Snork's Garden Redesign Project

Hey peeps,

Looking for thoughts and feedback on a project I'd been planning since we moved in a year and a half ago.

At the end of the garden I've got a decent sized greenhouse but it's a bit tatty now. Also the grass is VERY WET, mossy and sodden (despite spending a fortune of moss/lawn treatments). It's so wet the moss will never improve!

We also want an outdoor office for my husband to work in. The Garden is SSE facing so the bottom end of the garden is that last part that gets the sun in an evening.

The idea is to:

• Replace the greenhouse with a brick built small office and attached to that a brick based greenhouse.

• Turn the lawn area around and in front of the new office into a patio (using the same stone paving that is everywhere else in the garden). The patio area around the greenhouse and to the side of it will be a raised area to allow seating to catch the last of the sun.

• Create a nature pond, where there is currently a plum tree, as this is the wettest part of the garden, with big cobbles/stones gently sloping the sides so frogs etc can get in and out easily and so I can grow marginals (what I can't currently do in the koi pond). This should also help with the drainage of this area.

• To add some separation to the garden I thought a raised bed would be a good idea. It'll also overcome the annoying clay soil issue.

Just wondered:

• What you peeps think of this? Any suggestions?
• About getting the brick office/greenhouse built - what is the first stage? Would I need an architect or get a builder to do a quote? Any idea about planning permission requirements? (I'd assume none needed as it is only going to be single story and not attached to the house?

I've added my drawings as the garden is now:

And how I plan the end of the garden to be:

 

Try this first for the planning permission/ building regs requirements: https://interactive.planningportal.co.uk/mini-guide/outbuildings/0

After that just ring your local council's planning department and check, if in doubt.

There are lots of firms which offer home office kits now, but I think those tend to be expensive. If you have a clear idea of what you want, and don't need to submit drawings to the council, I'm sure you could just find a good builder and get on with it.

An architect will add to the cost but could also lift the result to a new level. You would hopefully end up with a building which looked nicer, and functioned better. Working with a good architect is a joyful process, they will talk you through what you need, come up with ideas you would never have thought of, and then make all the nitty-gritty work.

PS Are you sure your husband will actually want to work in the office? I only ask because my brother and his wife did a similar thing, building a nice log cabin at the end of their garden. But then he found it lonely working down there so it languished unloved until the kids decided it was great for sleepovers.

 

Brilliant! Thank you Clare - great advice. I just wasn't sure where to start first so that's a great help!

As for husband working down there - he is desperate to get out the spare bedroom as the dogs are noisy when he is on business work calls. (Bea has learnt to bark everytime we say "hello" to answer the door/phone because she thinks someone is there!) We also decided that if he didn't end up using it then I can have it as a hobby room for my sewing machine etc he he.

 

wowweee @shiney that is amazing - I didn't think it was yours, I thought it was a picture from a catalogue or something! ha ha. That is a beaut! It's quite big in comparison to what we were thinking but it is loverrrrrly! We weren't bothered about a toilet or water supply for it and we've got electrics already down that end and there is a water tap (for the greenhouse etc) which is connected to the well.

Definitely will need to factor in lights - we have some lamps all the way down to the end of the garden and want to replace them with something a bit more modern.

How long did that take to do @shiney? It really is fantastic!

 

That's quite quick really! Have copied your post and sent to mr snorks for info. Thanks v much

 

A couple of pond area ideas. Obviously no waterfall, but I like the planting and the use of pebbles.

 

Hi @shiney I was just wondering if the building is ok to be used for sleeping in/guest room? Or does that require further building regs?

 

Those ponds look lovely @Snorky85 . Are you going to be making your pond yourselves ?

 

Hopefully-might get the landscaper to dig it out when he does the patio area etc-seems silly not to if he's using a digger or something

 

Exciting times ahead for you . Hmmm, now I wonder if I could make some adaptations to my bath pond . Or maybe I could turn it into a Duck pond and create something similar to your pictures elsewhere

 

ha ha, you can always have two ponds!

I am wondering whether the pebbles might go a manky green colour. Saying that, the current little "nature pond" which is in full sun has stones and they havent gone slimey green. This new pond siting will have partial sun and partial shade instead of full sun all day-so hoping it stays clearer and doesnt go green with algae so quickly.