Garden design, garden planning, garden layout, planting plants and planting schemes

A DAY IN THE LIFE…of a landscaper (Day 14)

posted in advice category on 2009-01-06

Day 14 brought good weather allowing construction work to resume. As the Sandstone Kerbing was used to provide a distinctive Raised Profile edge (Pic 1) to the main planted Area within the Patio, excavations for base for the sweeping pathway got underway. This was followed by the providing a compacted (100mm) hardcore base as foundation (Pic 2) for paving. The construction of the Sandstone Pathway featured 600x300mm paving slabs (Pic 3) and for a more distinctive finish the pathway was edged on both sides with Sandstone Setts 200x100mm to create a very attractive and eye catching results (Pic 4).

Pic 1 Sandstone Kerbing helps define the Planting Bed within Patio

Pic 2 Hardcore base for perimeter pathway

Pic 3 Sweeping Sandstone pathway

Pic 4 Sandstone Pathway edged with Sandstone Setts

Attention to detail is one of the Hallmarks of our workmanship and here are some very clear examples. To achieve a very uniform joints and consistent radiating effect, it is necessary to cut and mitre every slab. This results in joints of consistent widths and no arcing (large tapers within joints, i.e. narrow and one end and wide at the opposite end (Pic 5). A string line from radius centre point is used to mark the radiating line for each paving slab on the two adjoining sides. Again all slabs are laid on a wet bed (typically 50mm) of mortar to provide a solid and stable base for the Sandstone pathway (Pic 5). In Pic 6 the exit steps from Victorian Summerhouse leading down to perimeter sweeping pathway are also completed.

Pic 5 Mitred paving for a radiating finish

Pic 6 Exit steps from Raised Platform

As work on Day 14 drew to a close, the garden structure, the skeletal attributes of the new garden were becoming increasingly visible. And is so often the case, it is certainly intriguing and absolutely fascinating to observe and try and determine at which point a project evolves from being a series of constructional activities to becoming a new garden? In spite of the many tasks involved, the pursuit of the greater green is something which excites us greatly and indeed a fantastic motivator.