Big back yard...

[Shahaku]

So we're looking into getting this house and so long as the inspection and everything goes through okay we're golden. And it has a huge back yard. I mean, nearly the size of a football field. I know I want a garden, and I'd like to get a few chickens for eggs. We'll dedicate a lot of it to typical back yard space (swing set, place for the dogs to run, trampoline, pool, hot tub, etc) but I want to put a good part of it toward more... practical?... stuff. And I know I've seen a few posts on here before about folks who have experience with that sort of thing so...help? Ideas? Anything?

[Heka]

Re: Big back yard...

We have a huge backyard too. Currently it has a shed, 3 big raised planter beds, washing line, 3 big rainwater tanks, and out door eating space. The rest is for the dogs. In the back corner we have a really big quandong tree.. or trees, there's like 30. I'm planing to build a shrine somewhere. I havent' decided where yet, or even done it. But there will be a place for the landvaettir to hangout in my backyard soon. We also want chooks, but if we leave in the next 2 years, it isn't worth the time and money to build it.

Is there anything specific you are thinking of?

[Shahaku]

Re: Big back yard...

Mostly chickens at this point (hens are allowed in my city). And a garden. I want the most amazing garden in town. The useful, food producing, kind. We'll see, we've got plenty of time.

[Heka]

Re: Big back yard...

Yeah my garden is food producing. It's still in progress, but we have 3 big iron tanks, cut down to a manageable height to use as raised beds (cos our soil is poo here). One is full of herbs, currently got parsley, sage, coriander, chives, basil, oregano and thyme. The other two need to be fully filled and fertilised then we have some rhubarb, celeriac, tomatos, carrots, silverbeat and cucumber to go in them

I'd love to do some crops too, like a square metre of quinoa, just for kicks!

[Rae'ya]

Re: Big back yard...

The sky is the limit, pretty much lol. You can do amazingly productive things with an average sized backyard, let alone a big one. My parents just have an average yard, nothing special, and they have aquaponics, a greenhouse, a back shed, a pergola large enough for an outdoor entertaining area, two raised veggie/herb beds, two ground ones, a clothesline, three rain water tanks, and a collection of pots that have things like a blueberry bush and a mandarin tree in them. Plus an enclosed cat run up the side of the house. Granted, there is no lawn space but it's amazing what you can do with space once you break it down. If you have a big yard, you can pretty much do whatever you like...

[Heka]

Re: Big back yard...

We sorted out the other two raised tank beds! Planted celeriac, rhubarb, multicoloured silverbeat and tomatoes Strawberries need to be planted out next!

[DanieMarie]

Re: Big back yard...

Are you allowed nanny goats in your municipality? Goat's milk!

[Shahaku]

Re: Big back yard...

Unfortunately the only livestock we can have is chickens. I am looking into what goes into making a good compost heap. And rainwater bins aren't a bad idea for watering the garden. I wouldn't drink it around here though. We aren't looking at using the whole yard for productivity stuff, we want to have a "normal" back yard too, but it's big enough for a decent garden and some small stuff. Mostly exploring at this point. And we'll have to go slow, budget wise.

[Heka]

Re: Big back yard...

Well having your garden in raised beds I think can be very effective in terms of a garden, and a 'normal' backyard. The raised-ness helps to keep pets out (though we need to build a fence, damn dogs! haha). Plus helps your back :P Plus you can start with one or two , and just add them if you have room later on.

[Shahaku]

Re: Big back yard...

Yea, I've thought about collecting used swing sets and making beds on those. I had a friend do that and it's turned out pretty well for them. We'll see.

[Heka]

Re: Big back yard...

I have no idea how that would work, but it sounds awesome!

[Maythe]

Re: Big back yard...

If you've got plenty of grassed space you could make a grass labyrinth. You mow the path and leave the rest of the grass to grow long. Wildflowers can start to make a niche in the longer grass which is good for wildlife. You can walk the labyrinth as a walking meditation and it also looks attractive. You'd need to mow the path about as often as you'd mow a rough lawn - every week or two - and then strim down the long grass in late summer. I have written a how-to post on this on my gardening blog and could link that if you would like?

[Shahaku]

Re: Big back yard...

I have no idea how that would work, but it sounds awesome!

They took all of the swings and stuff off then put a box across the beam of the A on either side. Then they hung another box from the loops the swings hung from and a third one from the beams on the side, close to the ground. Each box has a different depth and he had to do a lot of coordinating on root depth vs how tall the plant will grow.

If you've got plenty of grassed space you could make a grass labyrinth. You mow the path and leave the rest of the grass to grow long. Wildflowers can start to make a niche in the longer grass which is good for wildlife. You can walk the labyrinth as a walking meditation and it also looks attractive. You'd need to mow the path about as often as you'd mow a rough lawn - every week or two - and then strim down the long grass in late summer. I have written a how-to post on this on my gardening blog and could link that if you would like?

It sounds interesting, but I'd have to do it on a smaller scale. We are required to mow our lawns here. The entire lawn. So the only way I could see doing this is by varying the height of the mower blades to distinguish the two areas. Though I could make a garden with a labyrinth built in in part of the lawn.

[Erika]

Re: Big back yard...

If you've got plenty of grassed space you could make a grass labyrinth. You mow the path and leave the rest of the grass to grow long. Wildflowers can start to make a niche in the longer grass which is good for wildlife. You can walk the labyrinth as a walking meditation and it also looks attractive. You'd need to mow the path about as often as you'd mow a rough lawn - every week or two - and then strim down the long grass in late summer. I have written a how-to post on this on my gardening blog and could link that if you would like?

That sounds amazing! If Shahaku isn't interested, I am!

[Shahaku]

Re: Big back yard...

That sounds amazing! If Shahaku isn't interested, I am!

Lol, it's not that I'm not interested exactly, but that everything I do has to be in line with city code as well. And I don't want to anger my neighbors with their perfectly manicured lawns. We are moving to a very nice neighborhood, thankfully. I'm pretty sure I'd be pushing the box with the chickens, I don't want ridiculously tall grass as well. But I am planning to do a candle labyrinth every year for Samhain that the neighborhood is welcome to, barring unruly children who could knock over the candles and make a mess of things.. not to mention a fire. We'll see.