# Landscaping ideas for 0.5 acre grass backyard no fence



## Owism (May 16, 2017)

Any thoughts/photos/ideas/Layouts? Share yours?


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## canadagoose (May 16, 2017)

First of all, get rid of all that useless grass.  With 0.5 acres you can pretty much plant some of everything.  You could even do animals.


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## matt267 PE (May 16, 2017)

Owism said:


> Any thoughts/photos/ideas/Layouts? Share yours?


If you have kids and/or dogs, a nice grass area for them to play in is nice. Just keep the stupid geese away. They sh!t all over the place.


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## Master slacker (May 16, 2017)

Oak trees.  Lots of oak tress.  In 20 years you'll have a sh*t ton of shade.


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## Owism (May 16, 2017)

matt267 PE said:


> If you have kids and/or dogs, a nice grass area for them to play in is nice. Just keep the stupid geese away. They sh!t all over the place.


Yeah 0.5 acres is too much grass



Master slacker said:


> Oak trees.  Lots of oak tress.  In 20 years you'll have a sh*t ton of shade.


I do want trees but too much shade will destroy the sun heat I get during the winter. I have great windows facing east and west


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## matt267 PE (May 16, 2017)

Owism said:


> Yeah 0.5 acres is too much grass


So?


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## Owism (May 16, 2017)

matt267 PE said:


> So?


Yeah my john deere feels like that... just green and yellow, minus the ridiculous motor


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## Owism (May 16, 2017)

matt267 PE said:


> So?


I dont think you understand the root problem here. I dont mind cutting grass. I'm having an artifically large grass plot for no reason, want it to be more natural with trees and such.


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## Owism (May 16, 2017)

thekzieg said:


>


I like but no palms in North East


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## kevo_55 (May 16, 2017)

Fatty money cares not for cold climates.


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## matt267 PE (May 16, 2017)

Owism said:


> I dont think you understand the root problem here. I dont mind cutting grass. I'm having an artifically large grass plot for no reason, want it to be more natural with trees and such.


Here you go,


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## matt267 PE (May 16, 2017)

This looks natural:


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## matt267 PE (May 16, 2017)

This might fit you too:


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## Owism (May 16, 2017)

lol ok how do I close this thread?


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## matt267 PE (May 16, 2017)

You don't


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## matt267 PE (May 16, 2017)

thekzieg said:


>


Finally a pic of your backyard.


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## canadagoose (May 16, 2017)

matt267 PE said:


> Finally a pic of your backyard.


needs more cats


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)

My side hustle


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## canadagoose (May 16, 2017)

thekzieg said:


> My side hustle


Taylor Swift would approve.


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## YMZ PE (May 16, 2017)

canadagoose said:


> Taylor Swift would approve.


Agreed


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## canadagoose (May 16, 2017)

YMZ PE said:


> Agreed


Holy shit.  I love you now.


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## canadagoose (May 16, 2017)

Where's the forum button for forum marry????????????????????????????????


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## YMZ PE (May 16, 2017)

uke:

Thanks, you just ruined my favorite Taylor Swift Instagram photo.


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## canadagoose (May 16, 2017)

YMZ PE said:


> uke:
> 
> Thanks, you just ruined my favorite Taylor Swift Instagram photo.


I'm gonna ignore that. YA!  It's like her best one!  She also looks hnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggg in everything has changed w/ the ginger sheeran.


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## canadagoose (May 16, 2017)




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## YMZ PE (May 16, 2017)

Another favorite is the one where she's dressed as Olaf with Idina Menzel. So adorable.

And with that, I go back to ignoring you.


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## canadagoose (May 16, 2017)

YMZ PE said:


> Another favorite is the one where she's dressed as Olaf with Idina Menzel. So adorable.
> 
> And with that, I go back to ignoring you.








Jokes on you.  We could never marry because I only love Taylor.


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## canadagoose (May 16, 2017)

Unless you ARE Taylor.  Or a hotter better version!


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## knight1fox3 (May 16, 2017)

thekzieg said:


>


Napoleon Dynamite?


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)

knight1fox3 said:


> Napoleon Dynamite?


Exactly.


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## Road Guy (May 16, 2017)

this is why I need to stop asking for advice around here!


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## MA_PE (May 16, 2017)

canadagoose said:


> First of all, get rid of all that useless grass.  With 0.5 acres you can pretty much plant some of everything.  *You could even do animals.*


If you're into that sort of thing, I guess.  I'd recommend a privacy fence around the yard first.


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## DoctorWho-PE (May 16, 2017)

Here.  a serious answer.

View attachment 9480


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## knight1fox3 (May 16, 2017)

thekzieg said:


>


Wait a minute!!! I actually like this one! How do grass huts hold up with snow loading though???? :dunno:


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)

knight1fox3 said:


> Wait a minute!!! I actually like this one! How do grass huts hold up with snow loading though???? :dunno:


They hold up fine if it's designed correctly.


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## knight1fox3 (May 16, 2017)

And in addition to @vhab49, here's a serious one as well from my landscaping...


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## knight1fox3 (May 16, 2017)

thekzieg said:


> They hold up fine if it's designed correctly.


Please provide a corresponding quote by EOB.


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## DoctorWho-PE (May 16, 2017)

And one more.

ETS:  The water feature is nice, but a new one would be pretty expensive to put in.

View attachment 9482


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)

knight1fox3 said:


> Please provide a corresponding quote by EOB.


You can't afford me.


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## DoctorWho-PE (May 16, 2017)

@knight1fox3 Your grill cover looks remarkably like ours.


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)

Wait. This thread is for _SERIOUS_ answers? Then hold please and I'll find some good stuff.


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## DoctorWho-PE (May 16, 2017)

thekzieg said:


> Wait. This thread is for _SERIOUS_ answers? Then hold please and I'll find some good stuff.


I dunno, I guess I read it that way.


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)




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## DoctorWho-PE (May 16, 2017)

thekzieg said:


>


Oooh, I like this one.  Can you move it to Iowa?


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## Owism (May 16, 2017)

Thanks all for your serious proposals. 

I'll go and get some quotes now and show all photos to the landscaper. 

Too much low quality caffeine for engineers does not give good results.  Maybe you all should try drinking some Starbucks? 

I do like this one though, thanks:



vhab49 said:


> And one more.
> 
> ETS:  The water feature is nice, but a new one would be pretty expensive to put in.
> 
> View attachment 9482


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## DoctorWho-PE (May 16, 2017)

Owism said:


> Thanks all for your serious proposals.
> 
> I'll go and get some quotes now and show all photos to the landscaper.
> 
> ...


That is my favorite room in my house.  Our yard is about 1/3 acre, split half front/half back.  The lady we bought it from was a master gardener, so I don't know what half the stuff is.


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## thekzieg (May 16, 2017)

Have you tried this: grassy backyard ideas


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## snickerd3 (May 16, 2017)

those are all pretty cool but high maintenance and breeding grounds for mosquitoes....no thanks.  I don't have the $$ to pay a gardener.


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## Ble_PE (May 16, 2017)

matt267 PE said:


> This might fit you too:


Looks like an average Hawaiian home.


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## Owism (May 16, 2017)

thekzieg said:


> Have you tried this: grassy backyard ideas


Ahh google, yes of course. I just loath when that leads me to unrealistic pintrest ideas created by manufacturers of hardscape and landscape products to lure people into thinking its possible with a normal person budget. 

And so I ask my fellow engineers for practical advice based on their experience.


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## Dleg (May 16, 2017)




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## Dleg (May 16, 2017)




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## Dleg (May 16, 2017)




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## leggo PE (May 18, 2017)

If I had that much outdoor space (one day, hopefully), I'd definitely look into landscaping with native plants. What's native to the area you are in? Also, permeable surfaces, to minimize runoff. Is there anything you could plant that would facilitate pollination or attract specific types of insects, birds, or other animals that you would like?


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## thekzieg (May 18, 2017)

WTF @matt267 PE


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## Road Guy (May 18, 2017)

_ye_ah a photo would be help us "help you"

Ive got a total lot of .05 acre (which is like an estate in Denver burbs)   But we just have grass in middle and around the edges we have a nice rock mulch with some evergreen trees and some annoying irirs's and other small plants that need to be thinned out.. the previous owners had more of a green thumb than we do


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## kevo_55 (May 18, 2017)

I like Dleg's "ye old bunker."


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## Dleg (May 19, 2017)

^might need it one of these days.


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## Owism (May 22, 2017)

Road Guy said:


> _ye_ah a photo would be help us "help you"
> 
> Ive got a total lot of .05 acre (which is like an estate in Denver burbs)   But we just have grass in middle and around the edges we have a nice rock mulch with some evergreen trees and some annoying irirs's and other small plants that need to be thinned out.. the previous owners had more of a green thumb than we do





Theres my house with the backyard behind it. I'm in the Northeast. Zone 5 weather.

Heres the aerial view. A Privacy fence would be around 430linear feet... pretty expensive but might just be the best option. I want to do PVC but then if anything breaks I would have to order the special part from that manufacturer. If its wood then I can just get some wood from home depot for repairs if needed later. But wood needs care and 430 linear feet of that care scares me. Ideas? Key things we want: Privacy, natural beauty.  Maybe even just a privacy fence closer to the house to reduce the linear footage but then what about the rest of the land?


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## Owism (May 23, 2017)

bump


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## P-E (May 23, 2017)

Hill farmstead brewery




Dont forget to include a brewery


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## Owism (May 23, 2017)

i used to have chickens


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## P-E (May 23, 2017)

You're going to need a lot of hops and barley.


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## matt267 PE (May 23, 2017)

Fencing in a smaller area just around the house might be a good idea. If you pay for a cedar fence, it'll be less maintenance the spruce.


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## Owism (May 23, 2017)

Thanks @matt267 PE


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## Road Guy (May 23, 2017)

we have a similar shape but smaller lot and it has a fence on the border but then has about 8-10 ft of "rock mulch" with some plants to break it up a little..


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## jeb6294 (May 25, 2017)

I was able to get a thermal image from GIS when I was working as a consultant for the sewer district.  Makes it look like Mars, but it's easier to see stuff.  Short of a forest fire, I don't think there's a whole I can do.  There are plenty of mature trees, but also* a lot *of honeysuckle.  Not climbing vines of honeysuckle...like 3-4 inch "trees" that is almost impossible to get rid of even if you cut it down..


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