Garden planning - first draft

Or you drive to the green waste landfill the few times when a lot accumulates

And then throw away valuable biomass from your own garden. Only to buy fertilizer afterwards. :D

Or you drive to the green waste disposal site the few times there is a lot

It depends on the garden concept. For a totally artificial garden, you can do that; for a natural garden, it would be pure schizophrenia. And financially, I also don't find it ideal to first transport everything away and then buy expensive fertilizer or compost soil again. One more important point occurred to me: don't just think about the color of the flowers but also about the blooming times. The garden should look beautiful all summer, not just for one month.

So far, not much has accumulated with us that does not fit into the composter. I use grass clippings for mulching; hedge clippings have never been sufficient so far. Thorns, blackberries and co need to be removed. I have 1300 sqm that are the opposite of artificial. The amounts of compost have never accumulated. The mixing in the compost must be right. Fast composters are partly finished after 12 weeks.

Just make the reciprocal linking yourself this time here and in your second breed thread;

I still don’t understand the organizational system here and unfortunately can’t find the "second breed thread" anymore. :-( As soon as I have time, I will read through the manual and will surely find a solution then. Intuitively, it doesn’t seem that way to me.

Simply put, the higher they are, the further away the trees must be. As long as you agree with the neighbors, though, no one will care. But make sure to plan a desired and maximum height for all trees and hedges. Choose plants that stay within the desired size or can simply be kept that size.

We will do that. Thanks for the hint.

I would hesitate to park my car under pavilions in winter. ... So rather take a carport. Or omit the roof entirely.

I have already taken both pavilions out of my planning. I will take a carport made of metal or wood, which I will paint green. Ideally, I would really leave out the roofing completely, our car is not that valuable and I thought that cars can stand "outside" without their own shelter or roof. ;-) Most likely, however, my husband will insist on a garage. :-(

I also think that a proper seating area directly at the kitchen/dining area is missing.

I just checked. A small terrace will still be added to the kitchen, which I forgot. Since we were not allowed to place our house in the desired spot on the property, the neighbors are now quite close, and I don’t want to bother them with conversations they unintentionally overhear.

Totally unsuitable for a party and also inconvenient for normal visitors.

In my opinion, a terrace not attached to the house enhances the feeling of being in nature. We had that in the previous house. I like to be outside and to be in nature then. If I stay "at" the house, I might as well be "inside." That is one of the reasons why I will not buy the currently usual "outdoor living room furniture." I do not feel comfortable with these types of furniture; outside I want garden furniture, preferably comfortable and beautiful, but still garden furniture. These "outdoor living room furniture" blur the difference between inside and outside for me, and I do not appreciate that. I try it this way: On a terrace "attached" to the house, you are surrounded by nature on three sides. On a terrace "not attached" to the house, you are surrounded by nature on four sides. I prefer the latter.

Do you want to fence the property or keep it open?

The property will initially remain completely open—except for the two sides that our neighbors have already fenced. I could have done without those two fences from the neighbors, too. If there are problems, we will fence off the property.

What about the field? How do you want to include it?

My idea is to create a "meadow" (?) with wildflowers or meadow flowers as a transition to the field and also create seating there. That is one of the round terraces.

Do you want an ornamental garden only or also a utility garden?

Apart from the three fruit trees and a few tomatoes and herbs for tomato mozzarella (hmm, now I’m getting hungry ;-) ), the plants don’t need to be useful.

Do you want a natural garden or more the style of a federal garden show (Bundesgartenschau)?

I can’t decide yet, as I’m not 100% aware of the difference, but I assume a garden in the style of a federal garden show would be too high-maintenance for us. I can imagine a little corner with "rare" plants, though. I had that in the previous garden, but unfortunately, they were all stolen. :-(

Are there plants you definitely want and do they have special requirements (e.g. full sun, wind protection, supports, etc.)?

The yellow-flowering magnolia tree in front of the house is important to me; the location “should” fit. To the right of the carport, a support will be installed for the yellow/pink-flowering honeysuckle. This location will probably fit as well. At this spot, I want only something evergreen to block the view of the neighbors’ dark carport. It may already be known here that I emotionally do not cope well with dark colors. Except with cars. ;-)

How much time do you want to invest in the garden?

As much as it is fun.

Where do you store garden tools and how many do you need?

In the possibly green-painted, pentagonal garden house on the right side, all the way back. I don’t know how many we will need. I hope not too many. Garden tools for me are "junk," and I don’t appreciate "junk."

With a carport, important too: what about the bicycles?

I have drawn the bike rack to scale on the right of the house, near the carport.

Regarding compost, I have already expressed my opinion once before but will gladly do so again. The thing is for a balcony, not for a garden.

Based on your previous hint, I have changed the amount and size. :)

At first it will surely be enough, but quite soon you will fill it just with grass clippings.

Rent a container or drive to the green waste depot yourself or maybe scatter some a little on the field.

What do you do with leaves when they accumulate in larger quantities in a few years?

My husband and I are quite old, unlike the other forum members here.

So better plan a suitable place for that now and don’t make it too small. Two compartments of 1 cubic meter each is the right size, plus maybe something for green waste if you have more than 3 little trees.

My husband is, like you, an absolute compost fan. We’ll see how it turns out.

Accordingly, I want to rely on smaller growth forms. Do you have anything for that?

I haven’t quite understood the development plan regarding that yet. I thought I would just plant varieties/growth forms suited to us/our property. If they have to be removed, I will just give them away again via E..y.

The one with plants – potted garden – can also be kept green.

I don’t really like potted plants on/at a terrace and find them a bit impractical. I would rather plant around the terrace.

Sit in your house and look where your view goes when you eat or chat.

We will do that. :-) Thanks for the hint.

I would have expected a miniature palace garden for you.

I hope to create a bit of a "palace garden" with the fountain and the associated rondel. Unfortunately, neither our money nor my garden enthusiasm is enough for more. ;-) We also had to change the house, and a miniature palace garden no longer fits it. Otherwise, your assessment is 100% correct. :)

A patio door without a fixed exit looks bad imho.

That was a mistake on our part in the construction planning, which we will try to fix. Exactly how, I don’t know yet. For that, I want to open a separate thread or link to an earlier thread.

The terrace directly at the house is, in my opinion, used much more often and quickly, especially if the kitchen is nearby (which unfortunately is far away. I would already plan the outdoor kitchen there).

There is also a terrace by the kitchen, which I forgot on the drawing. Probably with a path to the other terraces. I would like several winding paths leading to the round terraces, etc. An outdoor kitchen is excluded for “me,” I was thinking of a nice barbecue area in the back by the field.

An important point just came to my mind: don’t think only about the color of the flowers but also about the blooming times. The garden should look nice all summer, not just for one month.

Yes, I will do that. Thanks. :) Now I got confused, sorry.

As much as it is fun.

Make a specific time indication out of it, e.g. 4 hours per week (=half a Saturday).

In the possibly green-painted, pentagonal garden shed, on the right side, all the way at the back. How many we need I don’t know. Gardening tools are "junk" to me and I don’t appreciate "junk."

Is the garden shed intended as a place to stay or for storage? If it is a place to stay, I would definitely plan a second room (preferably with its own entrance) for the gardening tools. Otherwise, you’ll be sitting in the evening looking at the wheelbarrow.

I thought I’d just plant varieties/growth forms that suit us/our property.

You might have underestimated German bureaucracy ;)

I think a terrace that is not right next to the house enhances the feeling of being in nature.

You are certainly right about that, but I wouldn’t want to carry dishes, food, drinks 20 meters away from the house. Especially since you are somewhat older than typical forum members and probably most guests as well ;) My parents also have a garden shed with a lounge area in a corner of the property. As far as I can remember, it was never used for that purpose. For a party, the lounge room is too small and for family use you don’t carry everything back there every time. Now the garden chairs, cushions, and grill are stored in the lounge. There is nothing wrong with planning a seating area where each guest then carries their own glass of wine.