What a beautiful little cottage! Is your intention to keep it or donate? If you plan to keep it (because it is lovely) I would probably make a little garden around it. Maybe make it look like a real English cottage with steps and tiny flower boxes for the windows. You could put a door on it to store some gardening odds and ends or perhaps add some flooring and turn it into an outdoor reading get away for yourself or the kids. It really is adorable! Where did you get it?

It’s adorable! Keep it as a garden feature and plant flowers, wildflowers, and other plants around it.

ETA: Sorry, Sarah, didn’t see your post first. Agree! :)

Yea it's cool but I'm more of a function landscaper. I'm going to donate the cottage. So.... Any ideas as to what to do once it's gone? My gut says pond since it's a low point and tends to attract water.

I need to see how that area relates to the rest of the yard.

Post a picture of the whole backyard to show where the house is vis-a-vis the cottage.

Here you go

Since it backs up to a fence that abuts your neighbor’s yard, I would simply turn it into an additional flower bed with plantings in it…not a pond. i would probably link all of your beds along that fence so that they are continuous, with the same edging.

My cats would love it as an outdoor litter pan. Do you have neighborhood cats that visit? Might want to replace the sand for a raked gravel bed, Japanese style or another feature.

Japanese Inspired Garden · More Info

Japanese Garden in West Acton · More Info

I agree with ptreckel. I love the idea of a pond but since it’s right on the property line I don’t think that would really be feasible.

Mix of shrubs and other plantings that relate to your existing beds and maybe increase privacy from your neighbor somewhat. The area doesn't seem big enough to be something special, but in its absence, it's possible that a section of the lawn could be transformed into something else, like seating around a fire pit or whatever...

It's about 20' x 10'

If you liked the idea of a pond, be have decided against it d/t proximity to the fence, a water feature with plantings around might appeal to you?

Just some suggestions

I don't know what your climate zone is, I do love koi ponds, but there is some significant maintenance there.

If you are a significant gardener, you could put up a greenhouse, but make sure the ground is levelled or whatever has to be done so there is a good foundation.

Or you could put in a series of raised beds. That would allow you to garden flowers or vegetables, and continue to use those beds very comfortably as you get older.

Since you already have a symmetrical flanking pair of sentinel conifers I’d be inclined to pave the semicircle and install an arbour with a back and roof. You’d get a garden seat and a bit of privacy from the neighbour. For example ....

P.s. judging by the scale of the fence you’d need to be a contortionist to use the play house as a reading nook or tool store. Isn’t it about 3’6” high?

If you (and the neighbors) like the sound of water, you could do some kind of pondless waterfall. I have one that is longer and more of a stream, but in your case something more upright might be nice.

Oh I love this pond less waterfall. Very pretty!