This summer my wife and I are planning a back yard renovation project.
We've been in our home about 3 years, and we've decided we need to put in a
lawn sprinkler system. In light of that, we want to get our landscape plan
fairly established.

Our front yard is pretty much in place, but the back yard is a big project.
Essentially what we want to do is convert about a third of our back yard
into a large garden area for ornamental plants.

We're think that this summer we'd have the sprinkler put in to accomodate
this, we'd put in metal edging to define the bed line, and then we'd mulch
the area heavily. Then after that we'd start incorporating plants
bit-by-bit.

We want to come up with a good plan so we don't wind up with something that
doesn't look right when we're done. Even at this early stage we're
concerned about making a big mistake.

I've put up a web page with a few (small) digital photos and a diagram of
what we're planning. If people would take a look and either post comments
here or email me, I'd be grateful.

My page is up at http://www.pittarese.com/backyard.htm

Thanks in advance for any great ideas!

Tony

For my first house, I did what you are doing -- designed my own
garden. It was beautiful but so labor-intensive that I was
gardening by moonlight because there was not enough daylight.

For my second (current) house, I had a professional design my
garden, with strong inputs from me. It looked as nice as the
garden in my first house but required less labor. The designer
worked for a nearby nursery. Because I bought my plant materials
there, the design was free. (I paid for the design and received
scrip for that amount, useable for purchases of materials.)

That was 30 years ago (half my lifetime). Over the years, my
garden began to lack vigor. The cause was the shade from a tree.
When I planted it from a 5 gallon can, the trunk was as thick as my
thumb. It was about 10 feet tall. The garden was designed for
lots of sun.

Now the trunk is almost 3 feet in diameter and towers over my
two-story house. So last year, I had a new garden designed and
installed. (My back is just too old for that much digging.) The
new garden is designed for part-shade throughout. I retired
shortly after the new garden was installed, so I have plenty of
time to putter. But it is a low-effort garden. To read about it,
visit my gardening Web site, per my signature below.

In any case -- whether you install it or have it done -- I strongly
suggest you have professional advice on your garden's design.
Otherwise, you too can become a slave to a landscape.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 19 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

From: "Tony"

This summer my wife and I are planning a back yard renovation project.
We've been in our home about 3 years, and we've decided we need to put in a
lawn sprinkler system. In light of that, we want to get our landscape plan
fairly established.

Our front yard is pretty much in place, but the back yard is a big project.
Essentially what we want to do is convert about a third of our back yard
into a large garden area for ornamental plants.

We're think that this summer we'd have the sprinkler put in to accomodate
this, we'd put in metal edging to define the bed line, and then we'd mulch
the area heavily. Then after that we'd start incorporating plants
bit-by-bit.

We want to come up with a good plan so we don't wind up with something that
doesn't look right when we're done. Even at this early stage we're
concerned about making a big mistake.

I've put up a web page with a few (small) digital photos and a diagram of
what we're planning. If people would take a look and either post comments
here or email me, I'd be grateful.

My page is up at http://www.pittarese.com/backyard.htm

If you plan on having lawn - figure spray heads since your yard isn't that
large. As for the gardens, I'd consider a few zone-valve controlled water
spigots placed inconspiciously and stratigically in the beds, and connect
soaker hoses to them.

After a couple of years establishing, you shouldn't need to water the garden(s)
much so there's no sense in installing an elaborate system.

If in the future you decide to revamp your plantings (dividing grass and
hibiscus, adding / giving away plants) you can always change the layout of a
soaker hose to suit.

Tony wrote:

We're think that this summer we'd have the sprinkler put in to accomodate
this, we'd put in metal edging to define the bed line, and then we'd mulch
the area heavily. Then after that we'd start incorporating plants
bit-by-bit.

Slow conversion is a good way to go. You can go at your own pace, and
not break your back, attempting to do everything at once. If the area
has grass or weeds, put down some newspaper and then top it with mulch.
The paper will disappear in short order, and won't interfere with
planting, but it will definitely help smother the weeds and grass.

We want to come up with a good plan so we don't wind up with something that
doesn't look right when we're done. Even at this early stage we're
concerned about making a big mistake.

Don't worry about making mistakes. There is no such thing in gardening.
I don't know a single serious gardner who hasn't moved plants around
to make their design work better, or to accommondate the needs of a plant.

I've put up a web page with a few (small) digital photos and a diagram of
what we're planning. If people would take a look and either post comments
here or email me, I'd be grateful.

This is more of a personal preference issue, but I think that undulating
lines look much better and far more natural than straight lines. You
might want to modify the center portion of the plan to not be a straight
line. Instead of starting at one end and working your way towards the
other end (for example), you might want to plant things that take more
time to establish and look good (like shrubs) first. I started off
doing the former, and now wish I had done the latter. If you're
planning on putting in things like paths, seating, birdbaths or
fountains, put them in first, and plant around them. That way, you can
plan for having say, something fragrant next to the bench, or having a
food source for the birds next to the bath.

I'm afraid I have no input on the kinds of plants that will do well in
your area, for those types of conditions. You might want to look
through gardening magazines and books to get ideas. Good luck.

Suja

"Suja" wrote in message
news:Blimc.7873$Lm3.5747@lakeread04...
Tony wrote:

We're think that this summer we'd have the sprinkler put in to
accomodate
this, we'd put in metal edging to define the bed line, and then we'd
mulch
the area heavily. Then after that we'd start incorporating plants
bit-by-bit.

Slow conversion is a good way to go. You can go at your own pace, and
not break your back, attempting to do everything at once. If the area
has grass or weeds, put down some newspaper and then top it with mulch.
The paper will disappear in short order, and won't interfere with
planting, but it will definitely help smother the weeds and grass.

We want to come up with a good plan so we don't wind up with something
that
doesn't look right when we're done. Even at this early stage we're
concerned about making a big mistake.

Don't worry about making mistakes. There is no such thing in gardening.
I don't know a single serious gardner who hasn't moved plants around
to make their design work better, or to accommondate the needs of a plant.

I've put up a web page with a few (small) digital photos and a diagram
of
what we're planning. If people would take a look and either post
comments
here or email me, I'd be grateful.

This is more of a personal preference issue, but I think that undulating
lines look much better and far more natural than straight lines. You
might want to modify the center portion of the plan to not be a straight
line. Instead of starting at one end and working your way towards the
other end (for example), you might want to plant things that take more
time to establish and look good (like shrubs) first. I started off
doing the former, and now wish I had done the latter. If you're
planning on putting in things like paths, seating, birdbaths or
fountains, put them in first, and plant around them. That way, you can
plan for having say, something fragrant next to the bench, or having a
food source for the birds next to the bath.

I'm afraid I have no input on the kinds of plants that will do well in
your area, for those types of conditions. You might want to look
through gardening magazines and books to get ideas. Good luck.

Suja

All good ideas..Your area nursery's are a good source of advice. I have
learned that you need to put the bones of a garden in first..the bushes and
trees, the big plants and your garden has a LOT of shade. Another good way
to decide what to plant that hasn't been mentioned, is to tour the area. Go
out and about and view different gardens and decide what you like and
dislike and what seems to grow well in the area. Don't forget to pick plants
that bloom in different seasons and will tolerate the heat of a Florida
summer. Your shade will probably help here. and heck, make mistakes. You
can't be a good gardener and NOT make mistakes. Mistakes are those things
that when finished, you don't like. Someone else might just love it.

alice