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

A new family garden with design, interest and uses

Posted on December 24th, 2009

Once the site had been cleared, worked commenced on grading the site and to create a series of terraces with the highest at the back (upper lawn) and grading downwards towards front (a planted buffer zone separating lawn area from football area) which was also separate from the enclosed vegetable garden which was next up from the entrance level and garden shed.

Some other works completed included the construction of an enclosure for the puppy as well as some wall cladding/trellissing to conceal some unappealling unrendered blockwork wall finishes etc.

Entrance to Dog Enclosure

Planting at Dog enclosure featured Hardenbegia and Libertia.

View of entrance (southern) to enclosed Vegetable garden area

Enclosed Vegetable garden Entrance/exit (northern)

Stepping stone pathway linking Vegetable garden to Garden Shed

View towards Boundary of prepared ground of Vegetable garden

View towards House of well prepared ground of Vegetable garden

A rendered and secure garden shed

View of football play area

View of upper lawn area

Sandstone setts were used to delineate lawn profile

View of Ornamental Grasses/Herbaceous planting area

Feature planting included Tree Ferns and slow but low growing Bamboos

Old granite wall provides an excellent backdrop to planting scheme

The gentle sweep of lawn edge/planted areas provides added interesting

Sweeping lawn edges create variable planted space possibilities

The original Post & Panel fencing was painted green to make it less conspicuous

Practical and robust planting (Pittosporum Tom Thumb and Libertia) at rear of football area

Roll turf provides an ideal and instant finish look to a new lawn

Timber cladding with trellissing provides a coherent but attractive finish

Something to remember

Posted on December 11th, 2009

Remember landscaping is all about creative and constructive teamwork!

As we approach the end of another year, I would like to remember with sincere thanks the support and encouragement we have enjoyed from all of our clients which have been wonderful to work with and for. Yes it has been a challenging but busy year, and yes at times we seemed to have had endless terrible weather, but good fortune continues to come our way. 

Our collective efforts as a team continue to impress, excite and achieve. It is most satisfying to be part of such a committed team which undertakes all landscaping projects with enthusiasm, professionalism and great pride. Well done guys, and here’s looking forward to a new year and 2010.

New Gardening from above

Posted on December 5th, 2009

I was delighted to take the opportunity of our client’s invitation to view the garden from upstairs window. How interesting it is to see an all familair plan view from the vantage point of a bedroom window. Not only is the view much different and interesting but the gentle curves appear to take one on a much more sweeping  journey around the garden.

The fencing looks particularly striking and although the planting forms and colours were distinctive, planting appeared new and perhaps less developed from above. Still there is always the exciting prospect of future growth.  The Patio areas were certainly beautiful and the warm tones of Ravena sandstone really eye catching. I look forward to hopefully re-visiting the garden in late Spring but will always have fond memories of what was a very challenging but exciting project and the results of our efforts make me  proud.  

Unfortunately poor weather hampered my attempts to take photos from above but still we were all very happy with what we could see. 

Sandstone Garden Patios

Posted on November 14th, 2009

Our efforts over the last twelve weeks are now coming to fruition, and as we begin to complete our final touches, all aspects are begining to come to light and reveal with great excitement the pleasing lines, levels and of course the natural beauty and colour of natural sandstone patios.  In this project we have used Ravena sandstone for all patio works.

Last days nearing the finish

Posted on November 11th, 2009

Another week, in fact week 12 since site works commenced back in August, and we expect what will be our final week to conclude all outstanding site/landscaping works. Fortunately for us much of what remains to be done is not hugely weather dependent or at least we can make provision for wet conditions. 

Sequencing of outstanding tasks for new lawn is important and ahead of preparing the ground and stone burying, we laid the limestone pebble dressing in the vegetable garden. This has turned out to be a quite simple, neat but nonetheless appealing area. The raised beds constructed from larch timbers complete with well prepared topsoil with plenty of added soil conditioner making for an attractive but hopefully productive growing medium.

After completion of the ground grading and stone burying works, and to protect the area from heavy rains which would make the ground unworkable, the area was covered with plastic so as to maintain reasonable dry conditions. The plastic covering is peeled back as the installation of the roll turf progresses. You’ll note from the photos the use of plywood sheeting which allows access and installation to proceed without causing any damage to the new turf and/or ground levels. Installation of roll turf usually starts at the rear of garden and progresses towards the front. 

In the front garden, the hardcore sub-base of the driveway area has been extensively rolled and compacted after which it was blinded with a very fine hardcore dust, which was also rolled and compacted. The area is now ready for the final top dressing, ie the ornamental stone finish. The dust blinding reduces any risk of the hardcore sub-base becoming loose and churning with the top dressing. The planting of the perimeter beds as well as top dressing with bark mulch has also been completed. 

Soft Landscaping with Trees

Posted on October 8th, 2009

After yesterday’s heavy rainshowers which forced us to abandon  early, work resumed today. Whilst exacavations of Driveway area continued, in the rear garden we completed the sandstone paving of an what will be a partly enclosed adjoining space (Utility area), the Sandstone setts at entrance to rear garden area and the installation of Setts for the lawn edging/mowing continued to advance. 

Completion of Sandstone paving in Utility area

Detail of Sandstone setts at entrance to Rear garden

Sandstone Setts define planting areas at Patio

Detail of perimeter planting area at Patio

Sandstone setts used as Lawn edge and define Planting areas

As the completion of the hard landscaping works in Rear garden nears, I suppose we approach what is for many landscapers, a very exciting phase of any new project and that is of course the soft landscaping phase, ie, planting phase. I often wonder what the unsuspecting people makes of the terms ‘hard’ and ’soft’ landscaping. I’m sure one could interpret the distinction as ‘hard’ meaning difficult, ie constructional aspects, and ’soft’ , ie planting being somewhat easier.  Of course this might be the case in complex construction type projects, but believe you me, there are projects where the scale involving planting of very mature plant specimens, is indeed very difficult and labour intensive. As in all large projects, the best way to eat an elephant, is in tiny bits, and so no longer able to control our excitement, we took the opportunity to plant some trees and what a difference they make. We’ll wait now until the garden lighting has been installed before resuming the planting. But here are some photos of what we planted earlier today providing another aspect or glimpse of the new garden and the shape of things to come!     

Tree cluster featuring Olives and Acers

The magnificent Olive tree - for many, a most welcomed non-native tree species

The Acers (Japanese Maples) nestled at rear will benefit from the shelter provided by the fencing and the protective dappled shade of the Olives at the front

The cluster of trees will provide height and colour within this feature planted area, and the eye-catching tree shadows on the garden fencing!

Acer palmatum 'Sangokaku' (Japenese Maple) - stunning colour and form

Sandstone Setts – the design features

Posted on October 6th, 2009

Natural Sandsone Setts are an appealing and versatile element for inclusion in any garden design project. Available in a range (light, medium and indeed dark tones) of colours and sizes, they are ideal as a practical lawn edge, permanently defining the lawn profile, a robust barrier/buffer between lawn making them an ideal mowing strip (Tip: the sett level should be 25 mm/1″ below lawn level and also no need for a strimmer!).  Setts can also be used very effectively to separate lawn from planted or indeed pebbled areas, make an attractive trim to pathways as well as Patios.

Installing setts as a lawn edge is relatively straight forward, first excavate channel, place hardcore in end of channel, and carefully position setts in a sand cement bed (typically 75mm/3″ deep), ensuring that the setts are straight (linear layout) or concentric (use builders line to check each sett) if design is a radial. Each sett should be embedded securely or well haunched, and each sett should be checked with spirit level. A few photos from our current project will help to illustrate these points: 

Excavate channel

Put hardcore (foundation) in base of excavated channel

Lining up setts alongside prepared channel makes for speedy installation

Sand & cement is used to secure Sandstone Setts in situ

Utilising Sandstone Setts to profile Patio and lawn edge

Sandstone Setts make an attractive finish to Patio edge

Patio Garden

Posted on October 3rd, 2009

More photos from work in progress on Sandstone Patio works, Retaining Wall with integrated steps and excavated channel for Sandstone lawn edgings.

Garden Patios, design details in construction

Posted on October 1st, 2009

As with many aspects of life, the beauty and appeal of well designed garden Patios is not only to be found in the design detail but also within the constructional details. Natural stone paving such as Indian Sandstone can produce fantastic results. Time, care and attention are all pre-requisite, experienced and skilful cutting and installtion are essential but the results ALWAYS provide the desired results. 

The attached photos from our current project clearly illustrate many of these key points, Sandstone Paving (Ravena) in a range of sizes, several individual hand cut pieces to complete the random joint pattern, Sandstone Kerbs used as Step Risers and Sandstone Setts for Patio perimeter trims.  

Sandstone Steps

Laying Sandstone Slab on Sand & Cement Bed

Sandstone Paving featuring Random Joint Pattern

Sandstone Paving with Step Detail and Sett Trim

Sandstone Patio with consistent line profile

Sandstone Patio over split levels

Hard Garden Landscaping

Posted on September 30th, 2009

Some more photos to show progress on our Hard Landscaping works, ie, constructing Raised Sandstone Walls, Sandstone (Ravena) Garden Patios and link Sandstone Pathways. Some photos also show preliminary ground preparation including Hardcore Foundations (Sub-base)  for paved areas and also one (Vegetable garden area) of the several new  water taps installed throughout the garden.

Later this week we will commence marking out the garden for installation of lawn edging (Sandstone Sett) which will permanently define the lawn profile and separate it clearly from perimeter planted areas. As the hard landscaping works progresses, work will shortly commence on the installation of garden lighting ahead of the soft landscaping elements which include tree and shrub planting, ground grading and preparation for installation of roll turf lawn.