New House - I need Front Garden Ideas Please

[Williamthe2nd]

We moved into a new house ( originally built around 10 years ago ) the house is surrounded by a perimeter wall , generally most of the house and rear garden is in decent condition , the main thing I want to try and sort out is the front garden. The previous foreign owner was in the process of altering things but he had to permanently return home . He has installed a working water fountain and part finished front wall lights in the front garden area , and he was planning to have a lawn put down there to. 

 

 

The front garden area I want to sort out is currently just red earth ( see photograph )

 

Area size

 

 

 

I have been racking my brain to come up with an idea for the front garden , my thoughts so far. I have 2 large dogs who permanently live out side the house in their kennels , so putting down a lawn would not work well , due to them both urinating / marking / digging up the grass.

 

I’m not really into gardening and I am looking for some idea that’s low maintenance , so planting bushes / flowers / trees is not appealing.

 

Concrete the whole area over , here the thought of it becoming bland looking / reflecting heat / cracking / holding rain and the cost , makes that idea not too good.

 

The only current possible idea I can come up with , would be to cover the red earth area with a layer of grey ‘’ stone / chippings ‘’ as shown in the photograph . I know the 2 dogs may try and dig holes / relive them selves on the stone area , but at least there’s not much maintenance required , yes it can look a bit bland , but may be I could add a few potted plants and a few fancy stepping stones .

 

 

 

One other thought should I go with the grey ‘’ stone / chippings , would be to install some sort of fancy low fence around the garden area , to hopefully keep the dogs off the stone area.

 

I’m still not yet convinced in what direction to go , but as you can see from the photograph , I’m sure its got some possibility’s , so any ideas would be welcome.

 

[eyecatcher]

Every garden designers dream...a blank canvas.

 

That water feature is outstanding; though the collection pit at the bottom looks a tad shallow to even submerge a pump.

 

If  you are without a "she" my first job would be to get rid of the white atrocity in the back corner, an eyesore in every property arent they?

 

It sounds like you have more or less made your decisions based on the fact that you have dogs that will rip up grass and you want low maintenance.

so yes that leads into hard landscaping.

 

the fountain is nice but maybe a small gazebo in the corner after you demolish the atrocity (use it as hardcore) and then design a garden of paths and walkways. 

lots of natural looking concrete wood effect stepping stones you can set out in sweeping curves leading you around the garden. the path could stop at a bench; then continue to the gazebo, sweep past the fountain and some clumps of lady palms for example.

you can edge the paths with brick or scrag timber posts and then generally fill with bluestone gravel or cheaper concreting gravel.

dont forget to add a few lights, uplighters into your new palm trees.

 

well if the ideas are no good for you; I have just designed a garden for myself...hell yeah, I am on with it now...will let you see in 6 months

[simoh1490]

If anyone ever comes across a good garden designer who can design down to the plant level, please let me know, we trawled all the way around JJ's/Comptiem Market (sp) trying to find one and all we got were blank stares. The particular problems we're having difficulty with is that half the garden is clay and the other half is sand - second problem is the extent of extreme sunlight in key areas.

[Pogust]

First plant trees to get shade. In the shade under trees you can start grow things that are not burned away by the sun. Shade is essential, you can make a trellis with vines that cover a small seating area in the garden.

 

You need shade. Start with fast growing trees/bushes, you can always cut them down later if/when they get too big/too many. Turn your garden into a living room instead of a problem! Do you want to use the space or just looking at it from inside the house? A lawn is about the most useless thing there is in the tropics. Needs a lot of input of water and fertilizer and gives you nothing back... Like Eye say a winding path around the garden between the trees where you can walk in the shade even on a hot day.

[AJBangkok]

I used Thai garden design to get an idea of what was possible for my front yard when the house is completed. It cost 5,000 baht and they did up a rendition with all the plants and trees they recommended. I did that over the net, and since then the owner has come to my place a couple of times to discuss things with the project manager. ( my place is in Hua Hin and he lives in Hua Hin and I later found out he has worked with my project manager before so I think that's why he visited ) They work anywhere in Thailand 

 

http://www.thaigardendesign.com/design-your-garden/

[eyecatcher]

The OP is obviously still discussing the ideas with Kate......Royalty  with a weekend cottage possibly?..

[Williamthe2nd]

On 5/13/2017 at 7:20 PM, eyecatcher said:

Every garden designers dream...a blank canvas.

 

That water feature is outstanding; though the collection pit at the bottom looks a tad shallow to even submerge a pump.

 

If  you are without a "she" my first job would be to get rid of the white atrocity in the back corner, an eyesore in every property arent they?

 

It sounds like you have more or less made your decisions based on the fact that you have dogs that will rip up grass and you want low maintenance.

so yes that leads into hard landscaping.

 

the fountain is nice but maybe a small gazebo in the corner after you demolish the atrocity (use it as hardcore) and then design a garden of paths and walkways. 

lots of natural looking concrete wood effect stepping stones you can set out in sweeping curves leading you around the garden. the path could stop at a bench; then continue to the gazebo, sweep past the fountain and some clumps of lady palms for example.

you can edge the paths with brick or scrag timber posts and then generally fill with bluestone gravel or cheaper concreting gravel.

dont forget to add a few lights, uplighters into your new palm trees.

 

well if the ideas are no good for you; I have just designed a garden for myself...hell yeah, I am on with it now...will let you see in 6 months

Sorry , She who has to be obeyed could not stay in the house with out the omnipresent little spirit house and the daily snack offerings , there are plans to replace it with some thing newer , but it has to be on a particular day of the week , when the spirits  are in a good mood , and when the local alcoholic freelance spirit master has a free day to come and bless the new set up and of course to advise on which way the whole setup has to face the house to bring good luck.

 

 

Yes my decisions have to be based on what damage my two large guard dogs will be doing to what ever I put down / install on the front garden, and some thing not requiring to much attention like cutting / mowing / pruning/ feeding/ spraying etc , would be nice.

 

The front garden area being primarily red earth , which at the moment consists of numerous holes that have been dug by the two dogs , so planting any thing directly in the ground may be subject to being just dug up or damaged on a daily basis. I even thought about some sort of raised planting areas , but then again the dogs will just trample over them.  To stop dog access to the front garden area , should I want to risk planting any thing , would mean having to install some sort of fence and gate access that’s high enough to stop the dogs from jumping over  , may be a wooden picket  type fence sort of thing. I’m not sure how fencing the front garden off would look , but at least it would hopefully allow me to install some thing in the front garden , with out the fear of getting up in the morning , only to find the front garden looking like a bomb site with freshly dug  craters two happy dogs. 

 

 

 

[Williamthe2nd]

On 5/14/2017 at 10:04 AM, AJBangkok said:

I used Thai garden design to get an idea of what was possible for my front yard when the house is completed. It cost 5,000 baht and they did up a rendition with all the plants and trees they recommended. I did that over the net, and since then the owner has come to my place a couple of times to discuss things with the project manager. ( my place is in Hua Hin and he lives in Hua Hin and I later found out he has worked with my project manager before so I think that's why he visited ) They work anywhere in Thailand 

 

http://www.thaigardendesign.com/design-your-garden/

 

I think my small garden plot may not be worthy of a garden designer 

 

[Williamthe2nd]

On 5/14/2017 at 0:59 AM, Pogust said:

First plant trees to get shade. In the shade under trees you can start grow things that are not burned away by the sun. Shade is essential, you can make a trellis with vines that cover a small seating area in the garden.

 

You need shade. Start with fast growing trees/bushes, you can always cut them down later if/when they get too big/too many. Turn your garden into a living room instead of a problem! Do you want to use the space or just looking at it from inside the house? A lawn is about the most useless thing there is in the tropics. Needs a lot of input of water and fertilizer and gives you nothing back... Like Eye say a winding path around the garden between the trees where you can walk in the shade even on a hot day.

 

The shade / trellis with vines  idea sounds good, basically I would like to look out the house front doors / windows at a nice pleasant view rather than using the area to sit or relax. The two beloved four legged plant destroyers  are the thorn in the gardens side.