A small yard gets a fresh makeover

If you ever wanted an example of how important a role consultation plays in clever landscaping, then look no further than the story of Kate and Alex. Kate had just moved into a new unit and the small yard out the back, covered in grey concrete and overgrown with bushes, was a mess. But Kate had firm views on what she wanted to do with the space, and contacted a friend of hers who she knew designed and constructed landscapes for a living.

"I wasn't really familiar with Alex's work," says Kate, "but I knew he'd done jobs of varying sizes and I certainly knew that he was reliable. And he was available to do it pretty much straight away."

Alex Seaman has worked in landscaping for over a decade and now runs his own business, Alex Seaman Landscape Gardening. When Kate told him what she was looking for from the space, he came up with practical ways to make her ideas work. 

Kate knew she wanted to build a storage area in the small yard and had vague ideas about building it into a seat - Alex came up with the design of the hinged seat, and then constructed it. Kate didn't want too much garden, but wanted to plant a few herbs, so between them they arrived at the idea of a raised garden bed made out of second-hand red bricks, placed behind the seat. Access to the enclosed space was an issue and Kate wasn't overly keen on wheelbarrows of bricks and other construction materials traipsing through the house, so Alex spoke to the neighbours on the far side of the fence running the length of the line of units and arranged to come through their property.

"We removed a section of the fence and gained access that way," says Alex. "It made for a fair few wheelbarrow loads, but it was better than going through the house."

Concrete pavers went down in place of the ugly concrete which had been there before, and after the hard landscaping was done Kate finished the job herself by covering up the somewhat dilapidated fence with brushwood fencing and placing a trellis along the top for jasmine to grow on.

"If you saw what it was like before, you just wouldn't recognise it," says Kate happily. "And it's made it look bigger, it's all functional and there's no space wasted. It's really nice to spend time out there now."

Alex Seaman

Alex Seaman Landscape Gardening

What particular challenges did this job throw up?

Being a small yard as part of a group of four units there was no access to the garden except through Kate's house. So the neighbours fortunately didn't mind me pushing barrows and coming through their block. We removed a section of the fence and went that way.  

Did you design the space?

Kate had a pretty clear idea of what she wanted, in terms of making the small yard as functional as an entertaining area as possible, and between us we came up with practical ways to make those ideas reality. 

So Kate had some input into the design?

She wanted a bit of storage space under the seat, and so we just nutted out an idea with the garden bed behind to add a bit of interest so it wasn't just all paving, and there were some green plants there too. And she wanted minimal garden space and more paving.

What did you find satisfying about the job?

I don't mind being on a wheelbarrow, and there were lots of wheelbarrow loads in and out of the neighbours', so that was satisfying. 

Did the small enclosed space make things difficult?

Small places obviously don't have the opportunities that larger spaces do to have as many elements, so often a large proportion is something like paving, and garden beds are somewhat minimised.

Kate

What were your main priorities for the space?

I wanted to feel the sun on my skin and read the paper and make the most of the small space that I had. I didn't really want too much garden, but I did want to have a little bit of greenery and grow a few herbs. I also wanted to have a bit of storage in some form outside. 

Why did you choose Alex for the job?

I knew him. I wasn't familiar with his work but I knew he'd done jobs of varied sizes and I certainly knew that he was reliable. I had tried one other tradesperson but he didn't get back to me, and Alex was able to do it pretty much straight away after we decided what we were going to do. 

Are you pleased with the results?

I'm very pleased. If you saw what it was like before you just wouldn't recognise it. And it's made it look bigger, and it's all functional, there's no space wasted. It's really nice to spend time out there now, even in the middle of winter I could eat lunch out there and read the newspaper.   

Would you recommend Alex to other people?

I definitely would. There was difficult access and he came up with a solution to that, which meant he didn't have to bring the wheelbarrow through the house. The job was done very thoroughly, and he achieved exactly what I wanted and it was neat when he left!

Do you use the space now?

Very much. The true test will come when I have my housewarming though!