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timbu_gw

The Plan - Version 1, opinions wanted!

timbu
13 years ago

Hello -

I'd welcome your input on the proposed layout for my yard.

This is the present situation - a rather simplified plan with distances and height marks in metres:

{{gwi:47375}}

As you see, it's a yard shared by two families (the house on the right belongs to husband's brother). No separating line in reality, other than a row of gooseberries. Granny (the mother of both guys) has a big flowerbed that crosses the lot border. The South part is mostly shady, the North has some sunny areas.

1 - foot gate, mailbox

2 - main entrance (well, the only one we're using)

3 - basement stairs

4 - seating area

5 - parking

6 - a seldom-used driveway

7 - orchard

8 - veggies

9 - terrace: contains a sandbox, clothesline, and native plants. Dry, sandy soil. Separated from "6" by a lilac hedge I'm thinking of removing.

10 - firewood shed and decorations warehouse (thats what I do for work)

11 - ugly shed/wagon that should be gone by next year

12 - compost - needs more room

13 - granny's flowerbed

14 - trampoline, used by both family's kids, needs hiding from view

The path from foot gate to our door is getting dug up to install plumbing, and I'm thinking of doing the hardscape right afterwards - probably in two stages, so the part north of the house waits until the wagon is gone.

I talked to a friend who's an LD, and her two main suggestions were:

1 - the path on a slope could get slippery when it freezes, so do it with steps. I agree, but what do you think? The average drop is 3,4 degrees.

2 - make paver circles at pathway crossings and at foot gate. I somewhat disagree, I feel that would be too many circles.

Here's the new plan I drew:

{{gwi:47376}}

1 - parking area paved with turfstone

2 - paved with irregular-shaped limestone

3 - paved with clay bricks

4 - undecided - gravel, bricks or limestone

5 - planting beds

6 - compost

7 - veggies

8 - berry bushes

Haven't decided what to do with the terrace, might add a lower terrace at its foot. Troubled with the place where the brick path ends abruptly at lot line, one idea is to put a vined gateway across path there.

The view from second floor now:

{{gwi:47377}}

Same view if the plan were executed

{{gwi:47378}}

So if anything jumps at you that I'm not seeing, please speak up!

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