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

Townhouse Garden Design with Structure & Style

Posted on July 3rd, 2009

Earlier this year, the owner of a large Townhouse who was planning a major refurbishment of the property, contacted us to seek our advice and assistance to design and re-build a new garden to replace an old garden which had become overgrown with cumbersome planting and provided little means to enjoy any outdoor living.

The sample photos provide some evidence of how  jaded the garden had become. From the outset it was clear, that several elements demanded immediate attention, including provisioning of Patio area(s), a unified boundary which would not only be more defined but also conceal some of the rather unsightly appearances of the concrete posts and plinths of the panel fences as well as the exposed blockwork on the opposite boundary wall.

The side access although generous and long resembled more an alley way and displaying all the signs of having been overlooked. To complete the visual disharmony, concrete pathways were in abundance and exceptional number of AJs were all too conspicuous given the overall scale of the property.    

To begin with all tree and shrub planting was removed including all roots. The design plan was to instal wall cladding on all three sides of the boundary walls/fencing within the main garden. Plan included two Patio areas, one main and a smaller ‘Bistro size’ Patio nearer the house. All stone work (paving, setts and step risers) would be Indian Sandstone (Mint). The side access was also to be paved to link with main garden area, also a separate seating and planting area would also create a more secluded ’shaded garden’ space within this area, and a trellis screen would be used to screen waste bins at rear entrance and well away from the main garden area. Garden lighting was positioned to provide individual lighting zones (four in total: specimen planting, main patio and perimter borders, olive tree and side area), offering flexibility to light owner depending on use.

The appeal and simple line of timber cladding is well illustrated here and to conceal the rather uneven but distinctive curve section of walling, this was clad with a double  line of timber laths (fixed vertically) to provide a subtle but otherwise a favourable and compatible finish with the otherwise horizontal lines of the timber wall cladding. All timber works were painted in a dark tone of green to provide a uniform look but also a ‘green’ backdrop and less requirement for bulk planting.  The exception being a beatiful specimen of the Olive tree in rear corner to counter balance an otherwise dominant appearance of the main circular Patio.

From start to finish, this project was completed in less time than a typical  2 week summer holiday. A great surprise for the owner upon return.

As is the case in all gardens, but especially a  townhouse garden functionality is very important, space is a premium and in such cases although planting can and is also important, use of space is probably more important than appearance. However in this project and similar, where timber cladding is featured, the results clearly demonstrate that timber fencing/cladding can make a major contribution to achieving structure but style in a garden. In this instance I believe the green tones provide a relaxed and calming backdrop to the simple geometry of the layout and results in a garden that has not only clear useable spaces, defined gentle curves and a selection of planting that provides year round interest without any significant regular maintenance requirements.

In terms of design, structure, style and functionality are all critical elements of  successful townhouse garden design and attention to detail and quality of finish are essential pre-requisites.

Garden Fencing with appealing colour and style

Posted on June 27th, 2009

Here are a few ’Before’ photographs of an average sub-urban garden containing few if any focal points, an adhoc planting scheme, a rather drab looking cobblelock Patio and a site boundary which fails to enhance or define the overall view but seems to underline the juxtapositioning of all else in the garden space?

An early but key design objective was to refine the boundary with a  solution which would feature clean lines and yet be discreet and compliment the proposed planting scheme and new site layout. The garden shed was relocated from the sunniest corner to the most shaded corner. Pressure treated timber cladding was used on both the left and right hand boundaries and pressure treated trellis panels (for additional height and screening) were used on rear wall. To achieve a more coherent background look, all timbers including Garden Shed were painted, in this instance a dark green.

The choice of the garden fencing style works well here and the colour selected for fence painting is one of the more appealing visual images from this particular project. Also to be seen is Indian Sandstone paving and setts were used here and featuring circular layouts and gentle sweeps to contrast favourably with the more dominant ‘linear’ garden layout. 

Although the Rotary Clothes line was replaced, it’s position in the new layout was unchanged.

Sandstone Patios in challenging spaces

Posted on June 12th, 2009

A recent project of ours I believe provides some useful illustration about  the importance of design and layout in defining Patio areas. Perhaps not so evident from the photographs is that this particular garden which was was relatively compact but on two levels and made the more challenging by the chosen design. Some logistical challenges had also to be carefully considered, as there was no side or rear access to the garden areas, this project required that all materials be carried through the house.

Some might wonder why we did not select an easier approach by choosing a more simpler perhaps linear layout. No, we always endeavour to exceed client expectations and ion this instance it was obvious from an early stage of the design process a design with a split level solution with a distinctive finish to the retaining elements was preferred by the clients. In this instance Pressure treated Pine sleepers were used for the Raised Bed at the upper level and at the lower level a sandstone capping to a painted rendered wall was agreed upon.

Although it would have been much easier to construct a linear wall, the geometry was largely influenced by the fact that the client wanted to inset a circular arrangement within the lower sandstone patio. Thus it was obvious to me anyway, that the wall and indeed the Raised Bed should be consistent and therefore semi-circular layouts were selected. This was also the chosen finish for the decorative trims around patio perimeters which provided opportunity for sandstone chippings to contrast with the relative flatness of the sandstone paving. On the upper level, the sandstone paving also featured a circular-out to provide much needed breathing space at ground level for the mature tree.

Although a small garden space, all the common but key details and elements of everyday patio design and construction can be seen here, including  ACCO Storm channels at Patio doors, Recess Frames to provide easy but discreet access to the AJ (access to foul water system), Sandstone risers for steps.  How often do we see the appearance of new paving ruined by conspicuous AJ/Manhole covers?

The colour of the painted rendered wall at the lower level is Nevada, an dalthough we did discuss colour selection for some time.  We did at completion joke about how we took a gamble with the Nevada but it paid off!

I always believe that designing in small spaces can be difficult, with little room for error and in this particular project, construction was also more challenging than usual and this was very evident during extensive excavations taking place during recent wet spells. All in all, from start to finish, the project took approx 10 working days to complete. They were 10 hard days, but the results clearly justify the significant effort involved. Great sandstone cutting skill is much in evidence throughout this garden.

Sandstone Patio

Posted on April 26th, 2009

When it comes to choosing a natural stone material for garden patios, one of the most attractive paving stones is of course Sandstone. Although now widely available from a number of sources and suppliers, it would be reasonable to say that the vast majority of Sandstone paving available for sale in Ireland today is in fact sourced in India. That said, despite being a very popular choice for garden patios, would be purchasers need to be careful when making selections as grades and qualities can vary considerably. 

Sandstone is available in quite a range of colours and tones, and although there are some very distinct colours available, including buffy cream , pale reds/pinks and Raj green, the ‘Mint’ colour is still a top seller. Don’t be put off by the name as in fact the ‘Mint’ range is predominantly light in tone, contains no green traces whatsoever and is in fact the ubiquitous creamy yellow Sandstone that can be seen everywhere. Being natural you can expect to also find some traces of other colours and tones, with some pale pinks and light browns also present. Before making your final decision on which colour, do remember that the stone can vary considerably in appearance, for example it can look much deeper and more vivid on cold damp days and very pale with the colour almost washed out on warm sunny days. Another interesting aspect to the ‘Mint’ range is the occurence of fossils, and sometimes these can be very impressive. Size of paving slab and layout can have a dramatic effect on results. With most colourways available in a varying of sizes, there are many options for choosing layout and paving slab size. As a general guide I would recommend using one size for small areas eg 600mmx300mm slab and in very large areas, perhaps a range of sizes can be used including 600mmx300mm, 600mmx450mm, 600mmx600mm and 900mmx600mm. Laying out smaller areas, I would recommend a staggered half slab stagger (a bit similar to a soldier course in brickwork), for larger areas, I’d prefer a random pattern using the various sizes.

It is important to consider slab size and layout pattern especially for the smaller areas  because too many sizes or a fussy layout can spoil the end results whereas you should be aiming for a simple and uncomplicated layout to provide a more pleasing and calming  effect of the natural warm tones. 

Patio design must take account of several elements, site aspects especially if the ground involves varyious levels, number of users, nothing worse than having a patio which is too small for the size of group. Try and introduce subtle textures and where possible use the sandstone in various forms eg slab, kerbing/step riser, setts and decorative pebble trims. Any shape is possible and this will be limited to the skill of the layer. Sandstone Patio Circle kits are also available in a range of pre-cut diameter sizes ranging from 2.0m to 4.0m or larger. 

Use planting in or near patio areas can dramatically affect the overall ambiance, plants may be small or specimen and planted in trapped or Raised beds. Try to design a means of using planting between patio and boundary walls. Nobody likes to sit against a wall, so it’s much better to have a buffer zone of planting between patio and wall. Not only does it look better but it is also a more prudent way of spending the money on the paving where it is more likely to be used.  

Finally when it comes to laying, ensure the correct side is up. In comparison to many other natural paving, sandstone has a relatively even surface although the underside can be heavily textured or riven a bit like Liscannor stone. It is surprising how often one sees Sandstone installed upside down! Sometimes the owners may prefer the reverse side on top, but this is not recommended for patio areas, as the variance can lead to a number of problems including trip hazards, and rocking furniture due to the considerable uneveness of the stone. Here are some examples of sandstone patio/paving work from our project portfolio:

Planning Beauty in a functional garden

Posted on April 1st, 2009

For some people achieving a beautiful garden can involve considerable effort and expense, whereas for garden hobbyists/enthusiasts, it might be more about 90% perspiration and perhaps 10% inspiration. Whichever approach you prefer, the success factors will be largely influenced by the methodology of the research, design and quality of workmanship at implementation stages. In addition to adopting a common sense approach to undertaking a garden project, no matter how large or small, here is some advice to assist your efforts for realising a beautiful garden.

The key to achieving a beautiful garden is one that is practical, functional, and aesthetically pleasing. The latter can be very subjective but many would recognise all too often fundamental errors in terms of practical layout or functionality. Some common examples of simple errors in these areas include, positioning the Garden Shed in the sunniest part of the garden with the knock-on effect of the patio being in a less than ideal location probably in a corner where it gets less use because the sun doesn’t reach that shine there when the owners wish to use it! Other problems are a footpath traversing the lawn making the grass area appear smaller and less useable. Children will always get more use and more fun from an open lawn. Creative planning will help determine interesting and appealing layouts, careful plant selection and good ground preparation will provide a garden which is easier to maintain and plants which are more likely to flourish and provide long lasting beauty.

But creative planning is not just simply about creating a garden which appears ’innovative’ but a process which must also consider a range of issues including owner’s style preferences, lifestyle, site conditions and aspects. Each has implications for determining garden layout and planting scheme. The design must also incorporate sufficient space and adequate ground conditions for trees and shrubs to flourish. A practical layout that not only allows owner enjoy views but also special features and outdoor spaces including Patios, decking and water features etc. Increasingly owners are demanding attractive gardens with low maintenance requirements. It is possible to design a beautiful garden with lots of interesting plants many of which might require little more effort than an annual clip or occasional watering/feeding in order to sustain interesting but thriving plant performances.

A common sense approach to plant selection is very important and surprisingly straight forward. Once again a little research will help, visits to the local Garden centres, public gardens, even a stroll around the local neighbourhood will all provide useful information on plants which might be considered. There is also an abundance of information available from the Internet. Important to select plants and shrubs with appropriate heights and spread growth habits, ie, try to match growth characteristics, plant’s preferred growing conditions with the corresponding spaces available in the garden. Plan the scheme so that the structure is appealing all year and not just during the growing season. Big gaps caused by ’out of season’ plants and shrubs demands careful attention especially in smaller gardens. Whether your preference is for mixed ‘dolly mixture’ or block/group planting, formal or tiere, there are many possibilities to create interesting perspectives and appealing views within most planting schemes. Other criteria include select relevant plants to suit prevailing ground conditions, for example, do not expect a shade loving plant to survive in a bright sunny garden, or a plant which prefers dry or free draining soil conditions to succeed in constantly damp soil.

Good ground preparation is an essential pre-requisite for the preparation of any new prospective garden and is especially important in order for plants to become quickly established and encourages good root development. If the site happens to be old and overgrown, you may need to remove some or all of the unwanted trees or shrubs, which might also indicate that the existing soil is perhaps tired and containing insufficient nutrients to sustain new plant growth. This can be easily rectified by simply mixing in plenty of well rotted manure or soil conditioner. Also add some slow release fertiliser and mix in plenty of compost. Before planting commences, give all plants a good soaking (simply immerse plant in a bucket of water for at least 30 minutes, remove and allow excess water to drain) prior to planting in the ground. After planting regular watering of the plants will be important until the plants become established and ‘independent’.

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

Posted on September 20th, 2008

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 600×300mm paving slabs (Pic 3) and for a more distinctive finish the pathway was edged on both sides with Sandstone Setts 200×100mm 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.

A DAY IN THE LIFE …of a landscaper (Day 8)

Posted on September 17th, 2008

By the end of Day 8, construction of the top level Patio was nearing completion (Pic 1), the intermediate perimeter steps (Pic 2) were advancing, whilst the main Patio at the lower level (Pic 3) was also beginning to emerge and take shape.

Pic 1 Patio Top Level almost completed

Pic 2 Sandstone Step detailing

Pic 3 Construction of main Patio well underway

A DAY IN THE LIFE …of a landscaper (Day 7)

Posted on September 17th, 2008

With the weather on our side and a smile on our faces, Day 7 began the paving of the top level patio. As is standard practice by us, we always lay our natural stone paving (sandstone, limestone and granite) on a 30-50mm (Patio areas) wet bed of sand and cement, with a mix ratio of 4-5:1 (sand: cement). We do not use dabs, paving grits or dry mixes. Our technique which also involves brushing the underside of the slab with a wet brush (to give good adhesion and a very strong bond) may cost a little more, and require a little more time to install, but we know very well, once laid the paving is perfect.

For a beautiful and consistent finish we only use solid sandstone kerbs/risers for the steps. Once the levels have been determined between Acco drains at Patio doors and the nearest step, we calculate finish heights for the sandstone risers (the vertical part of the steps). Calculations must take account of our typical falls of 1mm in 100mm (i.e. 1%). Normally but sometimes it may not always be possible, we would set the falls (surface or rain water run-off) away from buildings. It is important to note that Sandstone paving will also vary considerably in thickness from 25-50mm. So in order to achieve a uniform fall/level as well as a consistent appearance to the threads (i.e. top of steps), we would set aside slabs that would be of reasonable comparable thickness. Any marginal variance in slab thickness can be made up by adjustments to the depth of the bedding mortar.

Sandstone Risers.

Sandstone Risers.

Sandstone Paving.

AJ Recess Frame in-situ.

Detail showing mitres at Risers.

Patio at Top level beginning to take shape.

Detail showing block bases for lower thread + risers.

By the close of Day 7, the top level patio was slowly but surely beginning to emerge and take shape. Much done but a lot more to do, so to speak.

A DAY IN THE LIFE… of a landscaper (Days 2 – 6)

Posted on September 17th, 2008

With the weather very much on our side, we had by Day 6 managed to complete the site clearance and removed all waste and debris, mixed on-site and poured the Patio foundations, constructed the perimeter retaining walls for patios and planting pits/trapped planting beds, completed the Inner Wall aspect of the Raised Platform for the Victorian Summerhouse, installed the Acco Drains and associated pipe work for Run-off and extended the wall venting, completed the hoisting in of over 35 ton of sand, gravel, hardcore, almost 5 ton of cement in 25kg bags, 100+ m2 of Sandstone paving, several hundred solid concrete blocks.

With a few minutes before 4.00pm on Day 6, we had managed to hoist most of raw material requirements into the garden and removed most of the waste, and at 5 minutes to 4.00pm, the mechanical digger was finally hoisted off site.

We already knew we would have a challenging project, both in terms of construction planning but also design. Our spirits remained high that we could make good progress, but we were nonetheless conscious of how vulnerable progress might be if the weather was to change.

Perhaps because we have accumulated so much experience of designing and building challenging landscaping assignments, it never fails to impress not only ourselves but something which is frequently noted and commented upon by our clients. It does seem our infectious enthusiasm to tackle the task in hand head-on and our gritty determination to succeed in getting the job done is rarely missed by our clients.

Pic 1 Site Clearance resumes

Pic 2 Site clearance progresses

Pic 3 Site cleared and initial grading completed

Pic 4 Foundations for Patio Retaining Walls

Pic 5 More Foundations works

Pic 6 Foundation Walls and venting pipe work

Pic 7 Retaining Walls for Planting Pits

Pic 8 Acco Drains and pipe work

Pic 9 More Building materials arrive

Pic 10 Retaining Walls completed and hardcore backfilling gets underway

Pic 11 Backfilling and compaction of Hardcore almost completed

Pic 12 Inside Block work of Raised Platform for Summerhouse

Pic 13 Sandstone Paving materials

Pic 14 Removal of mechanical digger

It is only on very rare occasions, that the weather might manage to hinder our progress, but so far in this project, Mother Nature has shown us great favour. But will our luck hold out?

…to be continued.

A DAY IN THE LIFE … of a landscaper (Day 1)

Posted on August 27th, 2008

I just thought it would be interesting to take readers through one of our current landscaping projects and to see at firsthand so to speak from commencement right through to completion of project. Hopefully some might get a better understanding of what works are involved, the stages might help others to plan similar projects, and hopefully there might be others who might be inspired.

There are many aspects of this project which would be representative of many our projects, large site, jaded and overgrown, lots of scope for inspiring ideas. Some of the design elements which were agreed during the design stage included: split level patio, ideally make the garden more accessible from the house. At present there are three large steps from both Patio doors leading to garden.

(…no transition steps)

To make the transition from house to garden, it was agreed to remove such need for steps by constructing the patio as to be almost same level as exit point at patio doors. Patios extend to over 8m with the areas biased towards the sunnier side and also access to planned Summerhouse. Changes in levels were to be discreet and no dramatic falls which could a potential hazard for playing children and partying adults.

Garden Shed should be screened and also a secret area be developed for a play frame. Clients also liked the idea of a structured layout with a sweeping path to profile lawn and planted spaces and linking all key areas i.e. Patio, Summerhouse, Children’s play area etc.

An important aspect to the site was the restricted access, i.e. there was no side access and given the scale of the constructional elements, e.g. paved areas > 80m², and height variance between patio and lawns approx 450mm, one can quickly realise the logistical challenges involved in order to remove considerable waste off site and more importantly the large amount of constructional materials required also. Site clearance was also going to be challenging, a large amount of ground clearance (Photo 89 ..tired, jaded and overgrown), old tree stumps and plenty of scrub and weed infested overgrown grass areas had to be tackled.

(…even more scrub)

To facilitate initial ground works as well as movement of raw materials a very large (55ton crane) was required on site to lift over the rooftop a 2 ton mechanical digger and 8 ton of builder’s gravel, sand and cement (required for foundations for retaining walls within patio areas).

Day 1

So as planned and ahead of the crane’s arrival on site, the mechanical digger as well as the sand and gravel etc for foundation work are ready for lifting. Meanwhile the team started clearing some of the green, strimmed grass, cut and remove ivy, shrubbery, and tree trunks. All waste was packed into 1 tonne builder sand bags and set aside for lifting. Confident that we could at least now see more of the garden and more importantly was to be removed, the team awaited reinforcements and the arrival of the digger to really tackle the site clearance and ground preparation.

(…preparing the Digger for Lift)

The lift sequence was planned as follows, first digger and then to be followed by hoist in bags (sand, gravel etc) and hoist out (green waste).

(…crane in position and final preparations for lifting digger)

(…Houston we have lift off)

(…high above the slates)

…to be continued.