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Florida Gardening

Need Backyard Ideas for Privacy and Entertaining

11 years ago

This is my backyard. It's pretty barren. See images here: http://imgur.com/a/7JtJy

The backyard overlooks a retention pond. We have sod, a chain link fence, a screened in porch, and neighbors on both sides.

My husband and I would like to add a patio or deck to provide extra seating/entertaining space for a grill and such. We don't have a budget for a swimming pool and not sure we want one anyway.

We used to have two oak trees in our backyard but they fell down in the 2004 hurricanes. We have no trees, shade, or shrubbery and ideally we would like to have some shade and or privacy, but know that shade may be unrealistic because of the lack of mature trees.

Ideally I would like a space to have friends/neighborhood kids over to socialize in the backyard when the weather isn't too scalding. I am thinking some kind of patio. Maybe a pergola? But where? Left or right to the screened-in porch? Would it look odd to add a patio or deck when we already have a screened in porch?

What about a deck in Florida? Good or bad idea?

Also, contrary to the photos, I am pretty decent with planting and gardening. Any advice on what to plant would be appreciated. I am in coastal central florida, zone 9a.

Any specific advice on what kind of patio/deck/ would be appropriate and general advice on this Florida backyard is much appreciated!

Here is a link that might be useful: Backyard photos

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Comments (4)

LoriFLA
Original Author
11 years ago
Also, I realize that this may not be the best place to post this question since it isn't gardening specific.

I thought it would be best place to post because Florida has its own set of challenges with sun and heat. I will also post in Decks and Patios forum if I can, but would be interested to hear advice from Floridians. Thank you very much.
thetradition
11 years ago
Given what you're looking for, I'd put a gazebo out in the yard away from the house. Create a path from the screen patio to the gazebo. Gazebos typically have a roof and you could also build a "sundeck" attached to it so you can enjoy the sun or escape it as you wish. Then I'd greatly reduce the grass with large, landscaped beds.

I'd personally maintain the view of the water, but try to "frame" it with some tall growers on the sides and low growers against the fence facing the water. Of course, if you don't want to see your neighbor's back yards across the pond, then you'll have to block your view of the water.

There are many hedging plants that will quickly provide the privacy you seek. Viburnum grows great in 9a.
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The panorama is technically useful if one knows the property. As the sole source of graphic information it is usually too distorted to convey accurate understanding. It's probably okay for what we're talking about today, but if more photos are needed later, I'd add normal focal length, slightly overlapping photos. We cannot tell where the "clear view from the road" coming into your backyard is. But you did a good job of marking the lot line. :-) For plants to do much in the way of screening they need to get some size to them. A more effective, and generally better looking arrangement is three same plants laid out in triangular fashion. A landscape where everything is a "one-of-a-kind" looks weak by comparison. (Amateurish vs. professional looking.) Try to visualize the triangular arrangement with different plant types on the site. I think the Spruce would do a better job screening the neighbor to the north while the Serviceberry would do a fine job of filter-screening the neighbors to east or west. If you plant in these configurations, consider moving the Cherry into the zone I've circled with a dashed line. I would not plant anything near enough to the Spruce to cast shade on it that lasts for any length of time. Too much shade will destroy the plants surface finish. "...Thuja its only supposed to get 2-3 ft wide." That, my friend, sounds like "famous last words." But you might be able to keep it that way with religiously rigorous shearing. You're welcome.
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I have a great leatherleaf viburnum that retains its leaves most of the winter, has spring flowers, and provides a good screen between my neighbor's yard and mine. It's about 12' tall and I don't think it will get much taller, at least not in my lifetime. Even a large shrub that loses its leaves in fall will give you great privacy when you need it, in summmer, and will obscure the view quite well in winter. Can you spare enough space to make a mixed border with several tall shrubs along that edge of your yard? It's hard to tell from your photo how wide the area is between the wall and the edge of the yard to the right, but I'd suggest rototillingg a swath along that side of the yard and planting whatever you like. The privacy will be taken care of without your having a wall or an oddly placed "specimen tree". Parts of the wooded border across the field look like they really contribute to your view, so leaving some gaps in height, as well as a partly obscured path (towards the right side) through the proposed border might work well for you. >... say "That is lovely landscaping... I really love that grouping of ... I agree with this completely, and I think the best way to get that is with a mixed bed. A single conifer in place of the red cartoon Christmas tree will look a little better than the cartoon, but an actual grouping of plants will look a whole lot better than that.
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Most patios are set on a concrete slab or a sand and pebble base. Since patios are built at or around ground level, they don't require safety railings. While decks are primarily made of wood or a composite wood material or vinyl and often need railing. You have space in your backyard, you can make either deck or patio as per your choice.
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No pictures came through. Add them in a comment. Wait until they become full color before you submit.
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KaraLynn
11 years ago
For shade I'd add some tree crape myrtles. They grow very fast and can get 20 to 25 feet tall. In the summer they will provide plenty of shade and flowers. You should be able to get some decent sized ones for a resonable price if you buy directly from a tree farm.

Agazebo or a pergola with a nice flowering vine would look great in your yard. Since you want to be able to have kids over as well as you neighbors I'd leave at least some of the grass. For privacy you could put layered flower beds along the chain link fence on each side of the yard. Something tall and evergreen at the back with pretty flowering plants in front of them.

Kara
LoriFLA
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks so much for these suggestions. Love these ideas. My parents have some tree crepe myrtles. They do look great.

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