Help with Wasted space 💡

euansteve

Hi,
First post here was looking through some discussions and obviously you will have some better ideas than me because I have none yet.

So here is some pics of my progress from the start to now, I cannot repeat enough this is the first time I've ever attempted anything so there has been alot of mistakes. 

The advice in after today though, would be the space between the red fence and the sleepers. Anyone have any ideas what I could do in this space? 

Also I'll be building decking at the bottom where the slabs were and some type of path up the side with a ramp to the shed, it's for a motorbike so gravel, stones anything get gets slippy won't really work. 

Any ideas on this would help too.

Blue Onion

Surely you need something interesting and growing in that space.

What direction does it face?  What type of soil do you have?  Are you will/able to water there in the summer or connect an automatic soaker hose? 

Would you enjoy something flowering?  Evergreen?  Climbing?  Or something that bushes out a bit?  

Or possibly a few statement pots balanced along the sleepers overlapping the space?  

Fairygirl

Well done in getting so much done. It's hard work. 
First thing I'd do is paint the fences - in whatever colour appeals to you. It harmonises the area, and as it's a small one, it can make it seem more spacious.

If you intend having some planting, I expect most of it will be in pots, due to the hard landscaping. There isn't a lot of room between the sleepers and the fence, but you could have clematis in there. There are types which require very little room, and like a drier position, which is what you'll have there. The alpinas and macropetalas are ideal, and need very little care. You would need supports though, in the form of wires or trellis.
If you don't want planting, it would be easier just to fill that with a gravel to match up with the landscaping. Always try and restrict that to about three colours. 
Big pots grouped together will allow seasonal colour should you want that too. Keep it simple - same colour/type of pot, in different sizes. Loads of colours and different types makes for a jarring look. Harmonising the plant colours too will help achieve that. If you don't want to bother changing planting, you can go for evergreens of varying types which will not need so much care. 
I think your path will depend on budget as much as anything. Paviours or paving would be best for moving your bike easily.

amancalledgeorge

It would benefit from some height next to the fence, but not sure if there's enough width to have an upright yew or maybe some laurel standards or some clipped box. I suppose it depends what look you want but the angular beds suggest to me a more formal/modern look. So maybe grasses would be another option, some carex to add colour and texture or a pennisetum for some extra interest with the seed heads. 

Some advice on ornamental grasses on the RHS site: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=1028

I'd also think it would be great to have a bed on the middle of the two lawned areas, plants would pop against the raised sleeper backdrop...but maybe that's me that finds edge to edge grass areas visually inert. 

But congratulations on all the hard work, you must be proud.

Hostafan1

I'd make a bed about 1m wide in front of the "risers" . Plat with light feathery grasses , verbena bonariensis and stuff you can still see through, but will detract from the view of a lot of timber from the house. 

Fairygirl

I wasn't sure if that last section [your last photo @euansteve ] was for planting, or if it's for new patio? I'd assumed patio.
I'm not sure the OP is looking for a lot of planting though. One bed would certainly be a good compromise, and planting can be very low maintenance if chosen carefully. @Hostafan1 idea for example, would need very little work 

Maybe you could clarify that bit  @euansteve

euansteve

Thanks so much for the replies I've probably learnt more about gardening since this post than I have in my life.

@Fairygirl So first things first I'll get the fence painted hopefully will bring it more together.

@Blueonion The garden is south facing and gets the sun most of the day until it hits a block from the near-by houses for a then returns later in the evening. (West Scotland)

The soil was quite peaty (as far as I know) there was alot of clumps of soil when I was trying to level the tiers ive broken it up alot and mixed with compost not sure if that helped but the grass has grown a treat. 

Connecting water supplies etc. Wouldn't be a problem. Might even put some sort of tank from the shed roof.

I would like to have climbers going up and down both sides of the garden. Not that I need privacy or don't like the neighbours because there's no problems at all. Just like the idea of a green wall.

Flowering would also be good though especially in the area I between the sleeper and the fence.

And looking back at the photo there is a 10ltr bucket in the space so fitting pots down the back shouldnt be to much of a problem maybe with a few smaller ones on the sleeper itself (also that top sleeper beside the fence is just sitting free so possible to make some extra room.

But I think I'd prefer if I could plant in the space maybe put some sheeting on the fence and just add extra soil.

@Fairygirl I've had a look at clemantis and they look like a good option just need to sort some sort of trellis out for support if I go down this route.

@Amancalledgeorge had a look at upright yews and found some tall skinny greek ones which look quite nice and the laurel standards I really like.

Had a look at the rhs link you sent me, lots of good info in there still reading into it. Now looking at getting a soil test done so its getting complicated now haha.

@Hostafan @amannamedgeorge:

Looking at the idea of adding some beds into the middle just at the moment I find myself lying on the grass alot more often as there is nowhere else to sit.

Will draw up some ideas having a look at the verbena bonariensis that was suggested as well. As the view of the shed is quite imposing (I think thats the right word)

@Fairygirl the last section of the last photo I was going to build decking with a raised rockery (already got all the rocks from the garden see the pic) this would mean I wouldn't have such a high step from the French doors I had installed a few months ago.

Would like to really bring it up to the same height of decking with either more rocks or some sort of framework, no idea on this yet (even soil now im thinking about it)

And the paving I would like to have run down the side of the decking in the same line as the path still looking at ideas on this, as the shed blew my budget temporarily.

So I'm in the midst of drawing out some of these ideas so I can get a picture in my head if the beds with just be soil or something else
Also really like the wooden structures pergolas or pyramids etc those type of things but spacewise I don't think that's much of an option. I'd do like the brighter plants to bring out some interest as much as I liked the idea of how neat it was I kind of want to bring a more natural look back in if that's possible

Been writing this reply for quite some time and I wonder if I've just agreed with everyone's ideas haha, so I'm just going to send it and probably have to edit it

And thanks for the compliments on the hard work no one ever told me how many hours you have to put in or how much labour is actually involved (especially when you havent invested in a wheelbarrow yet)

Fairygirl

If there's room at the front of your shed, you could also have a climber there, to cover the front of it. It's quite imposing, and some greenery there would break it up, and give you something to look at from the house too. It will depend on what space there is. The widest part of the side section, where it meets the shed area, would be ideal to save you removing any of your grass. One decent sized one could be trained across the shed and along part of the fence, and you could have another climber [the aforementioned clematis types]  in the same 'triangle' nearer the house end. Mature ones properly trained, give good coverage 
Not sure how much room you have on your right hand fence for climbers though. You'd need to judge that. You don't want to compromise the path there for access.
I was wondering what you'd done with those setts. They're excellent for making beds and borders, so maybe you could use some to incorporate a raised planting bed within your decked area?
Decking can be very slippy if not in a sunny site, so bear that in mind too 

Skylarks

Have you considered the triangular bit between the sleeper and fence as a wildflower area for bees? 

euansteve

@skylark no that didn't really occur to me I just assumed bees went for any flowers I know some are harder for bees to get pollen from but that was it.

@fairygirl I do like the idea of some climbers on the shed will just have to treat it with stain or something forst and finish the odd bits on the sides...

The right hand fence I would surely have enough room to work with as the path is at least a mtr wide with more room the further down you get.

Looking at monobloack kind of options for the path just now seems a bit to steep though unless I raised the whole path