What to do?

[Gerry]

Chuck mentioned his garden in the shout box. He is in UK so no real worry about hot weather.

I have a patch near to our back patio. About 30sq meters. It's over grown right now. I have been trying to keep it cut back but the rains and then heat just make it grow out of control. I don't really want to concrete it over but I may have no choice.

Any ideas? Something pleasing to the eye but also something that is not going to look like a garden of traffics after a couple days if rain and 35+ degrees.

[Smithy]

I don't really want to concrete it over but I may have no choice.

TBH I'm not a keen gardener . I would be tempted to build a nice patio area with a nice Bagoda or covered seating erea for a BBQ's or beer with the lads 

( BTW It doesn't have to as elaborate as the pic below ) 

[Gerry]

I don't really want to concrete it over but I may have no choice.

TBH I'm not a keen gardener . I would be tempted to build a nice patio area with a nice Bagoda or covered seating erea for a BBQ's or beer with the lads 

( BTW It doesn't have to as elaborate as the pic below ) 

Where I, and family/friends, sit is already under cover. Quite a large area too. I had been hoping to make an area of garden that is pleasing to the eye. Also hoping to keep an element of drainage for those monsoon showers. I also find that areas of garden help with temperature. Too much concrete and the whole place seems hotter.

[CO-CO]

I don't really want to concrete it over but I may have no choice.

TBH I'm not a keen gardener . I would be tempted to build a nice patio area with a nice Bagoda or covered seating erea for a BBQ's or beer with the lads 

( BTW It doesn't have to as elaborate as the pic below ) 

Great idea for Europe I think.........but a non-starter in Thailand perhaps - for the reasons mentioned by Gerry.

[Smithy]

I don't really want to concrete it over but I may have no choice.

TBH I'm not a keen gardener . I would be tempted to build a nice patio area with a nice Bagoda or covered seating erea for a BBQ's or beer with the lads 

( BTW It doesn't have to as elaborate as the pic below ) 

Great idea for Europe I think.........but a non-starter in Thailand perhaps - for the reasons mentioned by Gerry.

Gerry did say "  I don't really want to concrete it over but I may have no choice." ....As Gerry doesn't sound like a keen garderner and doesn't want the upkeep he could alway pave the area and use various size pots or maybe a water feature ? .....but a budget will come into play !!

[Smithy]

We don't have a big garden with just 3- 5 meter area's between the house and the perimeter wall . Everything is concreted which is all sloped to allow the water to drain out onto the road at various points . We have a small water feature ( pic below ) and just potted plants around the outside of the house. I had about 5 small Bougainvillea that were getting pot bound so I planted them outside all along the front of the house on the 2 meter wide strip of land between the wall and the road. "I WISH I HADN'T" "  They grew like triffids and in 6-9 months they had taken over the whole front of the land , were about 8 feet high and were hanging out onto the road. As Gerry pointed out you really need to know what you are planting and how quickly they are going to grow or you  could end up with a jungle !! 

[CO-CO]

We don't have a big garden with just 3- 5 meter area's between the house and the perimeter wall . Everything is concreted which is all sloped to allow the water to drain out onto the road at various points . We have a small water feature ( pic below ) and just potted plants around the outside of the house. I had about 5 small Bougainvillea that were getting pot bound so I planted them outside all along the front of the house on the 2 meter wide strip of land between the wall and the road. "I WISH I HADN'T" "  They grew like triffids and in 6-9 months they had taken over the whole front of the land , were about 8 feet high and were hanging out onto the road. As Gerry pointed out you really need to know what you are planting and how quickly they are going to grow or you  could end up with a jungle !! 

Did you get a local brickie in to do that?

[Smithy]

We don't have a big garden with just 3- 5 meter area's between the house and the perimeter wall . Everything is concreted which is all sloped to allow the water to drain out onto the road at various points . We have a small water feature ( pic below ) and just potted plants around the outside of the house. I had about 5 small Bougainvillea that were getting pot bound so I planted them outside all along the front of the house on the 2 meter wide strip of land between the wall and the road. "I WISH I HADN'T" "  They grew like triffids and in 6-9 months they had taken over the whole front of the land , were about 8 feet high and were hanging out onto the road. As Gerry pointed out you really need to know what you are planting and how quickly they are going to grow or you  could end up with a jungle !! 

Did you get a local brickie in to do that?

A local Thai guy built the blockwork and rendered the inside to make it waterproof for the small pond , then we both did the brick tiles on the outside . The Waterfall we got from Dan Kwian Pottery Village  along with some plaques I put on the Veranda either side of the potio Doors,  which I added myself at a later date 

[Gerry]

We don't have a big garden with just 3- 5 meter area's between the house and the perimeter wall . Everything is concreted which is all sloped to allow the water to drain out onto the road at various points . We have a small water feature ( pic below ) and just potted plants around the outside of the house. I had about 5 small Bougainvillea that were getting pot bound so I planted them outside all along the front of the house on the 2 meter wide strip of land between the wall and the road. "I WISH I HADN'T" "  They grew like triffids and in 6-9 months they had taken over the whole front of the land , were about 8 feet high and were hanging out onto the road. As Gerry pointed out you really need to know what you are planting and how quickly they are going to grow or you  could end up with a jungle !! 

I like the look of that, Smithy. I'll look into a water feature maybe with some shrubbery around the edges.

I don't mind gardening. Used to do my own in UK. Here it's all about the heat. For 10 months of he year you need to be up at 6am to start so you can be finished by 8am.

[blackcow]

I just use a line trimmer and my shitful mower every week and it comes up OK. Weeds grow very quickly this time of year but the yard looks good enough after a few hours of slow work.