Dear forum members,
We have been living in our new house for three weeks now and feel very comfortable here.
Now the days are getting longer again, and all we see are earth mounds. The driveway has not been done yet either.
We plan to cover the driveway with gravel. The ground underneath has already been compacted. The outlines are set and need to be bordered by a professional.
The boundary around the house will also be made of gravel, about 1 meter wide (3 feet), and will serve as a path.
The garage is already built; the carport is planned on the east side of the house.
Now I would like to gather some ideas. Perhaps some of you have spontaneous suggestions before we finalize our somewhat fixed plans?
-> Wind protection, privacy screening, terrace(s), planting
Attached you will find our 650 sqm (7000 sq ft) plot. North is at the top. Don’t be confused by the dimensions. On the east side, there is about 4.5 meters (15 feet) in width, on the west side about 6 meters (20 feet). On the south side, we have about 13 meters (43 feet).
All marked windows (except those on the north) and the middle one on the east (kitchen) are terrace doors.
We plan several seating areas, for example, a small outdoor sofa and two small granite benches. Of course, there will also be the usual table with six chairs, two loungers, and two metal chairs. We no longer need a children’s swing or similar.
We want a modern feel, but not just boxwood and bamboo. Something a bit more varied is welcome, and I was even thinking about potatoes.
Whether we add a terrace roof depends on the costs; maybe a retractable awning?
I would appreciate it if you could spare a moment to share your thoughts.
We have been living in our new house for three weeks now and feel very comfortable here.
Now the days are getting longer again, and all we see are earth mounds. The driveway has not been done yet either.
We plan to cover the driveway with gravel. The ground underneath has already been compacted. The outlines are set and need to be bordered by a professional.
The boundary around the house will also be made of gravel, about 1 meter wide (3 feet), and will serve as a path.
The garage is already built; the carport is planned on the east side of the house.
Now I would like to gather some ideas. Perhaps some of you have spontaneous suggestions before we finalize our somewhat fixed plans?
-> Wind protection, privacy screening, terrace(s), planting
Attached you will find our 650 sqm (7000 sq ft) plot. North is at the top. Don’t be confused by the dimensions. On the east side, there is about 4.5 meters (15 feet) in width, on the west side about 6 meters (20 feet). On the south side, we have about 13 meters (43 feet).
All marked windows (except those on the north) and the middle one on the east (kitchen) are terrace doors.
We plan several seating areas, for example, a small outdoor sofa and two small granite benches. Of course, there will also be the usual table with six chairs, two loungers, and two metal chairs. We no longer need a children’s swing or similar.
We want a modern feel, but not just boxwood and bamboo. Something a bit more varied is welcome, and I was even thinking about potatoes.
Whether we add a terrace roof depends on the costs; maybe a retractable awning?
I would appreciate it if you could spare a moment to share your thoughts.
W
wadenkneifer12 Feb 2014 23:18Hello,
As an amateur, I quite like this design. I would reconsider the tree at the driveway entrance. Depending on how its roots grow, it could damage your paving, the neighbor’s, and the street (this also applies to the other trees in the front garden).
Additionally, I would avoid anything at the driveway that obstructs visibility when driving out.
Best regards
Michael
As an amateur, I quite like this design. I would reconsider the tree at the driveway entrance. Depending on how its roots grow, it could damage your paving, the neighbor’s, and the street (this also applies to the other trees in the front garden).
Additionally, I would avoid anything at the driveway that obstructs visibility when driving out.
Best regards
Michael
So, I can say something about potatoes: 2 square meters isn’t worth it at all.
Last year, we also planted about 5 square meters (54 square feet) of potatoes, mostly just for fun. The fun ended when about 100 Colorado potato beetles swarmed the plants. We were practically attacked by these pests every evening. After harvesting the potatoes, we barely got any yield but found many beetle larvae...
So, it was a lot of effort for just a handful of potatoes.
And since we live in the Palatinate, the German home of the potato, we prefer to leave growing them to the local market.
You can’t really store them properly in a new building anyway.
What I do recommend is beetroot... this year we will plant at least 20 square meters (215 square feet). Pickled sour, the whole family loves it, especially my little son.
Besides that, we’re lucky to have some eccentric neighbors who have been completely self-sufficient for 20 years and grow way too much. Every summer, we get a head of lettuce and 1–2 cucumbers from them daily.
We’re also planning to plant a Constantinople quince. They are beautiful trees that also produce tasty fruits and are fairly disease resistant. If pruned regularly, they stay under 5 meters (16 feet) tall.
Last year, we also planted about 5 square meters (54 square feet) of potatoes, mostly just for fun. The fun ended when about 100 Colorado potato beetles swarmed the plants. We were practically attacked by these pests every evening. After harvesting the potatoes, we barely got any yield but found many beetle larvae...
So, it was a lot of effort for just a handful of potatoes.
And since we live in the Palatinate, the German home of the potato, we prefer to leave growing them to the local market.
You can’t really store them properly in a new building anyway.
What I do recommend is beetroot... this year we will plant at least 20 square meters (215 square feet). Pickled sour, the whole family loves it, especially my little son.
Besides that, we’re lucky to have some eccentric neighbors who have been completely self-sufficient for 20 years and grow way too much. Every summer, we get a head of lettuce and 1–2 cucumbers from them daily.
We’re also planning to plant a Constantinople quince. They are beautiful trees that also produce tasty fruits and are fairly disease resistant. If pruned regularly, they stay under 5 meters (16 feet) tall.
I
insider201413 Feb 2014 10:10Hello ypg,
I noticed your plan doesn’t include a designated spot for a trash bin. I have a nice solution for that: a garden box recessed into the ground.
Best regards,
i
I noticed your plan doesn’t include a designated spot for a trash bin. I have a nice solution for that: a garden box recessed into the ground.
Best regards,
i
wadenkneifer schrieb:
How about keeping the hedge on the west side only up to the edge of the house (at most up to the garage) and then perhaps screening the seating area with a small hedge right next to it?Do you mean leaving out the hedge further forward? Or what exactly?
The problem is that we live in an area with many dogs. Those who have dogs have put up fences or are planning to do so. I find fences too expensive—I also don’t see why all the dogs should eventually pee in our little garden just because there’s no boundary. Possibly we’ll put in a small fence, then a low rabbit fence at the bottom of the hedge would be enough.
On the west side, we’re lucky because the neighbor’s fence is already there....
Der Da schrieb:
Well, I can say something about potatoes—2 square meters (22 square feet) is really not worth it
...
What I can recommend is beetroot... this year at least 20 square meters (215 square feet) will be planted. Pickled sour, the whole family fights over it, especially my son.
Besides that, we’re fortunate to have very eccentric neighbors who have been completely self-sufficient for 20 years and grow WAY too much. We get a head of lettuce and 1–2 cucumbers every day in summer.
We are also planning to plant a Constantinople quince. They are beautiful trees that also bear delicious fruit
and are relatively disease resistant. If pruned regularly, they stay under 5 meters (16 feet) tall.That’s unfortunate. But I think you have to gain that experience yourself and then plant the bed differently.
Try quartering beetroot and roasting it in olive oil with rosemary or thyme for about 35 minutes.
Later, add some goat cheese on top and gratinate it.
insider2014 schrieb:
Hello ypg,
I notice you’re missing a spot for trash bins on your plan.
I have a nice solution for that—a garden box that can be recessed into the ground.
Regards, i Haha, I’m glad our holes are finally closed.
Still, I find the design quite interesting.
I could also imagine using three of those concrete rings as raised beds in the garden.
Trash bins are parked between the house and garage or will be stored in the shed behind the garage (integrated).
I need to organize everything properly at some point.
Best regards, Yvonne
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