rooms, the darker colour will make the space seem larger. Also make sure that you don't make the fence too much of a feature and cover it with plants. The future gardener Re: Making small backyard appear larger 7May 08, 2012 5:41 am Here's a few tricks Create rooms/divisions, adds to focal points Use the change of levels Create an illusion mirrors/trompe-loeil Enclose spaces, lead to being more relaxed Use large features and small foliage. Landscape Design & Construction http://cherub.squarespace.com/ 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 16704 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 8975 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 24829 |