Bland wall.

[Colin]

Hi,

I've been busy in our rear garden over the last couple of years turning grass under then planting lots of flowers and shrubs; it's coming along nicely.

I built a new garden shed and recently cut the old shed up for firewood leaving the area looking very unsightly; I had intended to build a second shed this year but if I do I'll only fill it with more junk; however if I build a cold frame I can grows seeds and this would keep me occupied the new cold frame in the old shed position. The old shed blocked out the unsightly neighbours wall but now I'd like to hide this wall; the ground by the wall is very sheltered and shaded by trees also being on a steep valley side at times it's like a wind tunnel; I'd very much appreciate ideas as to how to block this wall out; evergreen shrubs or even climbers would be ideal but what would grow in this area? Below are pictures of the garden including the bland wall.

Kind regards, Colin.

This is the area I now want to improve; the wall must be the ugliest wall ever built and I'd like to hide it but with what?

The vacated shed site where I plan to place a cold frame for seed growing.

Shame on our previous neighbours erecting this eyesore when we were most obliging to them when they built a detached house in their rear garden; this was the thanks we received. It's not our wall otherwise it would have been built in stone. It sure looks ugly.

I'm pleased however by the way the rest of the garden is shaping up with lots of colour even in March. Because of high winds and driving rain I'm unable to grow tall plants.

 

[zigs]

It's still going to show thru plants against it, so best erect a frame against it with some bamboo or similar screening first Colin.

We're in the process of covering up a fence, I've put a batten frame up which i'll attach some horizontal wires to. Tetters is growing some annual climbers to grow up it.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks for your suggestions zigs. You're is looking neat and tidy.

I gave my cold frame idea more thought and have decided against it; where would I pot up the plants etc; it's a real pain doing anything in our gardens so it looks like a new shed but I'd still like to hide the ugly wall. I did some tidying this morning but the breeze was perishing.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[mgmine]

Virginia creeper would cover the ground and climb up the wall.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks for your suggestion mgmine; much appreciated.

It's been incredibly hard graft working on the steep slope and getting the materials up the garden but the site is now ready for the new hut; I'm putting off ordering the timber because I don't trust our climate which is forecast for sleet. It took two exhaustive days to build the wall but I'm now pleased I decided to use the stones I had to hand; I had considered using treated timber boards and posts.

I'll have a look at J Parker's to see what they have including Virginia Creeper.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[mgmine]

Hills can be a great thing to have in a garden. I took the one in my yard and build a small faux Hobbit house. You could easily do the same thing.

From a hill to a Hobbit house

The back of my yard is a hill so I decided to put it to good use. Here is a small Hobbit house that I made by carving out the hill. It isn't really a house but is made to look like one.

www.gardening-forums.com

 

[Colin]

Hi,

What a brilliant idea mgmine; I'll give this some serious thought. Your little hobbit house is wonderful.

Bron and I love our garden it being like a mini park and even the steep slope gives it lots of interest; it's just hard work though especially if I have to carry anything up the garden; when I drag the mower or rotavator up the garden I've got to stand a while to get my breath back before starting the machine.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[mgmine]

One other thing, have you considered a water feature? Visit the sister site garden ponds you might get some ideas. That hill would make a very nice stream and waterfall. Here is a picture of friends. My pond and falls is much bigger but I have more land.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Many thanks for your suggestion mgmine.

On our steep site I wouldn't consider installing any water feature at all; just digging out for the small garden hut has been incredibly hard graft and any water at all would quickly fill with debris from the high wind we suffer also from our trees dropping leaves and pine needles; it would just give me lots of extra work each year. We do however experience a very nice cascade when we have a cloudburst; the water travels down our garden at speed and looks most impressive as it cascades down the garden steps then diverts to both sides of the bungalow; on the right hand side it turns our 5' wide flagged sloping pathway into a stream; on the left hand side of the bungalow it escapes down the side garden. I've planted lots of ground cover because a couple of years ago I dug over lots of the grass by hand then since have gone over with a rotavator; now the soil is excellent for planting but I'll be happy when the ground cover plants cover the bare soil before the soil too heads down the valley; it sure is grim at times living here with our climate.

I do however value every reply to my threads and consider each reply with deep interest.

Your water feature looks wonderful mgmine and full credit to you. The water feature isn't a real option here but I liked your little Hobbit house so much I was looking around the garden yesterday to see if I could build one; it's too cold at the moment to do anything and Bron tells me its been snowing a bit? I always expect snow when we alter the clocks and call it British Summer Time? Your Hobbit house has caught my attention; pity I can't simply scale it up as my new garden hut design.

It's Rufforth Auto Jumble this Saturday; I hope it's going to warm up a bit because I've drawn up a wish list for the new hut; stainless screws; hasp & staple; door hinges etc. Rufforth to me is like a candy store to a child and the big bonus is I'm meeting up with my chum who lives 70 miles away; my chum is kindly bringing along his wayward Briggs & Stratton petrol mower he's spent time and money on but given up on it so I'm collecting it from Rufforth to play with; he's bought a new petrol Honda mower having run out of time to play with his old mower.

http://www.rufforthautojumble.com/

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[mgmine]

Colin, the pond picture isn't my pond it belongs to a friend. Mine is much bigger and has a 40 foot long stream that runs 15 feet up the hill. Your hill is just begging for one! But I understand what you are saying, it does take a little work and a few weeks to build. I have some pictures of it on Youtube. If you are considering the Hobbit house here is the youtube link to how I built it. Looking at your hill I would say that you would want to pile some more dirt up and then dig it flat. Since building mine I removed the rock and put on wire mesh, the product that goes under stucco. I also found that thinset works better than mortar.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Sorry mgmine; i missed reading the text in your post hence thought the pond to be yours. Creating a pond here just isn't worth the time and trouble because it would forever need lots of maintenance; removing the fallen acorns and oak leaves from just two trees takes a lot of time and effort; I shouldn't want such things in a pond but then we're all different and I'm not into water features seeing enough water all year given our climate; I do appreciate your suggestion though; thank you.

Now your pretty hobbit house is a lot more like it for me and I could enjoy making one of these involving less work than a pond. I've just been "Cleavers" hunting up the garden; last year cleavers turned into a head to head battle with me; for many days I was out every day hunting cleavers dragging them out by hand; they stick to anything; I'm going up the garden daily pulling tiny cleavers out before they grow and spread even more;

https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/weeds/cleavers

Back to the plot though; I think I've found a place for a hobbit house but firstly I've a garden hut to build and I won't even order the timber for the hut until I think I can machine the timber without it being soaking wet; I suffered more than enough building the first hut in what was supposed to be our mid summer; I don't ever want to work in such terrible conditions again. Once the hut is built I'm sure I'll have offcuts of treated timber to make a hobbit house of?

I've taken a few more pictures seen below.

Kind regards, Colin.

I'm delighted by how the new wall looks with the mortar dry; it's going to blend in well with our stone built bungalow.

The neighbours bland wall is built level indicating the steepness of our garden; the big trees are beautiful but the ground is full of roots and the falling leaves; acorns and pine needles create a lot of work. A ski lift would be a nice project to construct.

I've sown lots of cerastium (snow in summer) seeds in pots but this is the only place level enough to place the pots without them heading to the valley bottom; I can't have a greenhouse because of the high winds coming up the valley but I thought I'd try a few pots just for interest. A short while ago I scattered thousands of meadow flower seeds to the side garden and very top of the rear garden; I've just been looking at the side garden and there are many seedlings popping up which is promising; the laurels in the picture just above used to be 30' tall and out of control until I attacked them with my petrol chainsaw. Working on this sloping garden is extremely tiring and not becoming easier with age.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Until you kindly posted your "Hobbit" house mgmine I'd never heard of hobbit houses but I've now had a bit of time to catch up and I'm interested; I wonder if I could build a hobbit house rather than the new garden hut? I've just been browsing the web and at a glance I like this one;

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...IHSDdBg8QsAR6BAgGEAE&biw=1838&bih=952#imgrc=_

Lots to choose from and I'm not in a hurry.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[mgmine]

If I was to do something like that I would first build a shed out of pressure treated lumber then cover it with dirt and make it look round from the outside. If you're looking for a unique shed design this is one I love.

https://www.amazon.com/Sheds-Do-You...47/?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid={creative}&hvpos={adposition}&hvnetw=o&hvrand={random}&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl={devicemodel}&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584207577387873&psc=1

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Many thanks mgmine for the shed link. I'm spoiled for choice but I've plenty of time yet; shed or hobbit house or both as you rightly say; yes I could build an inner shed then modify the outside to look like an hobbit house; I'd already been thinking of doing this because I want the structure to be reasonably water tight; building a hobbit house though really does appeal to me and has grabbed my interest; to build just a shed then I'm limited for space but a hobbit house lends itself to the site much better and I'd have more space to build on. This is a project to look forward to in the near future.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[mgmine]

Let me know when you get around to building something. I love to see garden projects take shape.