Hi all!

So with my front yard finished (at least until the plants have grown and I see where I might fill in), I decided it's time to take on a corner of my backyard that is a mess...


The space is 25.5ft by 12.5ft (fence to garage wall; fence to concrete patio). It has always been dirt since I moved here with the darned privet (bane of my existence) trying to grow new trees. The fence runs on the south and west and the garage wall on the north. It does get hot sun in the summer.

So, my first thought was to remove the trees, remove the pile of bricks that had been dumped by the garage wall, and then level and plant a garden. But there are three reasons that will not work:

1. Part of the area actually has a concrete slab under it, and there are foundations for a structure under another part (see #3 below);

2. This is the low point of my property and in winter it becomes squishy wet;

3. There was apparently a brick structure built off the garage wall that collapsed and a prior owner left the bricks as they fell.

We started trying to remove the dirt over the concrete slap and remove the bricks. Unfortunately, after a day of digging and removing, we went down a good 2 ft and were still finding tons of bricks. It's just too much work to try and clean it up.

Our next thought was to level it out more and build a deck over it. I like the idea, but don't really need a deck and the cost would be more than I want to spend.

So, that brought me to my current idea: create a tiered raised flower bed. My idea is to use cinder blocks to encase the dirt - leaving a 10-12 inch gap along the fence line for repair work, etc. The bottom tier would be 2 cinder blocks high (about 16 inches) and would have a 24 inch deep bench at its edge running the length. The middle tier would be 3 cinder blocks high (24 inches), and the back tier would be 4 blocks high (32 inches). I'm thinking this would create a visually appealing area, but still allow for rain runoff in winter without totally rotting plant roots. Or should I raise them all by another 8 inches - 24, 32 and 40?

I'm thinking the back and middle tiers would be 30 inches deep and the bottom would be about 25.5 inches deep.

I'm open to thoughts on all that. I'm trying to keep it simple and cost effective (then I have more money to buy plants with).

In my mind, I see tall grasses, etc, at the back. As tall as or taller than the fence (so no less than 36-40 inches tall). I like the Beschorneria yuccoides (Mexican Lily) - I think it would look nice hanging above the other tiers. The other plant I think might work would be the Dasylirion wheeleri (Desert Spoon). And/or I could add a trellis and have a climber.

For the second tier, I'm thinking a riot of color throughout the year - so a good variety of flowering perennials.

Those two tiers I'd like to be little to no maintenance.

For the bottom tier, I'm thinking of trying my hand at a few veggies, annuals, and/or more needy perennials. I can separate it from the other tiers using blocks all the way down - and just use one layer of blocks to create a wall between the top and middle tiers - to better cater to different water needs.

My requirements for plants are:

1. Not toxic to dogs or require the wearing of gloves when handling (something like lavender is OK as it isn't a problem for dogs unless they really eat the plant);

2. Drought tolerant or "dry soil between waterings" for the top and middle tier;

3. Good for zone 9B;

4. Little to no maintence for the top and middle tiers. More water/maintenance for the bottom tier - but not special fertilizers, constant pruning, etc;

5. Nothing that will "shed" - I have a pool back there and have my hands full with the oak catkins. I don't want to have to mess with plant seeds, fibers, etc too. And the wind blows in from that corner;

6. Nothing that will take over everything;

7. Preferably polinator, hummingbird, butterfly and/or songbird friendly;

8. Nothing that will errode the garage brick, etc.

I already have a bunch of butterfly bushes in the backyard, plus a phenomenal lavender, two grosso lavenders and two Caradonna sages.

So, please start shouting out ideas. Combinations of plants would be great. I have the seating area right next to this area, so I'd like to see a cacophony of textures and shapes and colors. I was looking at plants the other night, and love the idea of some sea hollies in there.

Thanks!

@RpR can help with the bed part. Plants will have to be someone from around ypu and I have a few people in mind. Like the sound of your vision though and I think the overall look should work!

@Calif_Sue any plant ideas?

Thanks. I think the main concern is if the depths of the three tiers are enough.

I was looking at it today and thought maybe turn the tiers 90 degrees. Tallest at the south fence and moving down towards the garage wall. Then I could make the bench along the east open end and have it turn along the garage wall as a bit of a walk. That would create shorter but deeper beds. But then again, that may not be necessary since I have three tiers...

Arggg.

Hello Toedtoes,

Your vision for the space sounds fantastic and your use of tiered beds is an excellent idea to deal with the irregular terrain and make the best of the area you have. I appreciate the thought you've given to the project, and your consideration of plant requirements and aesthetics should result in a beautiful and functional space.

Regarding the proposed depth of your tiers, I think your initial estimate should work quite well. Remember, deeper beds mean more soil and potentially more moisture, which might not be ideal given your wish to have drought-tolerant plants and keep the space low maintenance. However, if you're planning to grow deeper-rooted plants or small shrubs, you might want to consider deeper beds for those.

The layout you're considering - with the tallest tier at the south fence and descending towards the garage - could potentially help with sun exposure. The taller plants at the back wouldn't shade the shorter ones in front as much. Also, your idea of a winding bench that provides a walkway is an attractive one and could make the space more inviting and usable.

As for plant suggestions, here are a few that should thrive in your zone and meet your criteria:

Tall Grasses/Back Tier: Consider varieties like Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' or 'Morning Light', which are non-invasive, tall, and drought tolerant.

Middle Tier: Salvia greggii (Autumn Sage) could work well for year-round color, as it blooms from spring to fall and is a hummingbird and butterfly favorite. Agastache (Hyssop) is another great option, attracting pollinators and offering an extended bloom season.

Lower Tier: For vegetables, consider compact varieties that are suited for container gardening, like 'Patio Baby' eggplant or 'Tiny Tim' tomatoes. As for perennials, Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) or Rudbeckia fulgida (Black-eyed Susan) might be nice choices.

Remember to choose plants with similar sun and water needs for each tier to make maintenance easier.

Regarding maintenance, remember to mulch well to preserve moisture and suppress weeds. This can go a long way towards making the garden low-maintenance.

Please don't hesitate to ask if you need further advice, and keep us updated on your progress. I look forward to seeing how your garden develops!

Rubi

Toedtoes said: Hi all!

So with my front yard finished (at least until the plants have grown and I see where I might fill in), I decided it's time to take on a corner of my backyard that is a mess...

I love the tree's behind the fence in the left corner area.
I think maybe a few small tree's 'acers maybe'inside the fence would go some way to draw them into your garden design if there is a high area on that end,,,
Rubi seems to have a handle on much of it, and you the rest.
Before I am berated for placing Acers in a dry spot, I might point out that a small cheap irrigation run would provide moist soil for happy
Maples.
Hope all you efforts are a great success.
John

The space is 25.5ft by 12.5ft (fence to garage wall; fence to concrete patio). It has always been dirt since I moved here with the darned privet (bane of my existence) trying to grow new trees. The fence runs on the south and west and the garage wall on the north. It does get hot sun in the summer.

So, my first thought was to remove the trees, remove the pile of bricks that had been dumped by the garage wall, and then level and plant a garden. But there are three reasons that will not work:

1. Part of the area actually has a concrete slab under it, and there are foundations for a structure under another part (see #3 below);

2. This is the low point of my property and in winter it becomes squishy wet;

3. There was apparently a brick structure built off the garage wall that collapsed and a prior owner left the bricks as they fell.

We started trying to remove the dirt over the concrete slap and remove the bricks. Unfortunately, after a day of digging and removing, we went down a good 2 ft and were still finding tons of bricks. It's just too much work to try and clean it up.

Our next thought was to level it out more and build a deck over it. I like the idea, but don't really need a deck and the cost would be more than I want to spend.

So, that brought me to my current idea: create a tiered raised flower bed. My idea is to use cinder blocks to encase the dirt - leaving a 10-12 inch gap along the fence line for repair work, etc. The bottom tier would be 2 cinder blocks high (about 16 inches) and would have a 24 inch deep bench at its edge running the length. The middle tier would be 3 cinder blocks high (24 inches), and the back tier would be 4 blocks high (32 inches). I'm thinking this would create a visually appealing area, but still allow for rain runoff in winter without totally rotting plant roots. Or should I raise them all by another 8 inches - 24, 32 and 40?

I'm thinking the back and middle tiers would be 30 inches deep and the bottom would be about 25.5 inches deep.

I'm open to thoughts on all that. I'm trying to keep it simple and cost effective (then I have more money to buy plants with).

In my mind, I see tall grasses, etc, at the back. As tall as or taller than the fence (so no less than 36-40 inches tall). I like the Beschorneria yuccoides (Mexican Lily) - I think it would look nice hanging above the other tiers. The other plant I think might work would be the Dasylirion wheeleri (Desert Spoon). And/or I could add a trellis and have a climber.

For the second tier, I'm thinking a riot of color throughout the year - so a good variety of flowering perennials.

Those two tiers I'd like to be little to no maintenance.

For the bottom tier, I'm thinking of trying my hand at a few veggies, annuals, and/or more needy perennials. I can separate it from the other tiers using blocks all the way down - and just use one layer of blocks to create a wall between the top and middle tiers - to better cater to different water needs.

My requirements for plants are:

1. Not toxic to dogs or require the wearing of gloves when handling (something like lavender is OK as it isn't a problem for dogs unless they really eat the plant);

2. Drought tolerant or "dry soil between waterings" for the top and middle tier;

3. Good for zone 9B;

4. Little to no maintence for the top and middle tiers. More water/maintenance for the bottom tier - but not special fertilizers, constant pruning, etc;

5. Nothing that will "shed" - I have a pool back there and have my hands full with the oak catkins. I don't want to have to mess with plant seeds, fibers, etc too. And the wind blows in from that corner;

6. Nothing that will take over everything;

7. Preferably polinator, hummingbird, butterfly and/or songbird friendly;

8. Nothing that will errode the garage brick, etc.

I already have a bunch of butterfly bushes in the backyard, plus a phenomenal lavender, two grosso lavenders and two Caradonna sages.

So, please start shouting out ideas. Combinations of plants would be great. I have the seating area right next to this area, so I'd like to see a cacophony of textures and shapes and colors. I was looking at plants the other night, and love the idea of some sea hollies in there.

Thanks!

@Rubi_Stars Thanks so much!!!

I like the look of the miscanthus sinensis, but there are two concerns: it's highly flammable, and I'm not sure if the blooms will get blown about on the wind (really don't want it getting into the pool).

The salvias are all on my potentials list. I forgot about the Agastache - I'll add them to my list.

Thanks for the tip on the compact veggies. I haven't even begun to think in that direction yet, so you've helped narrow down my work there. ;)

I've been looking at several of the coneflowers. I think those could definitely work. I hadn't thought about black eyed susans - they could offer some yellow to counter the pinks and purples of the salvias, etc.

I think I'm gonna play with the measurements and work a few different tier layouts. I figure I won't until next spring so I have plenty of time to decide on everything for sure.

Thanks @Meandmyroses

Those trees are in my neighbor's yard - heirloom oaks. I love the shade the provide, but the catkins have been horrendous this spring.

I thought about putting in a couple trees, but I really want drought tolerant plants only. After the headache with cutting down the 30+ foot privet this spring, I also don't want to plant anything that will grow over 20ft.

If I did put in a tree, it would need to be able to go in the raised bed with only 16 to 32 inches for roots - because of the cement slab under the current layer of dirt. I plan on planting a coffeeberry in my front yard next year to replace the privet - I could add one or two to this section, but I don't know if they could survive with so little depth. I can only add depth by raising the beds further.

Hi Toedtoes,

Absolutely, your concerns about the miscanthus sinensis make sense. Consider alternatives like Muhlenbergia rigens or Panicum virgatum.

Salvias and Agastaches are fantastic for color and attracting pollinators. Compact veggies, coneflowers, and black-eyed Susans could make your garden even more vibrant and diverse.

Your plan to experiment with different layouts is a great approach. Remember, gardening is a process, so take your time.

I will be adding a specific blog on plants in the near future And I will share it then!
Feel free to reach out with any more questions. Happy gardening!

@Rubi_Stars I'm looking forward to your blog!

I feel inspired for the backyard as my front yard continues to bloom. Of course, we haven't really had the heat so far this year - I could still lose some plants then. But so far, everyone is happy and making a show of it.

I've been watching this corner of the yard and as of now, it is not getting as much sun as I remember it getting in the past. I checked every hour yesterday between 2 pm and 7 pm, and it got dappled shade like in the photo in the OP. The fence corner was pretty much shade all afternoon. I checked this morning around 7 am and it had more sun.

So, I need to update my requirements to shade and partial shade plants. And I'm working on a layout that will put my "experimental" section in the north-eastern corner as that gets the most sun and will be better for veggies.

OK. I've been watching the sun more. Mostly morning sun in dappled/minimum quantity for most of the area. The north-eastern edge gets the most direct sunlight in the afternoon, but not harsh sun and only for a couple hours.

So I've played with my layout to better work within those parameters. I think this is the one I like best.


At the bottom is the bench (24 inches deep). My idea is to put trailing plants in the top and middle flower beds along the bench, and also along the stretch of the top bed that is behind the bottom bed. That will soften the look of the cinder blocks in those spots. The rest will be mostly behind non-trailing plants so won't show. The cinder blocks are standard 8x8x16 (actual measurements 7.75 x 7.75 x 15.5) - I've mapped it out so I will be using full blocks only. For the bench, the bottom bed's front edge will be under the back of the bench as a support. The partial blocks showing will finish under the bench and I will add additional blocks as needed for stability, etc.

I'd like to try growing cucumbers in the bottom tier along with dill (so I can make the family recipe pickles). Of course, I won't be doing any planting until next spring - have to build it, fill it with dirt, and watch the moisture levels over winter first (might need to create drainage holes at the bottom).

Thoughts? Ideas?

Looks like you are planning this out well

I would love to offer some plant advise but my climate is so different than yours
My best advise is take a walk around your neighborhood and see what you like
also if you have a local nursery/greenhouse give that a couple visits and read the tags of the plants you like .
a botanical garden visit would help a lot on what grows best in your climate.
Putting in a few annuals helps get an Idea of color and height , before you invest into bushes and perennials that are permanent.

Keep updating and always photos help us enjoy your progress.

I think shade in your part of the country would be a benefit to most plants.

Thanks.

I've been checking the UC Davis plant lists mostly for ideas. Once I get the actual beds built, I'll start going to shops and checking out other options. But the build won't happen until fall at the earliest.

Providing an update. Well plans for extensive garden work this summer went haywire when I took in 11 rescue kittens (ages between 5 weeks and 4 months). They pretty much took every free moment and more.

So, I did some rethinking on this section of the yard and my ability to dedicate time to whatever I plant.

I ended up planting three small trees where the middle and bottom tiers would have gone. That area is filled with the brick rubble and foundation of the long-ago torn down structure, but is not solid concrete. So I planted a slim bottlebrush, western redbud, and granite honey myrtle. They are all drought tolerant and stay under 25ft. Once they have grown, I will plant some shade plants underneath to fill in the area.

For the back corner, where there is a concrete slab a couple inches below the dirt, I am going to use the cinderblocks to create a section and plant a blackberry and a raspberry bush (Loch Ness thornless blackberry and Nova raspberry). The cinderblocks will help keep them contained and will allow me to build up the dirt to an acceptable level so they can grow.

So, the entire section will be very natural in feel. The dogs can still access the area, the birds will have plenty of food and habitat, and the "debris" will be integrated as part of the whole effect and provide shelter for lizards and such.

kitty rescue

I wanted to provide an update. First, the kittens were overall a big success. All but 2 got adopted. One declared she had found a home and wasn't leaving - my younger male agreed and hid her on adoption days. The last one stopped eating twice and almost died, but we managed to convince her she was not allowed to die. Because of her history, I didn't think it was fair to adopt her out in case she relapses - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. She's still very small for her age, but is happy and healthy and runs the place.

Now, my backyard. From last year, two of my butterfly bushes survived and are doing great. The three rosemary (or lavenders - I can't remember) are doing great. And the two lion's tails are great.

The honey myrtle and slim bottlebush are doing fine. I thought I killed the western redbud, but it has little leaf buds on it, so I didn't.

I've got the berry planter built and filled - 3 of the blackberry and 1 raspberry in there.

I added a metal trellis along the edge of the patio in front of the gazebo and planted a South African jasmine to grow up it.

I planted a leucandendron 'Hawaii Magic' on the other side of the walkway across from the jasmine.

I have another pineapple guava tree (first one is in the corner of the front yard) to plant behind the jasmine - where I was originally going to put an oven's wattle, which they haven't had available).

I have one section that nothing seems to be happy in, so I'm trying three malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii (turk's cap) there - I think it's just not enough sun for the other plants.

I added 3 salvia 'Lello' between the pool and the main pathway. And I have 2 salvia leucantha 'Midnight' and 1 'White Mischief' to go in front of the three trees.

As I thought the redbud died, I also got a chilopsis linearis to replace it, so I need to find a new spot for it.

This should fill out the yard while leaving open space for the dogs. One of the lion's tails has been regularly run over by my shepherd - but it doesn't seem to care - I did cage it so it can grow a bit more.

Thanks again for everyone's help and advice. You all gave me lots to think about.

I am now facing the fact that I don't really have any more room to add plants at this point. I need a new yard to play with.