What o you guys think about this as a diy project?

Audra Bailey
by Audra Bailey
My yard is huge and Im a stay at home mom who is trying to do this without buying too many supplies. The fenced in area is going to be a dog run. I cant fence in the entire yard. Its an acre and a half! Any suggestions will be appreciated!!
  6 answers
  • Audra, I am going to give my opinion in trying to answer your question. base on your drawing I see there a lot going on and there is no flow. thing of the yard as a large scale kitchen moving for stove to frige and sink. you may want to have a straight pad along the way have stopping spots(points of interest) and like the dog run can be one but you don't want them as a focal point. unless you that want you want. I think the dog run should be close or nexg to the house and water feature should be to enjoy in the sitting area by a view to a focal point. pay EXTRA attention to water movement when it rains you don't want to block or make a dog run in a rain water flowing area ..... consult with professional landscaper....... NOT YOUR LAWN crew. I have fix a lot of their work ....
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Oct 09, 2013
    Corvera has given you some excellent constructive advice. You're right to draw out a plan before getting started, but it's a little hard to tell exactly what your intentions are. Try to think of that acre and a half as a series of outdoor rooms, each with a different purpose. You don't want to see everything at one time, you want to walk around and have things reveal themselves. Also, you're relying very heavily on annuals, meaning you'll have nothing after a frost. Try to concentrate more on perennials, trees and shrubs, using annuals to fill in until they grow or for accents of seasonal color.
  • Patricia W Patricia W on Oct 09, 2013
    I think you have the idea. The best way to get your supplies is wait until the end of the season to buy your perennials and shrubs when garden centers are clearing them out. Buy bulbs for all seasons and self seed as much as you can. Go used on as many supplies as you can. habitat restores are great placed to find used materials such as fencing. Check craigslist as well. I know that our habitat has a program that helps homeowners with some of the work needed, high school students and volunteers come out and help. Most of all do what you can when you can. Have fun:] It may not happen overnight but if you stay with it, it will all come together.
  • Leona G Leona G on Oct 10, 2013
    Great start and great advice. The only thing that I would add is if you go to the Extension office the have handouts on shrubs for your area, plans for wildlife habitat and when to plant vegetables. Or you can go to //edis.ifas.MI.edu. I think that is the website for MI state. This site will give you access to all of the University's research. Good luck
  • Leah Bening Leah Bening on Oct 10, 2013
    All great advice! I especially like R. Adam's advice to take time to prepare in zones. Also, if you have dogs I might advise that you plan/install your fence to allow them access from the house to the yard at your discretion. I fenced with range fence (the square patterned stuff) and T posts. It was economical and I didn't loose the view of my woods! But the best of the fenced area is the pet door from the garage to the yard. I appreciated that then, and now even more. I don't want to go out in bad weather, but want them to exercise and have their freedom. Gardens can wait when pets cannot.
  • Debbie Stanley Debbie Stanley on Oct 15, 2013
    A problem I have run into with fencing in our back yard: we fenced in our main exit on the patio. All our new plants we planted around the patio were dug up by our dog. We eventually fenced in the patio with a separate gate leading to the yard. Our dog is kept away from new plantings. Also, we can come and go without the dogs getting underfoot. Second problem you may have is that dogs with make a path around fence. It might be wise to add mulch or stepping stones along fence line so you will not have bare dirt showing after path is worn.