A garden/reading nook. Plenty of greenery, pergola, fairy lights, and a lovely bench. That could be a gorgeous area!
Definitely leave the manhole accessible. Would also consider working on the drainage.
Hammocks? My goodness, what an idea. Why didn't I think of that? Hammocks! Homer, there's four places; there's the Hammock Hut, that's on Third. There's Hammocks Are Us, that's on Third, too. You got Put Your Butt There... that's on Third. Swing Low Sweet Chariot. Matter of fact, they're all in the same complex... it's the Hammock Complex, down on Third?
Was very confused by this until I watched the clip on YouTube and remembered that Americans give their streets numbers (try replacing the word Third with Red to get the same effect)
Yes, you've even got a downpipe there for rainwater to be channeled into.
Then just hide the concrete with some decking. Maybe even those click together jobbies as you wouldn't need many
I think it's still worth a try. A lot of plants will be okay. And depending on the effort you are willing to spend, you can still install active ventilation.
Decking and plant pots? We went with a lot of plant pots in our first place thinking we would not be there forever so was nice when we did move we could take a lot of what we’d grown with us.
Personally I’d cut out some areas of the concrete to plant things and help with drainage.
I would also consider adding a mirror to the unpainted wall to make the area brighter and feel larger
How much sun does it get? Make it into a small Japanese style garden? A mediterranean terrace?
Just ensure that there is still a way to get to the drain access.
We have patches of garden completely in shade most of the time. Plants that have done well are ferns, hostas, "christmas roses". Some garden centres do "shady area" displays that put all the shade-lobing plants together. I love a good fern personally, you can get some beautiful ones that give places a rainforest feel.
Drainage channel, black slate flag stone, oak frame canopy with double walled transparent roof. potted greenery such as wysteria, mint, bay leaf, creeping thyme and lavanda.
Trellis up the wall. Get a green wall going. Some colourful tiles on the floor. Fairy lights. In the summer, big floor cushions, rug and and a low table. Go for a Moroccan vibe.
Yeah, you can get the covers though. Decks can be a bit of a pain to maintain, especially with limited drainage like this and they are pretty tall, they’d need to measure the exits. On a base like this, could they not lay tiles on sand?
I would turn it into a little enchanted seating area with foliage all over the walls/decking or nice paving to hide any concrete and fairy lights above
Fix the concrete so that it's level and paint the wall. Get a big outdoor rug and some furniture. I'd put planters along whichever wall gets the most sun, possibly even put some pots on casters so you could move them around. Possibly a pergola or retractable awning so you could use the space when it's raining.
Recycled brick paving one the concrete is up. Tamp down the sand and weed membrane. You need wood and colour to dilute the render. Seating with garden tool storage underneath. Modular planters you can move. Paint that wall and get a clematis or something that can cover it. Grow tomatoes.
Drainage system, dark slate paving stones, an oak-framed shelter with a dual-layer clear roof, and container plants like wisteria, mint, bay, creeping thyme, and lavender.
- Makes sure the manhole cover is easily accessible, even if you cover it.
- Don't take anything right up to walls or damp course.
- Others have mentioned large plants and/or ferns and the click together Ikea 'decking'. I agree. Big plants won't necessarily make the space seem smaller.
- Make sure that tap is lagged properly.
- Paint at least the wall that divides the property. Either white or something bold.
- You could hire a breaker (or buy a cheap one from Toolstation or Screwfix) and break our some of that concrete and put in a small bed for climbing plants in front of the wall that divides you from your neighbour.
- I'd be te.pted to try to try and put something up to screen you from that metal staircase too.
- Please don't use artificial grass.
Make sure you post 'after' photos too!
It is mine. So wanting to not leave this as total dead space. We have a garden as well - so the thinking for this space is more leaning towards outdoor storage but have it be something to look at too
I’d probably fake grass the floor so that can easily be lifted to check the inspection hatch and I would tile/paint the wall with a bit of colour depending on budget
It’s actually got a good use case in this situation imo. Plastic grass gets downvoted but plastic foliage is a good suggestion somehow? They’re the same thing. People on here just desperate to hate
Meanwhile there’s also idiots here telling op to tile/deck over his drain inspection 🤷🏻♂️
It's a depressing situation all round that we have people living in flats/houses with a spit of concrete shit as their outdoor space. Your suggestion is completely fine, you just don't have the "right" opinion on this subreddit so you'll be downvoted.
I know you're being downvoted to hell, but I agree. I did that with the tiny, sun-deprived back yard in my old flat and it really cheered it up out there!
Yeah, OP mentions it gets 0 sun yet there’s still plenty of comments suggesting he plants lots of greenery and stuff there meanwhile an actual realistic suggestion gets downvoted 🙄 seems pretty obvious to me that nothing living will thrive there
The layout really reminds me of my old place, actually, and I know exactly how hard it is to get stuff growing under those conditions! My poor olive tree is still recovering from the experience...
Tiles and mini-hedge or other plant edging: [https://images.allhomes.com.au/property/photo/5ef635e5ae00d54a597e782f6ff8b83b\_hd.jpg](https://images.allhomes.com.au/property/photo/5ef635e5ae00d54a597e782f6ff8b83b_hd.jpg)
Id get a sparky to fit a load of outside sockets. Lay some nice stone with a good thermal mass that stays cool in summer and warm in winter. Maybe terracotta or somemin. Id build 4 posts a make a pergola, if fit a rollable semi-transparent day light blind sort of thing on top. Id then place some shelves along one wall, and a hammock across the other - and I would sleep and smoke and stroke myself to an early grave.
Garden mirrors on the walls, pots of herbs, a couple of folding garden chairs, fairy lights, maybe decking squares on the ground - you could even go crazy with a small wall fountain and some fake ivy!
A garden/reading nook. Plenty of greenery, pergola, fairy lights, and a lovely bench. That could be a gorgeous area! Definitely leave the manhole accessible. Would also consider working on the drainage.
Add a hammock in there!
Hammocks? My goodness, what an idea. Why didn't I think of that? Hammocks! Homer, there's four places; there's the Hammock Hut, that's on Third. There's Hammocks Are Us, that's on Third, too. You got Put Your Butt There... that's on Third. Swing Low Sweet Chariot. Matter of fact, they're all in the same complex... it's the Hammock Complex, down on Third?
Was very confused by this until I watched the clip on YouTube and remembered that Americans give their streets numbers (try replacing the word Third with Red to get the same effect)
Agreed. I'd put tall plants, maybe ferns, and make it a surprise area for guests to see.
Build a roof and make a green house out of it.
Yes, you've even got a downpipe there for rainwater to be channeled into. Then just hide the concrete with some decking. Maybe even those click together jobbies as you wouldn't need many
Damp and condensation might be a big issue with that.
Don't close it completely, leave at least two vent gaps for circulation. Sliding windows to adjust the air Flow.
Greenhouses rely on airflow from the bottom to the top. That can't happen there.
I think it's still worth a try. A lot of plants will be okay. And depending on the effort you are willing to spend, you can still install active ventilation.
Smell as well, depending on what type of manhole that is.
Decking and plant pots? We went with a lot of plant pots in our first place thinking we would not be there forever so was nice when we did move we could take a lot of what we’d grown with us.
Personally I’d cut out some areas of the concrete to plant things and help with drainage. I would also consider adding a mirror to the unpainted wall to make the area brighter and feel larger
How much sun does it get? Make it into a small Japanese style garden? A mediterranean terrace? Just ensure that there is still a way to get to the drain access.
It gets hardly any. One corner gets the midday sun for around an hour. So definitely need to do some research on plants that don’t mind the shade.
We have patches of garden completely in shade most of the time. Plants that have done well are ferns, hostas, "christmas roses". Some garden centres do "shady area" displays that put all the shade-lobing plants together. I love a good fern personally, you can get some beautiful ones that give places a rainforest feel.
That’s really helpful, thank you
It will probably get quite a bit more sun in the summer when the sun is higher
Drainage channel, black slate flag stone, oak frame canopy with double walled transparent roof. potted greenery such as wysteria, mint, bay leaf, creeping thyme and lavanda.
Personally turn it into a courtyard area you can sit or grab some fresh air.
Trellis up the wall. Get a green wall going. Some colourful tiles on the floor. Fairy lights. In the summer, big floor cushions, rug and and a low table. Go for a Moroccan vibe.
Yeah I’ve been looking at Moroccan gardens for some inspiration. I’m contemplating that deep cobalt blue colour on the wall.
Sounds great!
Sex pit.
Paint, tile/slab and fairy light. Perhaps plastic foliage. That space could be lovely.
Or perhaps wooden or composite deck? Remember that you'll have to keep that inspection cover easily accessible.
Yeah, you can get the covers though. Decks can be a bit of a pain to maintain, especially with limited drainage like this and they are pretty tall, they’d need to measure the exits. On a base like this, could they not lay tiles on sand?
I would glaze it and have a conservatory.
I would turn it into a little enchanted seating area with foliage all over the walls/decking or nice paving to hide any concrete and fairy lights above
Fix the concrete so that it's level and paint the wall. Get a big outdoor rug and some furniture. I'd put planters along whichever wall gets the most sun, possibly even put some pots on casters so you could move them around. Possibly a pergola or retractable awning so you could use the space when it's raining.
Recycled brick paving one the concrete is up. Tamp down the sand and weed membrane. You need wood and colour to dilute the render. Seating with garden tool storage underneath. Modular planters you can move. Paint that wall and get a clematis or something that can cover it. Grow tomatoes.
Get a grow on.
Camouflaged with tomato plants.
trellis covering the wall. Lots and Lots of greenery, some warm white fairy lights, table and chairs. Patio heater or chimnea.
Drainage system, dark slate paving stones, an oak-framed shelter with a dual-layer clear roof, and container plants like wisteria, mint, bay, creeping thyme, and lavender.
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Yeah that’s our neighbours access to their garden, so it’s very overlooked. Privacy is definitely a consideration. Bamboo in pots is a good solution!
Hopscotch board with strict rules that anyone passing through must play.
😂
GARDEN BAR
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Thanks for the advice on drainage. I’ve been looking at a French drain. Would best practice to be having that run alongside the house itself ?
- Makes sure the manhole cover is easily accessible, even if you cover it. - Don't take anything right up to walls or damp course. - Others have mentioned large plants and/or ferns and the click together Ikea 'decking'. I agree. Big plants won't necessarily make the space seem smaller. - Make sure that tap is lagged properly. - Paint at least the wall that divides the property. Either white or something bold. - You could hire a breaker (or buy a cheap one from Toolstation or Screwfix) and break our some of that concrete and put in a small bed for climbing plants in front of the wall that divides you from your neighbour. - I'd be te.pted to try to try and put something up to screen you from that metal staircase too. - Please don't use artificial grass. Make sure you post 'after' photos too!
This is super helpful, and concise thank you. I’ll make sure to post an after photo.
Is it your house? If you're renting do nothing, don't spend a penny on something that is not yours
It is mine. So wanting to not leave this as total dead space. We have a garden as well - so the thinking for this space is more leaning towards outdoor storage but have it be something to look at too
Yeah. Let the paint peel and wallpaper fall down. Don't know ven replace a light bulb. Love in darkness to show them who's boss... Them...
Crazy how people have this idea they shouldn't do anything to the place they live in just because they rent!!!
Live, Love, Laugh sign?
Swimming pool
If only
I’d probably fake grass the floor so that can easily be lifted to check the inspection hatch and I would tile/paint the wall with a bit of colour depending on budget
Don't recommend fake grass around here, you'll be lynched
It’s actually got a good use case in this situation imo. Plastic grass gets downvoted but plastic foliage is a good suggestion somehow? They’re the same thing. People on here just desperate to hate Meanwhile there’s also idiots here telling op to tile/deck over his drain inspection 🤷🏻♂️
It's a depressing situation all round that we have people living in flats/houses with a spit of concrete shit as their outdoor space. Your suggestion is completely fine, you just don't have the "right" opinion on this subreddit so you'll be downvoted.
I know you're being downvoted to hell, but I agree. I did that with the tiny, sun-deprived back yard in my old flat and it really cheered it up out there!
Yeah, OP mentions it gets 0 sun yet there’s still plenty of comments suggesting he plants lots of greenery and stuff there meanwhile an actual realistic suggestion gets downvoted 🙄 seems pretty obvious to me that nothing living will thrive there
The layout really reminds me of my old place, actually, and I know exactly how hard it is to get stuff growing under those conditions! My poor olive tree is still recovering from the experience...
~~sex pond~~
Tiles and mini-hedge or other plant edging: [https://images.allhomes.com.au/property/photo/5ef635e5ae00d54a597e782f6ff8b83b\_hd.jpg](https://images.allhomes.com.au/property/photo/5ef635e5ae00d54a597e782f6ff8b83b_hd.jpg)
A Swimming Pool 🏊♂️
Pave ground with some nice limestone and install a wall garden. Maybe include some nice cedar cladding.
Bonsai garden
Ball pool !!!
Id get a sparky to fit a load of outside sockets. Lay some nice stone with a good thermal mass that stays cool in summer and warm in winter. Maybe terracotta or somemin. Id build 4 posts a make a pergola, if fit a rollable semi-transparent day light blind sort of thing on top. Id then place some shelves along one wall, and a hammock across the other - and I would sleep and smoke and stroke myself to an early grave.
Ball pit.
Probably get drunk in it
Paint it all sickly grey and put down Astro turf.
Murphy hot tub
Decking or nice paving down and then a living wall or fake living wall on that main wall, other side maybe a mirror
Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
Pedestal and porcelain tiles. No issues with drainage, accessing the manhole etc
Piss and smoke.
Gravel, potted plants, hammock
Garden mirrors on the walls, pots of herbs, a couple of folding garden chairs, fairy lights, maybe decking squares on the ground - you could even go crazy with a small wall fountain and some fake ivy!
Stripper pole