Hey everyone! I'm really struggling to figure out what to do with my backyard. The area behind my garage used to have pea gravel and walking stones, but it's now just a mess of weeds and grass. There's also a small circle near the fence where I'm thinking about planting grass or maybe even creating a butterfly garden—it feels like a cute idea! Then there's the long strip by the shed; the previous owners had a full garden there, but they yanked everything out before leaving, so it's just overrun with weeds now. I've been pulling them out each season for three years, and it's like they keep coming back! I'm considering either putting in raised garden beds or making a fire pit area. Any tips or ideas would be super helpful! The only part I've managed to keep nice is under the deck with hostas since they're pretty hardy. My backyard gets full sun from noon to sunset, and I'm located in Illinois, zone 6a, but I don't have the greenest thumb, so I'm looking for low-maintenance options. I'll post some pictures in the comments!
2 Answers
Sounds like you have a lot of potential in your backyard! For the area behind your garage, I'd recommend planting some shade-tolerant native plants since it gets morning shade. As for that cute butterfly garden idea, go for it! Consider native flowers like coneflower or milkweed which attract butterflies and are easy to maintain. For the long strip by the shed, raised beds could be a good solution to combat those pesky weeds—plus they look great! Just make sure to use a good weed barrier before filling them up. Good luck!
I feel your pain with those weeds! I’ve been there. It might be helpful to solarize the strip by the shed. Cover it with clear plastic for a few weeks in the summer to cook the weeds out—this method can be really effective without chemicals. Once cleared, you could put in perennials that thrive in your zone. Good luck with the butterfly garden; it sounds like it'll be a lovely spot!
Yes! And maybe think about adding some bird feeders to attract more wildlife to your garden.
Definitely consider using mulch around the beds since that can help reduce weed growth too!