Backyard Refuge

While surfing Pinterest today I came across a pin for a patio layout on MyPatioDesign.com.  Linking to their website I was able to view even more incredible designs for simple to complex patios that looked amazing.  I totally had patio envy afterwards complete with sighs and a wistful look.  I really want to change my backyard into an incredible refuge to have a party or just read and enjoy the wonderful weather we are having before winter hits again.  Unfortunately our finances are limited so anything we do has to be a DIY kind of project.  Knowing absolutely nothing about landscaping this becomes an issue for me as I have no idea how to start.

I've determined recently after venturing into the backyard to pull the weeds out of the planter that something needs to be done and soon.  The idea of incurring anymore chigger bites or watching tiny crickets and red jumping spiders flit about as I trudge through the grass is not amusing.  In fact it makes me avoid going into the yard at all.  I wish we didn't have so much grass.

Browsing through pictures of perfectly manicured lawns and lush, colorful gardens with outstanding decks and blazing fire pits hasn't given me any insight into how to go about creating these wonders, but it has inspired me to start planning just what my layout for an incredible backyard will look like.  Well one within my resources anyway.  I'm not really sure how to design my landscape, but I figured I would start by compiling a collage of ideas I would like and trying to fit them into the layout of my backyard.

Let's begin with a blank picture of what my backyard currently looks like. 



Side View

Straight on View

Not a pretty sight, I know.  The grass is quite a bit greener now though, but there is nothing in our backyard.  Except for the portable fire pit my husband purchased recently.  We keep that in and open area with no grass pretty much in the middle of the retaining wall by the fence.

My design process started with thinking about what sort of items, hardscape/softscape? I wanted in my backyard. 
-Patio, preferably brick
-Grill and seating, couches and table/chairs
-Pathway from door (located on the side of the house) to patio and patio to retaining wall/flower bed
-Remove current bushes from flower bed and add ones I like (Lavender, etc.)
-Change the look of the retaining wall, brick? or nicer wood and add a brick edging so I don't have to stand in grass to work in the bed
-Either move fire pit to patio area or create a space with bench seating where it is currently located
-Add some raised beds for growing food since my soil has lead in it
-Create a cement base underneath the shed area
-Add some flower beds with pretty flowers

Great, now that I have some idea of what I would like in my space it's time to figure out where it will all go.  This is the hard part, especially since my drawing abilities consist of stick figures and big unidentifiable blobs. 

Let's start at the door.  The door to the backyard is located at the side of the house, on the left side in the picture above.  Here I would like a brick pathway, slightly curvy that leads out to the patio.  Possibly a zen sand garden on either side with some choice Asian features.  Or not, I'm not sure the sand garden would be doable.  How about flagstones that look like lily pads with a small bridge over a fake river made out of dark stones.  Ooh I like the sound of that and much easier to maintain.

Of course it would be a small area.  Imagine the house abutting one side and a fence on the other.  No lovely trees like in the picture above.  Now for accoutrements along the sides of the "river".  How about a Buddha statue and a cute little DIY water feature.

Nice, now for the patio.  I think I would like the patio to abut the back of the house.  There were several patio options I really liked that included a seating area as well as a place for a grill.  Here are a couple of the options I was interested in.  A link to all their wonderful plans can be found here.

 

 

If I use the first one I will probably leave the middle open and have a pathway leading to the fire pit area where it is currently stationed.  If I go with the second option I will probably extend the patio to the right a bit more and use the circular area for the fire pit and put the seating more in the middle of the patio.

So many options.  I will have to cement that in later.  Perhaps hubby can be the deciding input, he should probably get a say anyway, right?  I do like the flower bed areas surrounding the outer edges of the patio though.  I also like the seated wall look, but am also contemplating having the walls be raised beds instead for my veggies. 

Now for the fire pit, yay!  I've seen a couple of designs with a curved half circle look complete with built in bench seating and I'd like to make that.  Here are a couple of the ideas.

It's shaping up so nicely, can you picture it?  It's hard I know, hubby can never quite see it like I envision it.  He just looks at me weird.  Sigh.  Hopefully adding some pictures like this to the description will help him see it like I do. 

Now that I have a basic plan I will be able to start the gradual change from boring, bug-infested box into the quiet, relaxing refuge I have in my head.  I will start with some small changes.

I think first off will be pulling out all the bushes and weeds from the current planter and getting it ready for re-planting next spring.  I will have to look into that and see if things can be planted now before winter starts or if I have to wait. 

I might also attempt to remove the grass between the door and the main part of the yard to get it ready for a rock and flagstone river.  I'll keep you posted on any improvements.  Heck who am I kidding, they will probably end up as some of my next pins.  I'll have to do everything on my own after all.  Wish me luck.