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Landscape Design Design Dilemma garden

Backyard Ideas for 1,600 square feet area

3 years ago

Hi,

We are remodeling our house and for the backyard, we are looking for your advice/ideas on how to put it together. When we bought the property it had the brick patio installed, which we want to keep.

We also would like to add a small pool (above ground?) and a kids playground. We have some trees planted but will have to remove most to get enough sun to get healthy grass installed.

There's access from the bottom hallway and also the kitchen has a door. Both bedrooms will have big windows into the backyard. And where it says locker: read storage room.

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Comments (10)

tozmo1
3 years ago
HI Jorge, can you post some pictures of your yard as it exists now? Also your location to get good plant advice.
Jorge Roques
Original Author
3 years ago
Here it is, we're planning on removing all the flooring to install grass and maybe leave one of those trees (avocado 🥑)

We live in the Caribbean.
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Hi I'm new here and love the banter, it's a little scary as well. As to the 'cliche; Good functional use of a property is never 'cliche. It only becomes this way if you do what everyone else does. You could slap any shed on a property and it will hold all your tools. A shed that is built to complement the home is appealing could be used as a potting area, out door office, or all of these things. A patio can be used for placing lawn chairs or it can be elaborated on with things like water features outdoor furniture with lighting such as found in the home. To keep it interesting a wine cooler can be made handy with cabinets for storage. Seating with overstuffed cusions. Pergolas with overhead lighting and the use of dimmer switches. A bat house on the property will keep the mosquitos at bay for many blocks. (hope the neighbors don't mind.) A kids area does not nessesarly mean a swing set it could be a water slide. By the way I don't have kids but was one once. For me the bottom line is how do you want to use your space and how much of your personaliy do you want to project into this space? How much money and time do you plan on putting into the area? Are you planning on staying there until you die or go to a nursing home? Are you planning on getting a good resale? The kids aren't going to be there forever so the area can always be transformed into something else, maybe a small golfing green for putting practice. Decide how best the area should be used with future plans in place. Your needs change as your life does. Know where and how to place the hardscapes the first one is already there. Be smart where the trees are planted and what thier purpose is. Move on accordingly the rest will fall into place, and it won't be 'cleche because it is yours. By the way loved the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Thanks for letting me add my input. Now don't hurt me!
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I have a similar situation. I planted dwarf mugo pine, dwarf hemlock, and robusta juniper. The juniper is iffy, size-wise in the long run, but I couldn't resist. Other options to consider, some of the smaller yews (watch out, because the common ones get huge) and dwarf japanes white pine, which I think is a gorgeous tree. You could also plant one of those weeping evergreens and have it crawl along the border. I don't particularly care for that look but I have seen it around a few places. You have to go to a good nursery which has good information about the size of their plants. There are lots of dwarf evergreens, but you have to really look to find them, try finding a nursery that specializes in them. I'm lucky to have two just up the road from me. What you want to watch out for is the fact that some evergreens just get huge fast. Cultivar information is vital.
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Thanks all for the responses. Here's a few more pictures with some info in order to provide a clearer picture of the current layout/future layout. The first image is a design my friend came up with. Area 1 is the grassy area and sunken area that I originally posted. As you might be able to see, what would have been the bocce ball court is the long yellow rectangle, with the two green circles trees. The tree in the middle is existing, and we were originally going to put in another ficus at the corner, but decided against it so it doesn't one day inhibit our view from the balcony. Area 2 is pictured in the 2nd image in this post. It's the same elevation as that sunken area from the original pics, but opens up. There's an RV gate at the end. Currently, I'm thinking about laying concrete in that area and then building a shed/detached garage for me to work on cars and use as a woodshop. It's not set in stone yet as far as that being the route I will definitely take. Finally, area 3 is the final picture in this post. It's also the area that's going to have the most work done. It will become an entertainment area, with a firepit and built in seating, as well as some additional small trees and plants to get some greenery. The red area will be pavers. In the corner are four boxes, which will be planters for a small vegetable garden.
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Apple pollination is a lot more complicated than "Pollination happens as long as bees can fly from one tree to another of the same type." In fact, an apple of the same type may well be a poor pollination partner. "To ensure good pollination and therefore a good crop, it is essential to grow two or more different cultivars from the same Flowering Group or adjacent Flowering Groups. Some cultivars are triploid – they have sterile pollen and need two other cultivars for good pollination; therefore, always grow at least two other non- triploid cultivars with each" https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/pdfs/applepollinationgroups.pdf You also need to be careful with Vinca major and minor. They're invasive species in much of the US.
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tozmo1
3 years ago
I like it! Is the photo taken from the patio? Looks like a nice structure. Definitely keep one avacado tree! How large a pool were you thinking of? That alone will take up a bit of space.
Jorge Roques
Original Author
3 years ago
Not sure, want something I can get into but not something as big that I could do laps. It's something to chill w/ kids. Maybe in the opposite corner.
tozmo1
3 years ago
What about something like this? It above ground but permanent build. I like how it's against the wall. You could definitely place that in your space. Maybe smaller depending on how many kids you have. :-)

Allview Terrace - http://www.studio6architects.com · More Info
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
I would look at lap pools they take up little space and can serve both teh kids and you swimming laps . I have no idea about rules for pools but where I live you need to have a decent sized area all around the pool and a fence with a locking gate for the actual pool I would extend the patio so that it also serves the kitchen area with a grill and dining space and the old part can be like the LR. I do not know how old the kids are but how much space do you really needfor a play area.
btydrvn
3 years ago
I would also look for grass that grows with less sun...rather than cut trees that are thriving and will offer shade...have them pruned so some sun will get through...while avoiding too much direct sun burn exposure...kids especially suffer from too much sun
btydrvn
3 years ago
As to the pool...if it is permanent..i would try to incorporate a small fountain or waterfall feature as the sound is so relaxing..and can even heard from indoors if doors or windows are open...a fountain can be as simple as a a cord and portable spout...just draped into the pool by creating a small area for that purpose...no plumbing..or circulation issues..even in a birdbath you get the effect
Jorge Roques
Original Author
3 years ago
For a lap pool, What size is good enough (considering my limited space)?

Any other tips besides pool?

The kids playground is something small with maybe a small kitchen for role-playing, etc.

The rest: grass?
tozmo1
3 years ago
Jorge, you can go as crazy as you'd like with the play area. Here's one that has a lot of ideas including a playhouse (my personal favorite as a child but it could be a fun kitchen for boys and girls) and various play equipment. Something to climb would definitely be fun. This one is in a small yard and utilizes mulch under a tree. Perhaps if you're keeping one of the trees, you could build a small play deck around it like this one. Likely grass won't grow under the tree, so a good way to use the space.

Hobbit House · More Info

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Here's an interesting layout in that the swing and play equipment doesn't really have a footprint so it doesn't take up a lot of space.

Kid's swing · More Info

Here's another one that's interesting, it has swings like above but a climbing wall has been built. You could do that on your current wall if you can secure hand and foot grips well.

Brooklyn backyard with small playground · More Info

Don't forget the sandbox. Here's a nice one where the sandbox becomes a feature of the yard plantings.

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This one has something for everyone!

Backyard Beach · More Info

Regarding size of pool, that might be driven by local building codes regarding how close you can come to the property line. Anything narrow and long would be a good use of space. But if you can't fit that into the space, even a small pool the size of a hot tub would be fun to hang out in with the kids.

Imagine this a just a regular pool in the corner of the yard.

Oakland Estate · More Info

Or this

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Spa with a View · More Info

Here's a really crude layout. The dimensions may be totally off but it provides the concept.

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