# what to do with my now 'ex'-garden space **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 14, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588 "2015-11-14T20:10:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/1 "2015-11-14T20:10:26Z")
I’m giving up on the garden. Now I have a 20X25ft plot of dirt mostly barren except for the weeds and thistles. The default is to just seed it in grass and make it part of my yard, but there are other possibilities…what are those? I don’t want to spend a lot of effort maintaining the area, as that was the problem with the garden. I don’t mind considering something unique and interesting. I could plant a couple of fruit trees and seed the rest I could plant trees and pave the rest for a outdoor bbq area. I could plant hop vines and give away or sell the cones…seeding the rest as well in grass build a new firepit? I’m a big fan of food, so I’ve got a couple of fruit trees already (considerably less work then the garden), the hops idea is currently my leading choice…because maybe I can get a few bucks out of it in the end what are your suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/2 "2015-11-14T20:24:55Z")
Rock garden/patio/plant a couple of trees/thing. So you have a nice area to look at and sit in and a couple of nice trees and you only have to dust it off with a leaf blower once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/3 "2015-11-14T20:33:01Z")
Build an outdoor wood fired oven! Pizzas, bread, roasts! Mmmm mmmm! ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/4 "2015-11-14T20:38:54Z")
Fire pit? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/5 "2015-11-14T20:59:37Z")
Ugh. I have a 10x10 ex-garden. It’s just a thistle bed ☹ My uncle planted some milkweed in one corner, for a little butterfly area. No maintenance needed. I use the rest for yard waste. Do you have a yard waste area? Next to a fire pit would be good, you could burn some sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/6 "2015-11-14T21:33:48Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > I don’t want to spend a lot of effort maintaining the area, as that was the problem with the garden. Pave it. Put the trees in large pots. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/7 "2015-11-14T21:34:43Z")
Where do you live? Climate is a big factor. Hot tubs are fun! ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/8 "2015-11-14T21:48:09Z")
Paving it means weed in the cracks. I’d go for the grass & fruit trees. ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/9 "2015-11-14T22:21:13Z")
Need more information! Where do you live? How is the plot situated? Is it in the center of your yard? What is the rest of your landscaping like? Is it manicured lines of roses or just grass until it reaches the fence? I presume the plot is fairly centered in the yard where it gets a lot of sunlight. Would it look too odd to have some fruit tress there? What fruits do you like most? I was thinking that if you decided to go with fruit trees, I would pick some that grow to be about the same size, and that also many fruit trees (but not all) need a partner for pollination. So, if you decided on, say, apples, you could put in 2 or 4 small ones. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/10 "2015-11-14T22:33:53Z")
Build a Chinese Pagoda. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2015, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/11 "2015-11-14T23:45:11Z")
Pavers on half to put your grill on, the other half = horseshoe pit. You could be the best in your neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/12 "2015-11-15T00:10:30Z")
[Artificial turf](http://www.surface-it.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/P1050836.jpg)- it’s becoming increasingly common here in Australia where water conservation is important - and looks really good, plus no weeding, watering or mowing required. Couple of deck chairs and you’re laughing. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/13 "2015-11-15T00:48:50Z")
Zen Garden? If you want something more than just a fire pit, how about a sacrificial altar? Cricket Pitch? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/14 "2015-11-15T01:40:09Z")
Bury ----------- stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/15 "2015-11-15T02:11:10Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > Need more information! > > Where do you live? How is the plot situated? Is it in the center of your yard? What is the rest of your landscaping like? Is it manicured lines of roses or just grass until it reaches the fence? I live in southern WI, the plot is in the northeast corner not centered in the yard. Landscaping is generally just grass though I do have 3 cherry trees, 2 apples and a strawberry pyramid in the NW corner. that corner is mostly mulched which I do like as it doesn’t have many weeds and no mowing. Grape vines on the eastern border of the yard. I’ve also considered just planting it in clover or ground cover for next year, which will give me some time to have the ground recover and perhaps reconsider a garden in 2017. Wife said no to the Hops.☹ probably rightly so. I could do berries, or a ‘butterfly garden’. I’m not a fan of mowing. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/16 "2015-11-15T02:12:31Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Bury ----------- stuff? you haven’t seen my annoying neighbor recently, have you?.. … exactly.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/17 "2015-11-15T02:36:13Z")
I built a simple almost-ground-level deck on part of my yard. First you have to level the ground\*, that’s the hard part; then you can put down weed cloth under the deck. 2x4 pressure treated lumber for the joists, on their sides, to raise it above the ground, and then 2x6 redwood lumber for the decking. Not expensive compared to a lot of alternatives, and low maintenance. You don’t even have to finish it if you don’t mind the dark gray/brown aged look. Probably wouldn’t be so simple if the ground freezes in the winter where you are, in which case you would need concrete footings. The good part is that, since it’s less than 6" above ground, you don’t need railings or stairs or anything expensive like that. You can easily leave openings for trees, current or planned, or you can leave spaces for small raised beds if you still want to grow small things. Depending on the complexity, you might be able to do it all with a chop saw, rent a nailer to put the joists together, and a power screwdriver for the decking. The reason I did this was that I got tired of pulling weeds and I couldn’t think of anything more permanently against weeds than this. I used stakes and twine and a 6.5’ level to make sure the stakes were level, and a lot of raking and shoveling to make the ground level to the twine. It doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect, you can do some by adjusting the joists. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/18 "2015-11-15T03:28:06Z")
Don’t plant more grass - a non-native monoculture you just need to work to maintain. Let it go wild (or wild-ish depending on your tastes.) Plant a couple of different bushes with flowers and berries to appeal to birds and insects, and perennials for butterflies and bees. Every little bit helps. Diversity is good. In S WI you could do well with a bunch of viburnums, chokecherries, serviceberries, echinacea, monarda, all kinds of prairie plants… ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/19 "2015-11-15T05:54:51Z")
Maybe plant some catnip? ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588/20 "2015-11-15T13:37:30Z")
I had the same issue with about the same size space earlier this year. Gave up on the raised-bed a few years ago and it was just wasted space incubating weeds adjacent to a concrete walk way. I ripped everything out, leveled it, and covered the area with square pavers. Now it’s a useful space for projects and temporary storage, as well as better access for trash/recycle cans. Very happy with the change. In am in CA so freezing is not an issue, but not sure how pavers hold up in WI. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-my-now-ex-garden-space/737588.md?page=2)