Cheap Backyard Ideas
Hi, We have a 10×10 shady patch of dirt and weeds that we would like to actually use this summer. Grass will never grow there. What would be the cheapest, quickest way to get started? Wood deck, pebbles, brick, concrete? Can it be done by clutzy DIYers or hire out? Any ideas would be welcome!…
Hi, We have a 10×10 shady patch of dirt and weeds that we would like to actually use this summer. Grass will never grow there. What would be the cheapest, quickest way to get started? Wood deck, pebbles, brick, concrete? Can it be done by clutzy DIYers or hire out? Any ideas would be welcome!
Thanks.
we did our bricks in 1990s so I don’t remember for sure how much sand, I’d guess yes, four inches approx.
I used the book my dad had used to do our brooklyn backyard in the 70s.
The most important thing was grading it to slope away from the building (gradually) and to lead to the drain (ditto).
We laid used bricks we bought in boro park and they had a lovely old look right away. The nice thing about brick which I didn’t think about ahead is that its warm so cheers up a shady space. Moss will grow on bricks but easy to scrape off if you hate and I always loved the look of it.
Recently bought that nuclear grass that grows anywhere on anything for a small strip of my Bushwick yard. It really is as amazing as the commercials say and I think it survives the winter. Just keep the seeds watered and the grass will grow in super thick, and it’s huge and vibrant even underneath my dense mulberry.
Again, thanks for all the thoughts. A small patch of the yard and the border already has brick pavers. I was hoping to do something different and like the idea of the deck tiles possibly. We’ll work on greenery next year.
Re: slopegirl plant recs at 8:57
slopegirl: how many inches of sand beneath the bricks you laid – can you get by with less than 4″?
The “coral bells” is a type of heuchera. I bought a couple of types of heuchera for my shaded (but bright) porch and after the first year decided to get lots more. Most don’t have a lot of flowers but some have really beautiful leaves and they are almost evergreen (except when buried under lots of snow!). I also have a clematis that gets very little direct sun but has lots of blooms from June through Sept and into Oct. The lamium starts blooming in April or May and blooms through the fall as well, with almost no direct sun. You could use it as a ground cover – it spreads easily.
be careful of mulch if made from treated wood it can contain arsenic (recently outlawed in treated outdoor wood). I did a story on a family in florida who filled their sandy yard with mulch and all got very sick.
If you have pets or other low to ground life forms be aware.
I would also recommend the pavers. They look great and require little care.
Wood chips/mulch.
Quick, easy, cheap, will keep the backyard from being a mud pit while you come up with a longterm solution for next year.
Super cheap and easy? Astroturf. Cut it, roll it out, and done. Fine for a season while you gird your loins for the more durable and attractive suggestions made above.
In addition to the shade plants recommended above, the only thing that grows in a difficult and very shady part of my garden are May Apples. They are native to the region and typically grow in a dry forest floor: http://www.briartech.com/earlyspring/mayapple/may.htm
Oooh… I was going to suggest the same thing as Bob Marvin. Those wooden “tiles” from Ikea would be great, especially if your dirt patch is flat (or at least the area you cover with the decking squares).
You should swing by one of those store… grrr… can’t remember the name. They sell discount/surplus home crap including flooring and such. They’re yellow and ugly. Worth a look, they sometimes have very surprising items for cheap (including backyard furniture!)
I bought cheap vinyl tiles (ya know the stickers) when I moved into my current apartment… the kitchen floor was nasty and my landlord said I could “do whatever you want.” 10 x 14 kitchen floor looking like new for like $50.