[Closed] Garden/patio diy project - help/ideas/feedback sought

Pics only appearing on phone not PC.. FFS. Any advice on diy AND photo hosting (currently using post image cc and hotlink for forums) on this site also very welcome!

Cheers

It doesn't look a very big drop. I'd just raise the grass a little, probably with a slope, rather than a terrace.

Good point, thanks. The grass needs some serious attention anyway so could always do the slope as part of that work. Was planning on levelling, aerating, scarifying, top soil, seeding etc.

With a little one I’d be careful of any fencing that is horizontal/ranch style. Very easy to climb (basically bog ladder rungs) and then as your bench idea it gives a bigger distance to fall.

Could you infill the gaps with some wrought iron fencing? Looks nice and doesn’t block the view or make it feel closed in

Why don’t you just put a step in halving the drop running the full width?

Good looking plant pots with nice shrubs as a temporary safety measure, I'm surprised you got a completion certificate for the steps with doors opening out

Thank you all for the suggestions, plenty to think about there 👍

Nice plant pots/shrubs is probably going to be the quickest way to do it I think.

@redmex - out of interest, what’s the issue with the doors opening out on to the little steps? Or is it the big step down to the grass?

Edit: come to think of it, we did need to get planning permission for the patio as was over 30cm (I think) from grass.

Thanks

Depending on where you are located as LA may be different but a 300mm tread for a door opening out would not be passed in Scotland the step down from the patio with different risers either gives you a lot of extra work to build up your grassed area
The block work due to be harled looks much tidier than the patio

Understood and thank you for replying @redmex 👍. The tread from the French doors (office/back of garage) is small now you mention it, the bifolds larger maybe 400mm.

Aye, shame the tidier bit is getting covered up with render!

All of the steps look out of proportion, sorry but you did ask 🙂
It looks like you're trying to maximise patio area, which I get, but spoils the look.
Definitely build a bottom step on the lawn and make it wider and deeper than the step above and two courses high.
Similarly from the house; deeper top steps (both doors) with a new bottom step, again wider and deeper than the top and one course high. I'd wrap the new bottom steps around back to the house on both sides.
Render the patio retaining wall to match the block wall (when it's done)??
Coloured render for ease??

All good points thank you @timba. Renderer is due to start a week on Monday and it will be coloured (not chosen that yet mind..) so I think a good shout would be getting the retaining wall done at bottom as you say 👍

Understand the point about bigger/in proportion steps that wrap around but I don’t have the tools/skills to be doing masonry work and there’s no way I could get the builder back now anyway, plus there’d be less space for table/chairs etc. You’re right it’s a compromise as is, but one well have to live with.

Cheers

Bin the balustrade/fence altogether and put a 3 foot high (18in high from patio side) box/beech/yew dense hedge along the base.

Spend the money on the glass balustrade.
It's what you want, will look nice and will take up less space than the other options.
You could fit it to the face of the patio wall to maximise the available patio area.
Rather than rendering the patio wall you could just paint it in a dark grey or something which would hide the bricks and save some money that could go towards the balustrade.

.... Tbh I'm a little unsure as to why you didn't build the patio higher to eliminate the steps 😬

Thank you for the continued suggestions all. TBH the original idea was to not have steps at all but to achieve that our patio was going to be nearly a metre above next doors garden/patio (to the right hand side of photo out of shot) and we were already treading a fine line with the extension/planning permission for the main building work and didn't want to take the mick.

Cheers

Thread update and a new ask 🙂

There were a couple of old fence panels behind the shed and other random bits of timber so I decided to recycle these into some long planters for the edge of the patio as a cheap and effective solution. Probably spent just over £100 on additional timber, screws, plastic, etc. but not bad for 7 metre of planters. End result:

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Now the question is what on earth do I put in them?! I like the garden and don’t mind grafting in it but I am by no means green fingered.. I think I’d like something that would return each year as it’s going to cost a pretty penny to fill them so would rather not have this cost annually, limit things to maybe 2-3 colours that repeat and have some trailing plants for the drop either side. Also not sure if I should fill completely with compost or put some pebbles of something at the bottom of them for drainage?

Any suggestions and ideas greatly appreciated

Cheers

Herb Garden - Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Chives, Sage etc

I don't know what you intend using, but you've got three approx 0.18 cu metre containers. Assume 1000kg per cu metre for compost, maybe more if wet, 200kg per container? I hope they're solid 🙂
Pebbles, broken polystyrene, whatever to keep drain holes clear. Don't puncture the liner

Euonymus, phormium/cordyline, ceanothus, choisya, ligustrum, persicaria, trailing geranium, etc. Aldi and Lidl both have bedding plants in ATM

Ooh interesting! I hadn’t even thought of herbs. Thanks

Garden is south facing and a real sun trap in the warmer months if that makes a difference?

As above, that's a lot of soil/weight....

Get rid of the wooden thing and plant some trees in the lawn at the bottom of the drop. They'll act as an excellent safety barrier. There might be some going free on another thread.

Sorry, missed this the first time, and you've got the planters now. My suggestion would have been to put a hedge at the bottom of the drop, so that if your daughter fell off the patio she'd only fall into the hedge, and it wouldn't give anything to climb on and fall further. You could put the planters on the lawn and put hedge type bushes in them? Then remove them once she's old enough for it not to be a hazard.

Good point about the weight. They’ll not be moving once in position that’s for sure.. they’re already a tonne weight empty as the bases are made of MUCH bigger bits of wood than required as that’s what was lying around 😬

Thanks for the suggestions on plants. Sadly no trees/plants for the lawn as there’s not much lawn space left after the extension patio. The OP on that other thread will need another home for the trees that come out the boundary.. 🤣

Cheers

lavender is my recommendation, great for bees

and I missed this thread first time round, I would have said don't do any permanent features based on a 2 year old. They grow up fast! Planters seem a good compromise, will provide safety and probably only last a few years.

Lavender will look and smell lovely for a year or two but you'll need to give it a trim to keep it neat looking, don't get french lavender as it's harder to look after. Lavender is also fairly tolerant of dry conditions, handy if you're away or forgetful when it comes to watering. I often recommend geraniums for containers, not too expensive, easy to look after, flower and last a long time, if you're lucky and it's not too cold then they might even survive the winter.