Garden Style

The Sunday Age

Sunday August 10, 2008

Jim Fogarty

Landscaper Jim Fogarty transforms a tight spot into an oasis for romping kids.

Our backyard is an eyesore. We want to make it more attractive for our two young sons and reduce the weed problem. We also need a shaded spot to sit in and we would like a cubby for the boys and a sandpit. We live near the beach in a single-storey, red-brick house, but our soil is pretty good. Unfortunately, the kikuyu grass is suckering into the garden beds and is difficult to control. I wonder whether we should reduce the area of the beds. We do want some lawn, though, where the boys can play cricket.

Having two sons means you need to plan ahead. Your corner garden needs to be tough, for sports and play activities. A cubby house and a sandpit are great ideas. But we need to bring all these elements together: to make it not only practical, but also look good.

Challenges

Corners are always a problem for home gardeners. They are often dark voids - and yours is overhung by a large tree in your neighbour's property. But, in time, the boys will come to use the area for all sorts of fun and games.

Solutions

Design: A cubby house and a sandpit are great ideas and the lawn area should be be as large as possible for games. Plants will have to be tough to withstand some damage. While aesthetics need to be considered, they must take a back seat to allow the space to be used to its fullest potential.

Lawn: Kikuyu makes a hardy lawn and will be able to withstand bikes, cricket and football, as well as the dry. Consider edging the lawn to help prevent the grass from spreading into the garden beds. A spade edge (shallow trench) is effective as you can trim the edges and spray the trench with weed killer. It won't have the sharp edges of timber or steel that could possibly be a hazard to the boys. To revamp your existing lawn, hire a mechanical aerator, which will drill hundreds of tiny holes into the lawn. This allows better rainwater penetration and air movement within the soil. A weed-and-feed (available at garden centres) will help eradicate lawn weeds. And regular mowing will help restore the grass to a good cricket pitch in summer.

Cubby and shed: The existing shed sits quite close to the house. Moving it back into the dead corner will help fill the void and free up some space closer to the house. The spot where the shed now sits would be better for a basketball hoop or outdoor furniture. Placing a cubby in front of the shed will help screen it, and also square off the corner. A great space to hide a wheelbarrow, firewood and a compost bin would be behind the cubby, close to the shed.

Garden beds: You mention reducing the area of the garden beds. In my experience, increasing garden beds makes a garden more appealing, attracting your family out into the space. Allow space in beds for trees to provide shade. Small and medium-sized trees are great for boys to climb. Plant some shrubs in front of the cubby house. There are many strong, durable foliage plants that are ideal for the garden of a house with young boys. Having good soil near the beach is a bonus.

Shade: The neighbour's tree provides a pocket of shade in the corner of your garden. Take advantage of this. Placing a pergola under the canopy of this tree would be a great way to use the shade to escape the heat of summer. You may also want to locate the sandpit in this area.

Education: Encourage the boys to help with transforming the garden. Involving them with planting will educate them and will also make them think twice before they ride their bikes over the plants.

Plant Focus

Jacaranda mimosifolia

Jacarandas have enjoyed recent dry conditions in Melbourne. Growing to about 12m, this attractive deciduous tree is not a fast grower in cooler areas, but the green, fern-like foliage and vivid lilac flowers in summer make it an ideal tree for drought-smart gardens.

Adenanthos sericea

Originating from the sandy soils of Western Australia, the woollybush is a medium to large shrub, growing to about 2m tall in Melbourne. Small red flowers appear in late summer. The big attraction is the soft, wool-like foliage, which proves a hit with children. Ideal for coastal conditions and dry gardens. Decorate in the garden for your own native Christmas tree.

Lomandra filiformis 'Savanna Blue'

This is a blue form of Lomandra filiformis (native grass) growing to about 30cm x 30cm. Attractive green-blue foliage is the feature of this plant, which is drought-hardy and will grow well in full-sun or part-shade. Mass planting can make a soft durable garden bed, or mix it with other foliage plants. Requires little irrigation once established.

© 2008 The Sunday Age

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