How to utilise a big open garden

Jjjjjjjbarry

Hello,

Just looking for ideas as I'm in the middle of buying a house and it is on a big site open site with lots of lawn.

First think I want to do is make the front a bit more private. there is a wall with some metal rails but all quite low so I'm thinking of adding some wood panel to bring it up higher. I was thinking of some trees or hedge but that's probably more expensive long term with clipping etc

I also don't want to spend my life cutting grass so need to think of something. I'd say I'll talk to a landscaper to see what they can do but just wondering if anyone has some clever ideas? I was thinking maybe plants some trees (maybe fruit) in one area as that'll be practical, look well and also slow grass growth down in that area?
Add a polly tunnel in another and maybe temporarily just fence of a piece and let it go wild. The site is almost an acre. I'll fence off some area for a dog run too. I'm not made of money so trying to think of some cheap clever ways. I'll more than likely need to buy a ride on mower I guess but it's a same to waste all that land.

Many thanks for reading and any ideas!

SteelyDanJalapeno

Jjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

Hello,

Just looking for ideas as I'm in the middle of buying a house and it is on a big site open site with lots of lawn.

First think I want to do is make the front a bit more private. there is a wall with some metal rails but all quite low so I'm thinking of adding some wood panel to bring it up higher. I was thinking of some trees or hedge but that's probably more expensive long term with clipping etc

I also don't want to spend my life cutting grass so need to think of something. I'd say I'll talk to a landscaper to see what they can do but just wondering if anyone has some clever ideas? I was thinking maybe plants some trees (maybe fruit) in one area as that'll be practical, look well and also slow grass growth down in that area?
Add a polly tunnel in another and maybe temporarily just fence of a piece and let it go wild. The site is almost an acre. I'll fence off some area for a dog run too. I'm not made of money so trying to think of some cheap clever ways. I'll more than likely need to buy a ride on mower I guess but it's a same to waste all that land.

Many thanks for reading and any ideas!

Grow some veg?

magicbastarder

one acre allows for a lot of veg! plus the OP mentioned a polytunnel.

fruit trees are an idea, but they won't kill off grass growth underneath them and you'll potentially have a lot of fruit you don't use.
if it were me, i'd plant a load of small trees (hazel, holly, hawthorn etc.) and leave part of it to develop to a little woodland. you'd get the trees for near €1 each for bareroot this time of year, and would only cost a few hundred euro to cover one third of the site.

Jjjjjjjbarry

A little woodland. A lovely idea and can be strategically placed for privacy. Surprised at how cheap that sounds!!

Harry Palmr

How exposed is the site?

DBB

Keep a few geese... Best lawnmowers ever, and great guard dogs geese

magicbastarder

Jjjjjjjbarry wrote: »

A little woodland. A lovely idea and can be strategically placed for privacy. Surprised at how cheap that sounds!!

a very rough idea on how many trees you'd need would be 1,000 per acre, hence my rough estimate.
obviously, there are other considerations i didn't mention, such as soil/drainage etc., which might favour some trees over others, but it's worthwhile having a meander around the area to see what's doing well there.

Lumen

What altitude, which part of the country, how far from the coast?

blindside88

I would definitely fence some of it off and keep some animals (personally I’d have them for the freezer but you may not want that). Pigs are very good for scraps. Chickens to lay eggs and maybe a couple of lambs. If you do plant fruit trees the pigs will happily eat any of the fallen fruit. If you don’t have kids you could put in a duck pond ( it advisable with kids because of the dangers). Best of luck what ever you decide

Addle

If you're not into mowing lawns then you're not going to keep veg.
It'd hard work to do well.
We failed at it.

How about a big garage?

Jjjjjjjbarry

Addle wrote: »

If you're not into mowing lawns then you're not going to keep veg.
It'd hard work to do well.
We failed at it.

How about a big garage?

I dunno, I'd feel like growing veg has a practical purpose with an end goal.

Cutting grass and starting over every week seems like just a waste of time and space. I do enjoy cutting small areas and will still do so but for a larger lawn, I just feel like there's more that could be done!

Why did you fail? Was it finding the time or was it just too difficult to get right?

magicbastarder

i don't like mowing lawns either, but like growing veg. lawns are a waste of a good garden, unless they're there for a specific purpose, such as a kids play area.