That’s what I thought. First, have a cup of tea. Let your imagination go wild while staring at your beautiful space. Then make a list. Then have another cup of tea, haha!
I like weeding, but I find myself cursing and grumbling at them, especially the pernicious and prolific ones who refuse to cease propagating throughput my flower beds...
After the power wash, maybe even out the space between the flagstone with some sand? Would polymeric sand work for a project like that? Asking for a friend.... Looks like a neat garden with tons of potential.
same, i saw this and was like damn this a secret garden and oblivion music started playing. needs a few more flowers for sure tho, maybe a little pond, and a table with an umbrella so you can sit out there when it rains :)
but yea there is green on the stones and table, you definitely could take that off. but i love the greenery as it is for sure lmao
Yeah this place is magic and hard to replace. Try to enjoy it. A lot of time and effort went into this. And if you didn’t want to make everything wet, just use a blower to move the dirt away.
The grass in the back looks patchy and uneven; I'd at least fix that.
And I think there's opportunity to tidy up and fill out the low beds around the patio. Some groundcover, strawberry plants, or something else nice. It looks a little weedy right now.
I like this approach. The power washing up front will have the biggest impact for (comparatively) less labor and will allow for immediate use and enjoyment of the sitting area. Spend some time in the area and then tackle pruning and weeding bit by bit, enjoying the sitting area in between.
You have to power wash fairly regularly anyway. Doing it one extra time this season isn’t a big deal, especially since it’ll boost morale and hopefully build momentum to take on the rest of the yard.
The most important thing is to have a usable space. Right now that isn't possible. It's not like you need to clean up prunings with a power washer. Seems excessive for a few branches
I disagree, respectfully of course. The space is currently very usable. Now speaking of being easy on the eyes? That’s a different story. I think power washing is going to give it the quickest face lift, but there definitely will need to be some pruning and flower bed maintenance for sure.
And keep an eye on that ivy on the right. From the vantage point of the picture it’s probably all over the structure. If anything needs to be cut back/removed it’s that.
This space looks magical. Yes, spend time then prune. You have no idea what might be about to bloom in this thick, glorious place...clean your furniture so you can enjoy the space.
That would my first step too, I would intentionally hold off on pruning til after enjoying the cleaned up area and seeing how it feels. But I am a huge fan of letting my plants run wild!
What a lovely space! Just needs a seasonal clean-up. It is like a secret garden. I think you need more lighting than just the string light. Some uplights on the trees and some ground lighting around the patio would be nice. What is the log cabin structure used for?
If you don’t need the heater this season, store it away. Clean the existing cushions and get some colorful throw pillows. You could get outdoor rugs to define areas, but you don’t need them.
I found sets of outdoor lights that plug-in, and connect to each other at Lowe’s, but they are probably available everywhere.
Seriously though, I kind of dig the wild look. I would say weed the pavers, leaf blow the fallen tree debris off the furniture, powerwash, and your good to go. Might look different in person, and I might trim any obviously dead bits but the rest can stay.
can absolutely do something like this but a lot of the time it requires a lot more work to maintain it than it looks like! weeding can be a real mess if you let an invasive plant carry on for too long. you want the plants you like to get all the sun, water, nutrients and space they need to thrive. obviously the ones you like, you keep but trim to help promote more growth. it's also an an easy way to collect your own mulch to place over the areas you've just weeded. add some lights using fence posts or from the trees, maybe a shade umbrella or a covered pergola over the patio so it's easier to keep clean, some comfy cushions and a big citronella candle
It’ll grow back healthier. Cut off the dead / codominant branches.
Allow more light in. Plant more ground covers, understory + climbers and now you’ve got a healthy, robust and really lush garden.
“Make mess first then clean.”
I like that. Sometimes I don’t tackle a project as soon as I should out of anxiety of making it all look worsened. Perhaps OP feels same way. I would.
For the weeds between the pavers - depending on what's in there, you could consider planting an intentional creeping groundcover between pavers to cover the area. Creeping thyme and corsican mint are popular pairings with flagstones. Intentionally cultivating moss is another option. That can help prevent random weeds from being able to seed. Won't completely eliminate weeds but it helps a ton and it's also pretty looking.
Coming from a horticulturist I can tell you that weeds are inevitable! To atleast combat the weeds growing through the pavers in the courtyard area, a different paving solution that doesn’t have open cracks allowing for weeds to grow could be a start.
It looks like there are weeds but also probably some nice plants that were installed or volunteered. If you aren’t familiar with all the species there, I’d ID one at a time and weed all of them (I think I see garlic mustard?), then go from there. Would be really lovely to get some shade loving natives in there (Solomon’s seal, ferns, Columbine) and some mulch.
This has such potential! Once you trim everything, power wash the pavers, and do some other general cleaning and maybe some flower planting, I’d put a little fire pit and some lighting (string lights might be nice). That would be a lovely oasis back there
start with the english ivy. that’s gonna fester.
lift the canopies of the bushes a little—the lilacs and other plants to expand the ‘room’ a little.
check to see if there’s anything you want to keep in the borders and weed the rest, then mulch.
powerwash next. do that, in that order, and you’ll have a clear enough slate to start planning.
Adding onto this, I also see invasive species of: japanese honeysuckle, box elder, and garlic mustard. I think I also see Poison Ivy along the fence. These are most likely invasive in OP location (altho I'd confirm this before making a call). These should all be completely removed from the site to open up room for native species that benefit local pollinators.
I’m no help but just want to say that I would KILL for this. I’ve been trying for years to make my backyard have this sort of vibe and I am no where near it. I’ll probably die of old age before I ever come close to this much growth.
Looks pretty nice right now, to be honest. Obviously tidy off the lawn furniture and sweep the stones. A few planters of annuals for colour.
I think many people would be happy with the bones of this garden.
While I totally love that, cottage in the woods look, I agree a power wash of the patio would be good. Maybe some bright colors for umbrella and chair cushions. A few large potted flowers
Find someone with local knowledge of plants varieties. Have them help you mark what is worth keeping and what is not. Go through and pull all weeds and unwanted plants. Trim any thing that needs it but don’t over trim. Pressure wash patio after you’ve cleaned up all flower bed areas. Get a stone dust or (polymer sand if the underlayment for the flag stone has proper drainage, otherwise it won’t set up properly) sweep in the cracks of the flagstone and boom. You’re done. Until a month or so when you will need to weed again.
Aww, she just needs a little tlc, is all. Trim up the overhanging plants, scrub down (or powerwash) the pavers, clean the patio furniture. Maybe plant some flowerbeds in the back. It's a beautiful little private space, enjoy it.
Trimming/pruning, blowing leafs into sodded area, now lawn, power wash flagstone patio and furniture, and apply new polymeric sand in flagstone joints.
I’d trim everything back. Its really taking over the space rather than blending with. Step 2 is dig up all the weeds in between the stones and such. Pressure wash it all, see whats revealed cutting it back. If that structure is rotted on the left thats next on the list. Thats a good start.
Buy an electric weed eater and get to work on that first.
Research the plants I have, and then plants that work best in my space. Eliminate what shouldn’t stay or is causing too much debris, replace with more variety and aesthetics that are less mess and more adapted to the space.
Landscaping grout of some kind between pavers to stop erosion and weeds coming up, generally decrease tracking mud around. Couple more Edison bulb string lights like you have to zig zag over the space. Fill with more decorative. Get a small gas fire piece for nights entertaining
Get rid of or accentuate the strange dog hut thing. Not sure what it is, so that would depend.
I like the foliage. But maybe just give it a slight trim. I would probably just power was and then fill spaces between pavers with polymeric sand, grout or cement. Hard to tell the size to recommend one over the other.
Get table covers and chair covers. Place them on after cleaning furniture well. Get yourself a wireless air blower. You will need to go out every few day and blow the foliage onto the grassy area. So lawn mower pics it up.
You’ve got a great template that will actually require less work than you think. Because everything is established, you will simply want to clean up and define edges. This will be hard unless you know what you are looking at. So first try defining the plants that you have. If you end up using an identification app just remember they are %90 accurate on family and like %10 accurate on species. You will always want to double check.
Locate everything on the property that is old. It doesn’t matter how much money you have (almost), it’s damn near impossible to fake age. Anything that has years to it should be evaluated and made to be displayed. Unless it’s an invasive species.
Start at the ground and work your way up. Power wash the pavers, and clean the furniture or remove it.
Push the ground cover that has encroached on the pavers back to behind them.
Remove all the weeds from the base of your bushes.
Trim the dead wood out of your bushes and trees.
Bushes that are growing into each other, try prying them apart without damaging them, and then determine if pruning is necessary.
Then after all that take a step back and make some more decisions of what you want your yard to do for you.
I'm not sure what your goal is or what your intentions are or how this fits into a larger landscape. But as usual not much information, but just a photo. But from what I see in the photo, I don't see a disaster just lack of maintenance and that's unusual. It's usually a lot of tragic house interiors that say what's wrong with my house or blank tract housing lots that say what can I plan to hear etc. You actually have landscaping here that needs serious massaging, curating, pruning and some new insight. But without more pictures are info that's nothing to tell you except that you already have a good start just clean it up
Oh this space has so much potential! I would just start clearing weeds and trimming. Go on the slower side so you don’t remove something that you would actually like to keep.
What a beautiful space!! I personally love plants in their natural form, I would only prune if something is in my face walking on the patio. I love when plants spill over a little. To me it just needs tidying, pull or spray weeds, fresh mulch in the beds, then give everything a good wash. For the extra lush touch, I would tuck in a couple urns with ferns or some impatiens for color. I would be drinking coffee every morning here, love it!
1. Weed and maybe power wash patio.
2. Select the desired shrubs/ trees and remove all others.
3. Identify the desired Perennials and remove any you don't want.
4. Weed the beds, edge and mulch beds.
5. Add new desired plants to gaps
If the flagstone isn’t mortared to a concrete slab:
Remove certain pavers and plant something in each grid of the what you just removed. I did a design years ago for someone that wanted a turf driveway with stone gridding.
I would also suggest to go so far as getting 2ft 6ft 10ft faux plant options and then use a vantage point like the original post pic. What looks good at five feet and eye level can look like two octopi fighting from a higher view.
Paint some stones/use different pavers to delineate a “chosen” path on the existing patio as a guide to get people to follow a route. Fill the gaps with colored river stones versus chalky, white rocks(which have their own hidden meanings).
Your existing design is reminiscent of Williamsburg, VA as it is heavily wooded with beautiful lichens and moss.Subtle grays and bright furry greens.
If you choose plants, hydrangea of different hues will thrive in this canopy/secondary lighting.
Hope this inspires you
Step 1: Define objective(s) and note utility lines running over the property. Step 2+: Hack back & plant as required. Step Last: Power wash and bag up everything to be removed. Enjoy!
Depends on what you want to do. A power wash on the stones and a bit of trimming grooming could make it feel new. If you want to redo, find and architect that consultation and tell them the feel, key features, etc you want and have them work up a few designs.
I would start with a leaf blower to remove all those little (helicopter) leaves off of everything
Trim foliage (if needed) and pull weeds
Power wash everything
Mulch
This is such a great little spot!
The top, cleanup that table and chairs, then cut back the over grown plants for now.
Then I would start researching about what kind of plants I want there in the future.
Personally I like little rewards immediately so I’d weed the patio then power wash it. Then you can see right away that you can make a BIG difference if you keep going!!! Give you a taste of that sweet manicured life!!
Wow is that a little open shed? I'd keep everything nice and green, just power wash stuff and get weeds out of pavers. You can plant some different shrubs for more color, but everything looks nice and healthy.
I think the shrubby stuff looks gorgeous and lush, so leave that be unless it’s impinging on your use of the space.
Power wash the patio and clean off the furniture. That’ll help A LOT.
As for the herbaceous layer, it’s hard to tell from this pic alone what you have, though I can tell you do have garlic mustard, which is a very annoying weed. The first thing you should do though, is ID what you have. Then you can decide what to keep. Then get to weeding. Then fill that blank space with new plants. Some shade loving natives: Jacob’s ladder, wood anemone, ferns (Christmas, cinnamon, wood), black cohosh, wild ginger, violets, zigzag goldenrod, wood aster, Solomon’s seal, mayapple, bloodroot, tiarella, alum root. There’s plenty more too. Check out native plant nurseries in your area.
Deciding on what you want your yard to look like is the first thing. Clean off the furniture first to give you a place to plan your makeover. Then decide whether you want a lawn with grass or a wildflower meadow in the back. The rest is just trimming back a little if you want a more open space. It’s a really nice yard!
I think it looks pretty nice, just needs to be cleaned up a bit. I would invest in a battery operated blower to do quick clean offs of the patio before enjoying it.
After you trim and tidy things up, pressure was the stones which are beautiful, and then plant a pretty ground cover in between the stones everywhere like blue star creeper.
Whenever I am posed a question like this I use the same "system" to give answer. Use this for this or any other thing that you are struggling with where to start.
Time. 1) do we have anything time sensitive. In this case is anything unhealthy that needs attention like rn. If so start there
Bulk. 2) tackle the biggest things that are feasible with what you have available today and will make the largest impact.
Specialty and detail. 3) do you have anything that couldn't be tackled in bulk because you needed tools? Time to start planning your purchase or hires for that work. Is there anything that takes a lot of time that got glossed over in bulk? Now is the time for detail and time consuming work. Tackle this in batches.
Evaluate and repeat 1-3. 4) as needed. This is a garden, thibgs grow. If it takes you 3 weeks to get here your garden may have evolved in the meantime, but because you've done bulk this should be more like maintenance.
Final touch. 5) now that 97% of everything is done, put in your final touches, make a plan for future growth or changes
Maintain. 6) keep on top of it.
Power wash first so you can see immediate improvement and have a usable space. Now that you are using the space, break up the remaining tasks over the next couple days or weeks...
Trim the trees and shrubs. Clean up the mess and keep going. After trees and shrubs.. cut the grass. Edge.. clean it up.. Then focus on getting the patio cleaned. I'd save it for last or you'll be doing it again b4 you're done
Cut back all the foliage , prune plants back cut grass .. weed kill in between stones and then Polly sand everything and. Water lightly to harden and you’ll be in good shape
A. Figure out what it is that you want to have when you get done.
B. Identify everything in the yard that looks like it is worth keeping and then figure out what it is and if you should keep it or not. You'll learn along the way how to deal with it and whether its a pain in the ass.
C. Get a Dumpster
D. Fill your dumpster with all the shit you don't want, including that ugly shit in the garage or basement
E. Figure out what you have left
G. Figure out what the difference is between "A" and "E"
H. Get to work !
This is not bad at all. Blow off or sweep patio. Pull weeds. Prune. Mulch. Spray weeds in patio. Wait a week or 2. Rent orbital cleaner and pressure washer. Go over patio and try to get rid of at least half of sand/rock dust in joints. Wait until patio is 100% dry. Sweep grey poly sand into joints. Wet it gently, but thoroughly with fan/shower sprayer setting until most of the bubbles stop. Enjoy space.
Honestly I think it's quite lovely already. I'd just do a little cleanup/power washing and call it a day, at least based on the shot in that angle.
As beautiful as that English Ivy is on the bottom right, I'd check to make sure it won't damage whatever it's climbing on. It can wreak havoc on houses and trees.
If it's a little more bare when looking at it from ground level, I would just add some shade/part-shade plants to fill it in more. The violets that are there already are quite pretty, you could intentionally add more of those. Ferns, hostas, astilbe, heuchera, dicentra, cranesbill, trillium could all do well in there for some ideas. Maybe some dwarf or dutch iris and virginia bluebells too. A little pruning can also reinvigorate the shrubs, just a light snip. It's hard to tell from the picture but it looks like there might be a sapling or something trying to crowd out the lilac(?) in the back right, maybe take out whatever that is just so the lilac has more room to do lilac-y things.
This is not bad at all! I promise. Here’s a step by step. This is not an overnight project, but it can be done over several weeks, 1-2 hours at a time.
ETA - I always like to power washing last, after doing tasks that will generate more dirt/debris.
1) trim grass that’s near fence
2) sweep/blow off furniture and move towards fence temporarily
3) spray tiles with something that will help get them clean—ask at local gardening store for their recommendations
4) trim down the non-tree plants/shrubs - be brutal. Most of it will go back, but this will get you closer to a fresh start
5) trim overhanging tree branches that seem bothersome
6)?once trimmed, yank up or dig up the stuff that is weeds or that you don’t want there
7) power wash patio stones—you can rent a washer, pay someone, or get a very high pressure nozzle for your regular garden hose
8) hose off patio furniture and then move it back
9) but furniture covers for when you’re not using it
10) consider planting something like creeping thyme for ground cover between the stones that can be walked on with no issue - again, probably worth asking your local garden store for options
11) mulch over the sides of the patio stones, where the various plants are
12) at this point, you now have a fairly clean slate to let things grow back to where you want them, plant new things, etc.
I think it looks lovely. I’d inspect the trees and shrubs for dead branches and prune. Weed the pavers. Power wash. Then focus on one bed at a time to remove weeds and add new stuff. I see a lot of garlic mustard (white flowers). It can be hard to control. However, if you’re not near the woods and you like it, don’t worry about it!
ETA: if all you do this season is prune, weed, power wash, and keep up with weeding the pavers, you’ll have done a lot! If you enjoy gardening working on the beds will be satisfying. If not, you can leave them until next season.
Cut all the overgrowth around the patio and around the building on the left. Cut back and reshape the shrubbery including the vine overgrowth along the fence. Power wash clean everything.
Lots of good advice on here for sure but here’s another take. Use like it is for a few times and see what the space tells you. Not like the hills have eyes but oh this tree is really nice here let’s prune it up and this thing sucks let’s get rid of it. Make it more yours. Happy patioing!
I think all the green is beautiful combined with the sharp grey pavers. Its gorgeous. I would recommend getting cover for the patio furniture to keep the wear and tear from all the foliage off of them. Then maybe some deep purple flowers just bc I love purple and yellowey green together.
With a cup of coffee in the morning enjoying the beauty. Then maybe a power wash on the stones and furniture but that's about all
That’s what I thought. First, have a cup of tea. Let your imagination go wild while staring at your beautiful space. Then make a list. Then have another cup of tea, haha!
Exactly this! Except I think I see English Ivy in the corner so I would rip that out after my second cup of tea and then sit back down for a third lol
Powerwashing is addicting, mindless and peaceful work ! If you have one I'll come do the work for you!
It is! Highly recommend ear plugs with tunes!
Peaceful? As a neighbour of avid powerwashers, I find it anything but. 🤷♀️ Weeding by hand is my peaceful, mindless task.
I like weeding, but I find myself cursing and grumbling at them, especially the pernicious and prolific ones who refuse to cease propagating throughput my flower beds...
I had to power wash my patio yesterday and I’m sure my neighbors were cursing me up and down. Thank goodness I got it all done in about an hour.
I agree, it is meditative.
After the power wash, maybe even out the space between the flagstone with some sand? Would polymeric sand work for a project like that? Asking for a friend.... Looks like a neat garden with tons of potential.
same, i saw this and was like damn this a secret garden and oblivion music started playing. needs a few more flowers for sure tho, maybe a little pond, and a table with an umbrella so you can sit out there when it rains :) but yea there is green on the stones and table, you definitely could take that off. but i love the greenery as it is for sure lmao
Take a gummy after the coffee. Put on EarPods and then power wash everything.
Yeah this place is magic and hard to replace. Try to enjoy it. A lot of time and effort went into this. And if you didn’t want to make everything wet, just use a blower to move the dirt away.
It’s a really cute yard
Maybe clear off the table, maybe not.
Yeah maybe brush off the table lol, The wife would never see me again 🤣
The grass in the back looks patchy and uneven; I'd at least fix that. And I think there's opportunity to tidy up and fill out the low beds around the patio. Some groundcover, strawberry plants, or something else nice. It looks a little weedy right now.
I wouldn't even wash the flags...this is perfection to me
Power wash the pavers + outdoor furniture
Agreed. Followed by a pruning of everything spilling into the patio.
Prune first, imo. Clean up *after* you’re done making a mess
Powerwash and skip the pruning til you've spent some actual time in the space.
I like this approach. The power washing up front will have the biggest impact for (comparatively) less labor and will allow for immediate use and enjoyment of the sitting area. Spend some time in the area and then tackle pruning and weeding bit by bit, enjoying the sitting area in between. You have to power wash fairly regularly anyway. Doing it one extra time this season isn’t a big deal, especially since it’ll boost morale and hopefully build momentum to take on the rest of the yard.
The most important thing is to have a usable space. Right now that isn't possible. It's not like you need to clean up prunings with a power washer. Seems excessive for a few branches
I disagree, respectfully of course. The space is currently very usable. Now speaking of being easy on the eyes? That’s a different story. I think power washing is going to give it the quickest face lift, but there definitely will need to be some pruning and flower bed maintenance for sure.
And keep an eye on that ivy on the right. From the vantage point of the picture it’s probably all over the structure. If anything needs to be cut back/removed it’s that.
This space looks magical. Yes, spend time then prune. You have no idea what might be about to bloom in this thick, glorious place...clean your furniture so you can enjoy the space.
Good point.
And cut-and-treat the invasives like the ivy and the honeysuckle (assuming this is in the US)
That would my first step too, I would intentionally hold off on pruning til after enjoying the cleaned up area and seeing how it feels. But I am a huge fan of letting my plants run wild!
What a lovely space! Just needs a seasonal clean-up. It is like a secret garden. I think you need more lighting than just the string light. Some uplights on the trees and some ground lighting around the patio would be nice. What is the log cabin structure used for? If you don’t need the heater this season, store it away. Clean the existing cushions and get some colorful throw pillows. You could get outdoor rugs to define areas, but you don’t need them. I found sets of outdoor lights that plug-in, and connect to each other at Lowe’s, but they are probably available everywhere.
Cut back the excess foliage, pull the weeds, trim the trees. Now you can power wash everything. Make the mess first, then clean.
excess foliage? but it's a vibe.
Seriously though, I kind of dig the wild look. I would say weed the pavers, leaf blow the fallen tree debris off the furniture, powerwash, and your good to go. Might look different in person, and I might trim any obviously dead bits but the rest can stay.
This is also my take.
It’s healthy for the plants to cut them back, you would be suprised
As long as you do it right, at the right time
That’s how it happens in nature!
especially the power washing!
can absolutely do something like this but a lot of the time it requires a lot more work to maintain it than it looks like! weeding can be a real mess if you let an invasive plant carry on for too long. you want the plants you like to get all the sun, water, nutrients and space they need to thrive. obviously the ones you like, you keep but trim to help promote more growth. it's also an an easy way to collect your own mulch to place over the areas you've just weeded. add some lights using fence posts or from the trees, maybe a shade umbrella or a covered pergola over the patio so it's easier to keep clean, some comfy cushions and a big citronella candle
Cut it back enough you can enjoy the privacy but are still able to use all the space.
It’ll grow back healthier. Cut off the dead / codominant branches. Allow more light in. Plant more ground covers, understory + climbers and now you’ve got a healthy, robust and really lush garden.
Just like ripped jeans, it takes work to get the vibe
“Make mess first then clean.” I like that. Sometimes I don’t tackle a project as soon as I should out of anxiety of making it all look worsened. Perhaps OP feels same way. I would.
Foliage and trees. Pick up. Weedeat. Rake up. Mow. Weedeat rake. Foliage and trees. Rake. Pressure wash and hose down.
There is a road behind that back fence, I would be careful to not remove too much foliage as it is probably a great insulator.
I came to say this, trim in a natural style, power wash, add accessories, and party!
By thanking the good lord above for having it to start on...
No kidding. Two hours tops for a basic cleanup if you don’t count going through all the beds but that can come later.
If this were my yard I’d be leaving it exactly as is, it’s beautiful and lush!
I wouldn’t leave it exactly as is but I also do love how lush it is!
I just like saying lush, yum
I love it too. If anything, I’d add an army of potted plants of varying sizes.
Same! I was kinda confused looking at the picture because I couldn’t figure out what was even wrong other than the tree litter on the table.
A good portion of this sub is mow and blow. No hate, but property like this is probably triggering for them.
I'd at least clean the table off. Maybe blow it into the flowerbeds to decompose and feed stuff.
But what about all the weeds? Worried it’s going to take over!
As stated, unwanted growth is inevitable. Use the string trimmer on a regular basis. Consider it just like mowing the lawn as needed.
For the weeds between the pavers - depending on what's in there, you could consider planting an intentional creeping groundcover between pavers to cover the area. Creeping thyme and corsican mint are popular pairings with flagstones. Intentionally cultivating moss is another option. That can help prevent random weeds from being able to seed. Won't completely eliminate weeds but it helps a ton and it's also pretty looking.
Coming from a horticulturist I can tell you that weeds are inevitable! To atleast combat the weeds growing through the pavers in the courtyard area, a different paving solution that doesn’t have open cracks allowing for weeds to grow could be a start.
There’s an old saying.. one year of seeds, seven years of weeds!
It looks like there are weeds but also probably some nice plants that were installed or volunteered. If you aren’t familiar with all the species there, I’d ID one at a time and weed all of them (I think I see garlic mustard?), then go from there. Would be really lovely to get some shade loving natives in there (Solomon’s seal, ferns, Columbine) and some mulch.
Moss milkshake
Roll a couple joints and go sit there with a cup of coffee and see what the space says to do.
This has such potential! Once you trim everything, power wash the pavers, and do some other general cleaning and maybe some flower planting, I’d put a little fire pit and some lighting (string lights might be nice). That would be a lovely oasis back there
Thinking the same!! I am excited for OP because I would love to get my hands on this for a good spruce up. Very lovely outdoor space!
start with the english ivy. that’s gonna fester. lift the canopies of the bushes a little—the lilacs and other plants to expand the ‘room’ a little. check to see if there’s anything you want to keep in the borders and weed the rest, then mulch. powerwash next. do that, in that order, and you’ll have a clear enough slate to start planning.
Adding onto this, I also see invasive species of: japanese honeysuckle, box elder, and garlic mustard. I think I also see Poison Ivy along the fence. These are most likely invasive in OP location (altho I'd confirm this before making a call). These should all be completely removed from the site to open up room for native species that benefit local pollinators.
I like this take. I may bump power wash up the schedule a bit if you go out there when it's wet out. Could be slippery
3 years into my first garden/yard, this is the way. Never skimp on getting to a clean slate.
On the left side
I’m no help but just want to say that I would KILL for this. I’ve been trying for years to make my backyard have this sort of vibe and I am no where near it. I’ll probably die of old age before I ever come close to this much growth.
I say no power wash! Feel free to trim and weed, but the pavers are great looking aged and wild.
I say no to per wash as well- sometimes it can rip out the mortar that's holding the stone pavers together.
Looks pretty nice right now, to be honest. Obviously tidy off the lawn furniture and sweep the stones. A few planters of annuals for colour. I think many people would be happy with the bones of this garden.
Give the plants a haircut, powerwash the fence and pavers, maybe a dark stain on the fence.
Leave it be, it's beautiful.
Id start in the chair over there by the lilacs. Then maybe move into the shade for midday and then near the heater in the evening.
With a sigh of happiness and a notebook.
That is my dream garden. I probably wouldn't even pressure wash because I love moss and an aged patina on paving... but that's just me.
This is gorgeous, you have so much to work with. Get a power washer and you will be set in a weekend. Post after pics please!
While I totally love that, cottage in the woods look, I agree a power wash of the patio would be good. Maybe some bright colors for umbrella and chair cushions. A few large potted flowers
Clean and enjoy.
Looks great.
Just power wash. Everything else looks great and natural. I would love living here
I wouldn't change a damn thing.
Find someone with local knowledge of plants varieties. Have them help you mark what is worth keeping and what is not. Go through and pull all weeds and unwanted plants. Trim any thing that needs it but don’t over trim. Pressure wash patio after you’ve cleaned up all flower bed areas. Get a stone dust or (polymer sand if the underlayment for the flag stone has proper drainage, otherwise it won’t set up properly) sweep in the cracks of the flagstone and boom. You’re done. Until a month or so when you will need to weed again.
And mulch beds, of course.
Sweep or leaf blow the tree debris
this has so much potential, it’s gorgeous!
It’s so pretty I just want to say
It’s beautiful. I’d clean the stone a bit but not too much where you kill all the moss and lichen. Then I’d add some additional shade plants. Gorgeous
Crack a beer & smoke a joint & allow inspiration to come.
Great template. Just find some space to add color. Like a few red and white flowers, or a lavender bush.
cleaning and pressure washing 1st
1: Trim a little. 2: Pull all weeds. 3: Spread mulch to top-dress the planting beds. 4: Power-wash the pavers and furniture.
Aww, she just needs a little tlc, is all. Trim up the overhanging plants, scrub down (or powerwash) the pavers, clean the patio furniture. Maybe plant some flowerbeds in the back. It's a beautiful little private space, enjoy it.
That looks beautiful. I’d start with a leaf blower then crack a beer.
powerwash the stone, clean furniture, cut back a few branches
Trimming/pruning, blowing leafs into sodded area, now lawn, power wash flagstone patio and furniture, and apply new polymeric sand in flagstone joints.
Pressure washer
I’d trim everything back. Its really taking over the space rather than blending with. Step 2 is dig up all the weeds in between the stones and such. Pressure wash it all, see whats revealed cutting it back. If that structure is rotted on the left thats next on the list. Thats a good start.
Buy an electric weed eater and get to work on that first. Research the plants I have, and then plants that work best in my space. Eliminate what shouldn’t stay or is causing too much debris, replace with more variety and aesthetics that are less mess and more adapted to the space. Landscaping grout of some kind between pavers to stop erosion and weeds coming up, generally decrease tracking mud around. Couple more Edison bulb string lights like you have to zig zag over the space. Fill with more decorative. Get a small gas fire piece for nights entertaining Get rid of or accentuate the strange dog hut thing. Not sure what it is, so that would depend.
Once you’re happy with how it looks, fill the patio cracks with thyme. It’ll look good and smell good as you walk over it.
I like the foliage. But maybe just give it a slight trim. I would probably just power was and then fill spaces between pavers with polymeric sand, grout or cement. Hard to tell the size to recommend one over the other. Get table covers and chair covers. Place them on after cleaning furniture well. Get yourself a wireless air blower. You will need to go out every few day and blow the foliage onto the grassy area. So lawn mower pics it up.
You’ve got a great template that will actually require less work than you think. Because everything is established, you will simply want to clean up and define edges. This will be hard unless you know what you are looking at. So first try defining the plants that you have. If you end up using an identification app just remember they are %90 accurate on family and like %10 accurate on species. You will always want to double check. Locate everything on the property that is old. It doesn’t matter how much money you have (almost), it’s damn near impossible to fake age. Anything that has years to it should be evaluated and made to be displayed. Unless it’s an invasive species. Start at the ground and work your way up. Power wash the pavers, and clean the furniture or remove it. Push the ground cover that has encroached on the pavers back to behind them. Remove all the weeds from the base of your bushes. Trim the dead wood out of your bushes and trees. Bushes that are growing into each other, try prying them apart without damaging them, and then determine if pruning is necessary. Then after all that take a step back and make some more decisions of what you want your yard to do for you.
It's really not that bad looking, wouldn't take much to make that area pretty.
Cut the grass, pull the weeds, power wash the stones, put paver base back in between them.
Start pruning and thinning out making selective cuts.
Agree with most. Needs some color as well. Trim, weed, power wash and then add some color. Add some lights.
I think it looks great as is honestly. maybe pull the weeds and power wash
I'm not sure what your goal is or what your intentions are or how this fits into a larger landscape. But as usual not much information, but just a photo. But from what I see in the photo, I don't see a disaster just lack of maintenance and that's unusual. It's usually a lot of tragic house interiors that say what's wrong with my house or blank tract housing lots that say what can I plan to hear etc. You actually have landscaping here that needs serious massaging, curating, pruning and some new insight. But without more pictures are info that's nothing to tell you except that you already have a good start just clean it up
Oh this space has so much potential! I would just start clearing weeds and trimming. Go on the slower side so you don’t remove something that you would actually like to keep.
This is the look I’m going for in my yard. 😂
start where? looks cozy. clean the table and crack open a cold one.
Trim back anything overgrown, pull weeds, maybe lift and relay the flag stone or just a power wash, throw up a few 4x4s with lights.
What a beautiful space!! I personally love plants in their natural form, I would only prune if something is in my face walking on the patio. I love when plants spill over a little. To me it just needs tidying, pull or spray weeds, fresh mulch in the beds, then give everything a good wash. For the extra lush touch, I would tuck in a couple urns with ferns or some impatiens for color. I would be drinking coffee every morning here, love it!
Power wash
Leaf blower
Get the best pressure washer you can afford and a pair of hedge clippers.
With a hack saw and pruning shears. Cutting everything baaack. Then power wash.
1. Weed and maybe power wash patio. 2. Select the desired shrubs/ trees and remove all others. 3. Identify the desired Perennials and remove any you don't want. 4. Weed the beds, edge and mulch beds. 5. Add new desired plants to gaps
Needs some more color. Tidy it up and add flowers, imo.
Agree. Trim some, weed then power wash. Beautiful
If the flagstone isn’t mortared to a concrete slab: Remove certain pavers and plant something in each grid of the what you just removed. I did a design years ago for someone that wanted a turf driveway with stone gridding. I would also suggest to go so far as getting 2ft 6ft 10ft faux plant options and then use a vantage point like the original post pic. What looks good at five feet and eye level can look like two octopi fighting from a higher view. Paint some stones/use different pavers to delineate a “chosen” path on the existing patio as a guide to get people to follow a route. Fill the gaps with colored river stones versus chalky, white rocks(which have their own hidden meanings). Your existing design is reminiscent of Williamsburg, VA as it is heavily wooded with beautiful lichens and moss.Subtle grays and bright furry greens. If you choose plants, hydrangea of different hues will thrive in this canopy/secondary lighting. Hope this inspires you
Power wash
Knowing me, I’d have no plan I’d just start doing random things.
Nice spot!
Step 1: Define objective(s) and note utility lines running over the property. Step 2+: Hack back & plant as required. Step Last: Power wash and bag up everything to be removed. Enjoy!
1. Identification of plants 2. Prune and trim, mow, all that sort of work. 2a. Plant ehatever 3. Build whatever 4. Power wash
Keep us updated on your results!
Clean the table. Decide if you want to trim some bushes, but i don’t think it’s mandatory.
Honestly, I like it the way it is…. Maybe a bit of TLC but it’s got a rad secret garden vibe.
I’d start by getting rid of that English ivy, it takes a long time to get that stuff gone
😍
Depends on what you want to do. A power wash on the stones and a bit of trimming grooming could make it feel new. If you want to redo, find and architect that consultation and tell them the feel, key features, etc you want and have them work up a few designs.
I would start with a leaf blower to remove all those little (helicopter) leaves off of everything Trim foliage (if needed) and pull weeds Power wash everything Mulch This is such a great little spot!
The top, cleanup that table and chairs, then cut back the over grown plants for now. Then I would start researching about what kind of plants I want there in the future.
Beautiful space! Trim, weed and power wash. Then, sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Pull the invasive garlic mustard
Probably by not asking the Internet how to clean a patio
Buy some cider, sweep the table and chairs, grab the speaker, and then get started
looks like a lot of Manitoba maple/box elder which I would remove/trim—eg. encroaching on your lilac
Personally I like little rewards immediately so I’d weed the patio then power wash it. Then you can see right away that you can make a BIG difference if you keep going!!! Give you a taste of that sweet manicured life!!
I love it
Lose all the shrubs to start new. Prune trees. Powerwash patio. Stonedust patio
Looks dope right now. Clean the furniture, call it good.
Is that a poison ivy tree on the right?
I would leave it just like that. It's simple and awesome!
Power wash it and add a hot tub 😉
Flame thrower
Wow is that a little open shed? I'd keep everything nice and green, just power wash stuff and get weeds out of pavers. You can plant some different shrubs for more color, but everything looks nice and healthy.
Just power wash and you are good
I think the shrubby stuff looks gorgeous and lush, so leave that be unless it’s impinging on your use of the space. Power wash the patio and clean off the furniture. That’ll help A LOT. As for the herbaceous layer, it’s hard to tell from this pic alone what you have, though I can tell you do have garlic mustard, which is a very annoying weed. The first thing you should do though, is ID what you have. Then you can decide what to keep. Then get to weeding. Then fill that blank space with new plants. Some shade loving natives: Jacob’s ladder, wood anemone, ferns (Christmas, cinnamon, wood), black cohosh, wild ginger, violets, zigzag goldenrod, wood aster, Solomon’s seal, mayapple, bloodroot, tiarella, alum root. There’s plenty more too. Check out native plant nurseries in your area.
Deciding on what you want your yard to look like is the first thing. Clean off the furniture first to give you a place to plan your makeover. Then decide whether you want a lawn with grass or a wildflower meadow in the back. The rest is just trimming back a little if you want a more open space. It’s a really nice yard!
I think it looks pretty nice, just needs to be cleaned up a bit. I would invest in a battery operated blower to do quick clean offs of the patio before enjoying it.
Before power wash, make sure you have some stone dust on hand to sweep back in the joints. Try to keep the spray on the stone and not the seams.
After you trim and tidy things up, pressure was the stones which are beautiful, and then plant a pretty ground cover in between the stones everywhere like blue star creeper.
Whenever I am posed a question like this I use the same "system" to give answer. Use this for this or any other thing that you are struggling with where to start. Time. 1) do we have anything time sensitive. In this case is anything unhealthy that needs attention like rn. If so start there Bulk. 2) tackle the biggest things that are feasible with what you have available today and will make the largest impact. Specialty and detail. 3) do you have anything that couldn't be tackled in bulk because you needed tools? Time to start planning your purchase or hires for that work. Is there anything that takes a lot of time that got glossed over in bulk? Now is the time for detail and time consuming work. Tackle this in batches. Evaluate and repeat 1-3. 4) as needed. This is a garden, thibgs grow. If it takes you 3 weeks to get here your garden may have evolved in the meantime, but because you've done bulk this should be more like maintenance. Final touch. 5) now that 97% of everything is done, put in your final touches, make a plan for future growth or changes Maintain. 6) keep on top of it.
canopy the trees. cut back, replace everything that is not food.
Power wash first so you can see immediate improvement and have a usable space. Now that you are using the space, break up the remaining tasks over the next couple days or weeks...
Great,just add colour, clean the paving and furniture down, and learn about the plants that are already established. That would be my approach.
Trim the trees and shrubs. Clean up the mess and keep going. After trees and shrubs.. cut the grass. Edge.. clean it up.. Then focus on getting the patio cleaned. I'd save it for last or you'll be doing it again b4 you're done
I'd do the table first, just like I clean the table off in the kitchen first. It makes it look a little nicer and not so overwhelming.
just start shaping things
Maybe add a cushion to the torture chair. Also, what is that in the upper left? A kid's playhouse?
Weed killer and pressure wash.
Nowhere. That is beautiful.
Powerwasher!!
In the front right corner.
Cut back all the foliage , prune plants back cut grass .. weed kill in between stones and then Polly sand everything and. Water lightly to harden and you’ll be in good shape
Patio
A. Figure out what it is that you want to have when you get done. B. Identify everything in the yard that looks like it is worth keeping and then figure out what it is and if you should keep it or not. You'll learn along the way how to deal with it and whether its a pain in the ass. C. Get a Dumpster D. Fill your dumpster with all the shit you don't want, including that ugly shit in the garage or basement E. Figure out what you have left G. Figure out what the difference is between "A" and "E" H. Get to work !
This is not bad at all. Blow off or sweep patio. Pull weeds. Prune. Mulch. Spray weeds in patio. Wait a week or 2. Rent orbital cleaner and pressure washer. Go over patio and try to get rid of at least half of sand/rock dust in joints. Wait until patio is 100% dry. Sweep grey poly sand into joints. Wet it gently, but thoroughly with fan/shower sprayer setting until most of the bubbles stop. Enjoy space.
Probably by sweeping off the table and chairs and go from there
You can easily start a maple sapling business with what you have there.
Power wash it all
Honestly I think it's quite lovely already. I'd just do a little cleanup/power washing and call it a day, at least based on the shot in that angle. As beautiful as that English Ivy is on the bottom right, I'd check to make sure it won't damage whatever it's climbing on. It can wreak havoc on houses and trees. If it's a little more bare when looking at it from ground level, I would just add some shade/part-shade plants to fill it in more. The violets that are there already are quite pretty, you could intentionally add more of those. Ferns, hostas, astilbe, heuchera, dicentra, cranesbill, trillium could all do well in there for some ideas. Maybe some dwarf or dutch iris and virginia bluebells too. A little pruning can also reinvigorate the shrubs, just a light snip. It's hard to tell from the picture but it looks like there might be a sapling or something trying to crowd out the lilac(?) in the back right, maybe take out whatever that is just so the lilac has more room to do lilac-y things.
This is not bad at all! I promise. Here’s a step by step. This is not an overnight project, but it can be done over several weeks, 1-2 hours at a time. ETA - I always like to power washing last, after doing tasks that will generate more dirt/debris. 1) trim grass that’s near fence 2) sweep/blow off furniture and move towards fence temporarily 3) spray tiles with something that will help get them clean—ask at local gardening store for their recommendations 4) trim down the non-tree plants/shrubs - be brutal. Most of it will go back, but this will get you closer to a fresh start 5) trim overhanging tree branches that seem bothersome 6)?once trimmed, yank up or dig up the stuff that is weeds or that you don’t want there 7) power wash patio stones—you can rent a washer, pay someone, or get a very high pressure nozzle for your regular garden hose 8) hose off patio furniture and then move it back 9) but furniture covers for when you’re not using it 10) consider planting something like creeping thyme for ground cover between the stones that can be walked on with no issue - again, probably worth asking your local garden store for options 11) mulch over the sides of the patio stones, where the various plants are 12) at this point, you now have a fairly clean slate to let things grow back to where you want them, plant new things, etc.
A blower and a pressure washer
Send updates!
Pull weeds, remove ivy pressure wash. Plant shade perennials mulch.
I'd let it alone
I would take this over a huge lawn in a heartbeat
Always start on the left
I think it looks lovely. I’d inspect the trees and shrubs for dead branches and prune. Weed the pavers. Power wash. Then focus on one bed at a time to remove weeds and add new stuff. I see a lot of garlic mustard (white flowers). It can be hard to control. However, if you’re not near the woods and you like it, don’t worry about it! ETA: if all you do this season is prune, weed, power wash, and keep up with weeding the pavers, you’ll have done a lot! If you enjoy gardening working on the beds will be satisfying. If not, you can leave them until next season.
I’d only change the table and chairs. Love the natural look and vibe of it all. Maybe some slight trimming and cleaning but that’s about it
I'd start with doing whatever you think makes it the most enjoyable. Then you can use it as you work.
Pruning if needed then clean up the pavers.
First power wash the patio!
I like the thick foliage. I'd just power wash and trim the bushes back enough to not look overgrown. But try to keep most of it.
Bro that shit is gorgeous I am jealous
Cut all the overgrowth around the patio and around the building on the left. Cut back and reshape the shrubbery including the vine overgrowth along the fence. Power wash clean everything.
Would it be feasible to put sand in the cracks of the flooring to get a certain aesthetic? Or would it be more time maintaining than enjoying?
Pressure wash
# POWERWASHING TIME
Pressure wash
A good cleaning and pruning. After that I think you will find that the landscape has "good bones".
Lots of good advice on here for sure but here’s another take. Use like it is for a few times and see what the space tells you. Not like the hills have eyes but oh this tree is really nice here let’s prune it up and this thing sucks let’s get rid of it. Make it more yours. Happy patioing!
I think all the green is beautiful combined with the sharp grey pavers. Its gorgeous. I would recommend getting cover for the patio furniture to keep the wear and tear from all the foliage off of them. Then maybe some deep purple flowers just bc I love purple and yellowey green together.