My garden layout is currently very straightforward – a square-ish lawn of about 90 square metres surrounded by borders with a path straight up the middle. This is fine as far as it goes, but doesn’t help disguise the fact that the garden is fairly modest in size, nor does it help me find places to plant the results of my twin obessions of propagation and bargain hunting. With all that in mind, I am toying seriously with the idea to radically change the layout.
The straight path has the effect of forshortening the garden, making it seems even smaller than it already is. So, the new design should incorporate a path, but not a straight one. I have another annoyance to deal with, the access to the side alley does not have a good path from the garden which results in heavily worn grass at the entrance to the garden. The path will come from there and curve sinuously through the garden until reaching the arch through to the working area at the back. For most of its length the path will be surrounded on both sides with borders. A curved path will make the garden feel bigger, as well as turning the path into a destination in its own right, not just a means of conveyance to the bike shed or the veg plot. In the back of my mind I am a little afraid that will become annoying, taking anything other than a direct route, but am hoping that the more circuitous route will encourage taking in more of the garden as one perambulates.
To add to this effect, I have half an idea to incorporate a pergola style arch along the length of at least some of new path length. I could have climbing roses, clematis or other climbing plants adding some vertical interest in the centre of the garden which would have the effect of partly concealing other parts of the garden, to be revealed as progress is made along the path, again contributing to the effect of making the garden appear more voluminous than it truly is.
We have a decent sized patio with some seating, but no seating area in the garden itself, among the plants. I don’t want a huge table, just a small bistro style table and a couple of chairs to allow Mrs P and I to partake of a cuppa or a cheeky G&T of a summer evening, surrounded by flowers and buzzy bees. I am aiming for that to be somewhat enclosed by planting so it feels like a separate ‘room’ in the garden.
Despite having paid good money just a few years ago to have the lawn laid, I now think I’d prefer to have more planting space, so a good portion of it will come up. I plan to greatly expand the planting area available on the sunnier side of the garden, doubling or maybe even trebling the border space on the left of the path. In fact it is such an expanse, I think I will need to provide some access points or paths so I can get to the back of the border space. I may add a bench to provide some respite from the pottering. Some of what is now lawn on the right side of the new path will also come up, partly to create more planting space and interest along the path, but also to remove awkward acute angles from the lawn which are a devil to mow.
For the next few years I will need to accommodate the climbing frame, and no doubt we will never be rid of the washing line, so those will live on the remains of the lawn on the shadier right side of the garden.
That’s the plan as it stands right now, I have to give it some more thought before breaking ground. I will check the line of the path using hosepipes – I’ll get some sense of the optimum curve from the upstairs bedroom windows. If I do go with this layout or something like it, I will have to start thinking through the accompanying planting plans for the new border real estate. More on this later!
I should say now that (if not already abundantly clear!) this is all the ramblings of a rank amateur with a bit of reading behind me. Perhaps you have taken on a similar transformation, or maybe you do this for a living. Let me know in the comments if you have any thoughts or words of advice to share!
I’ll be back in the spring with an update on the final plan and the start of the necessary works.
The Propagator 
Looks Beautiful! Friends of ours have 40+ acreas, of which about 10 of that is around their “in-the-hill” house” (he is very talented, and yes – I am very jealous LOL). They are older and damaged (like me) so they purposely placed totally different seating areas in each of their areas -Fruit Grove, Veggie Garden, Flowers, Just Iris’s, even back behind their house by the chickens and new grapevines. Even though you have a smaller area – seating spots play a big part. You may want to place a bench where the word “lawn” is – a new perspective gives a ton of help. Relaxing, watching the kids play and things grow from a different angle. Eventually, I think, you may look into handmade stepping stones to get from place to place – and – if the kids are younger they will have a ball jumping from one to another. All-in-all – GREAT JOB!
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Good idea to change the path of your garden. But as you said, you have to add hedges half height, pergolas… to add a vertical effect. You will have an impression of larger garden when you will walk around, especially if you don’t see the other parts. I am waiting to see the evolution of this project!
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Monty only said the other night on small spaces big ideas that people will always take the direct route from A to B. I would humbly suggest dividing the gardens into rooms so that it cannot al be seen at once. When I enlarged my borders I had to install a narrow working gravel path along the back, it could be just stepping stones. Of course the problem is everyone will have different ideas. The most important thing is it is your garden, you have to be happy with the end result.
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Yes that may be an issue. I will (probably) have the discipline to use the curved path, the kids may not…
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Looks like a fun project.
I could see shortcuts being a problem if the path runs along the side of the lawn. Is there space to have flowerbeds too wide to jump along most of the path, with only limited access to the lawn at each end? It looks as though you are almost there already with the current plans.
I don’t think you need stepping stones across the grass–the kids will go to the lawn to play, but adults wanting to see the garden will probably follow the path or make a gentle loop (down the path and back along the edge of the lawn) in order to see everything.
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The grass is fairly tough, it can cope with a bit of traffic. And agree that the adults will surely want to check out the garden.
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What about taking the path deeper into the planted area to the left, then providing a short route across the grass with either stepping stones like you have now or some sort of reinforcing of the grass. The path would have planting along both sides and give you good access to it. You’d have more reason to use it, not less.
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Maybe maybe. It won’t be a long path so I think it’ll be ok. Will have a think.
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How exciting! Sounds lovely!
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instead of hose to lay out possible changes to a bed or when thinking about new ones, I use spray marking paint. Hoses never seemed to behave for me and the paint gets mowed away if I don’t like the curve. With paint I can really see the possibilities. My husband’s only request was no hard angles to have to handle when mowing the grass.
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Good idea, thanks. It’s me that does the mowing so I shall be trying to avoid making it more difficult!
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“I am a little afraid that will become annoying, taking anything other than a direct route.”
Mark out the proposed route (with sand or a hosepipe), and then ONLY follow the new route for a couple of weeks. You will soon find out if it annoying.
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Good idea. I will probably act in haste and repent at leisure. Actually it’s not me I’m worried about, more the kids traipsing back and forth to the bike shed.
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This is really interesting especially because so many of us have gardens like this rather than the Highgrove variety. My one thought is that you may not be able to resist popping across the lawn on the right rather than taking the curve of the path to the left and if you do that too many times you’ll have a worn grass path and an unused curve of paved path. Aren’t we always tempted to take the shortest route, especially when carrying something. Just a thought. Very much look forward to seeing the progress.
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Yes that is my worry. I think the strategic positioning of the washing line and the climbing frame will discourage that to a degree.
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