Redesign For Fairly New Build; Changing to Artificial Turf and Composite Decking

HerbsNChillies

I posted a follow up to a thread in the problem solving section. I guess I should have started a new topic here instead.

Here's the original post, which contains a design for changing a degraded turf lawn to artificial with new borders and decking:

https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/comment/2213482/#Comment_2213482

Grateful for advice before I start

K67

What is the problem?
I can't understand what advice you are after, is it about the grass, the design or something else?
Most on here decry fake grass and plastic decking but it's your garden, real turf and wood decking are cheaper but involve more maintainence.
Please repost your design on this thread as it's difficult to refer to the design and write comments when you have to keep jumping between the two.

BenCotto

Compost decking? What’s that? And what size are the raised beds? They look quite small to me with minimal access space on the far side.

Sorry - just realised, compost is composite.

HerbsNChillies

Ok, here's the design reposted on this topic

K67, the question - rather than the problem - is does this design look ok? Would it work or would it look bad in reality?

As stated on the other thread the original turf had a huge problem with chafer grubs and poor drainage. Most of the other houses in the street have changed to artificial turf to negate that problem. We are just following suit but whereas they have gone for artifical grass and decking only, we would prefer a border to incorporate plants.

BenCotto.  This is just a rough design. At a guess the 3 raised beds would need to be sized to be appeasing to the eye. There would be no access at the rear as they would be up against a brick wall. Also note that I hope my gardening skills are better than my graphics skills.

Is plastic decking really that bad? Possibly yes the type from a well known DIY store but there seems to be suppliers of good looking products out there.

pansyface

Is it for yourself or are you a doer-upper and hoping to move on?

If the former, does it please you? If so, go for it.

If the latter. Personally, I think it sounds absolutely ghastly. An ecological desert.  If I saw it as I was viewing a house for sale, it would put me off the sale.

HerbsNChillies

Any tips on making it less ghastly?

Dovefromabove

It's not what I would choose, but I have seen a garden with an artificial lawn which has been installed very well and suits its owners' purpose ... they have a shady garden  and two large dogs and their idea of garden bliss is to sit in the summerhouse  or on the terrace with a long cool drink while they watch their dogs charge about in the garden.  It suits them and it's their garden.  However they told me it cost a great deal to install because of the amount of drainage that had to be installed and the other preparation work.  They said it cost them as much to do the garden as it cost to have their large bathroom remodelled.

I have seen other artificial lawns which have been installed as a DIY project or by cowboys (one knocked on our door the other day ... his reputation had travelled before him).  They invariably have problems, from badly matched colour and wrinkles and rucks to really bad drainage problems leading to standing water ... I heard of one which had water seeping into the conservatory after heavy rain.  We have had reports of several on this forum over the past couple of years ... it's very hard to know what to say that is helpful.  

I'm afraid in this as in the rest of life, you get what you pay for so research the job thoroughly and get as much advice as you can ... it's not like laying a carpet.

Good luck! 

JennyJ

 It really depends on individual taste. A garden that's almost all artificial grass and hard landscaping wouldn't appeal to me because what I want in a garden is plants and lots of them, and I enjoy the processes of growing, maintaining and propagating them ( I guess the same is true for many people on this forum) . But it might appeal to people who want an "outdoor room" and don't want to do much or any actual gardening, so take your pick.

josusa47

Just don't fall for the idea that synthetic surfaces are "maintenance-free".  Weed seeds need very little to root in, and they will blow in on the wind and be dropped by birds on your "grass".  And seeds aren't all that birds will drop!  If you want it to look good, you'll have to keep it clean.

edhelka

Personally, I would go for a courtyard garden in this situation. A paved seating area, some other outdoor seating structure (pergola, summer house), gravel, planting beds and pots. It could be pretty, green and reasonably low maintenance.

But it depends what do you want from the garden. That's the most important part. And I am not sure if you said it here or on the other thread. Don't do something because other people around you did it. Or because you want it to look good. Gardens are to be used and the most important part of every design is its intended use.

Loxley

I see you have quite stark and imposing boundaries, and the space is flat and surrounded on all sides. Deeper more generous borders, and areas of brick or gravel paving with outdoor furniture, surrounded by planting, would work well to create a *garden*, as opposed to simply changing the floor covering on what you've already got. The artificial grass and decking suggestion isn't awful, it's just bland, and a bit expensive as those things don't come cheap if correctly laid.