Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
EASY STEPS FROM CHAOS TO COURTYARD
Turn a dull and neglected hole into a shady glade
Atiny four square metre shady garden space, where a few plants struggle to survive, let alone create ambience, is a wasted opportunity. With these tips, you can revitalise a desolate patch into a spot you’ll love to spend time in for a time out.
• Remove large spreading plants, such as Philodendron ‘Xanadu’, that will dominate your outdoor space.
• Keep tall, slender plants, such as cordylines, which will lead your eye upwards.
• Check for underground utilities to avoid digging in the wrong spot.
• Reinvigorate your soil with organic maer and increase its depth.
• Install a path of sleepers, staggering their lengths to counter the square shape of
the patch (see steps below).
• Install seating – in this case lightweight concrete boulders with a dimpled texture – which offsets the square shape of the patch.
• Consider your plant colour scheme. The area is in shade, meaning an all-green foliage selection would make it darker. Go for light green, grey, pink, burgundy and white, to create a 3D mosaic and bring in a feeling of light.
• Once planted, water well.
• Look up to see the potential for hanging green ‘curtains’ in front of windows. Aer all, in an already shady spot, you won’t block the light.
Once your bare patch has been transformed into a peaceful nook, there’s only one thing le to do. Enjoy!
BUILD A BASE
Build a frame for your path out of 90mm treated pine posts screwed together with 150mm baen screws. Dig a trench then lay this frame down level so the top of the frame is 75mm below your finished path level.
SET THE BASE IN POSITION Hold the frame in position by filling in and around it with a freedraining material, such as blue metal or roadbase.
PREPARE AND LAY THE SLEEPERS Sand the hardwood sleepers to make smooth. Cut into various lengths for your path, then coat with decking oil. Once dry, lay them on the frame and adjust spacing and various lengths until you’re happy.
FIX SLEEPERS TO THE FRAME Predrill through sleepers into frame using a long 5mm drill bit and countersink for screw heads. Screw sleepers down into frame using 150mm baen screws.