Planning your garden
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Having a garden plan is a vitally
important if you are to avoid expensive, unsightly and inconvenient mistakes.
However, a garden is not static, it is always changing
and evolving, so a garden plan is not a blueprint that must be precisely
followed. Rather it is a checklist of ideas and suggestions. Above all it
requires thought to the future. Many gardens develop without such foresight.
Amenity items are located with little consideration as to how they will affect
the garden, and plants are dotted around without fully thinking through how
they will grow and develop. This approach can create problems, such as compost
heaps located in full view of the house, and lead to an assortment of disparate
styles. A garden must be attractive, functional and, above all, enjoyable. To
achieve this ideal demands some forward planning.
Having considered the natural attributes
of the site and the limits and opportunities created by your climate, you
probably already have some ideas about the features you want to see in your
garden and how these can be incorporated into the overall house and garden
design whether existing or new.
Maintenance and use
Before getting too advanced with the
planning you should decide exactly what you want from your garden and the
amount of time you are prepared to provide for maintenance and development. The
most beautiful garden will not last long if it is not maintained and the most
magnificent outdoor living and entertainment area is of little benefit if it is
never used.
Be realistic about your dedication to
gardening; you want to be able to enjoy your garden, not to feel that you
always have to be working just to keep it under control. A garden that is too
large and complicated will soon become a burden and even the simplest tasks
will come to seem like painting the Auckland Harbour Bridge — no sooner have
you finished then it’s time to start all over again.
Likewise, be realistic about setting
aside large parts of your garden for things like barbecue areas,
swimming pools, tennis courts and children’s play areas. Are they going to be
used? And even if they are, how regularly and for how long?
So often, home owners will spend large amounts of time and money ripping up a
perfectly satisfactory garden to install a barbecue area that is a maze of
complicated fences, walls and decking only to find they spend far more time
painting the fences than grilling steaks.
Drawing a scale plan
As you go through the design and planning
process, make a plan of your garden. This will help you to position things
accurately and will highlight any impracticalities in
your initial ideas.
Your plan doesn’t need to be a
masterpiece, but it should be drawn to scale, with the boundaries in their
correct proportions, buildings accurately positioned, and any existing items,
such as drives, paths, entrances, trees, fences and hedges, properly drawn.
Also, you should note the position of north; this gives garden centre staff or
anyone else to whom you may show the plan some idea of the aspect of the section.
Consider too, any existing that you may wish to preserve and any unsightly
object that you may wish to hide.
If you have access to a home computer
there are several relatively cheap garden design programmes that make it easy
to alter the design and mix and match plants and construction elements until
you get it right. Sophisticated programmes even allow the design to be
projected forward over several growing seasons to see how it shapes up over
time.
Do you need a landscape gardener?
A simple plan combined with some applied
commonsense and careful preparation is usually all that is needed to get
started. But not all garden designs are straightforward, so if you don’t feel
capable of doing the entire job or just want a second opinion,
it is a good idea to get professional advice.
A landscape gardener works in
consultation with the garden owner to produce a plan that is best suited to the
site, climate and the wishes of the owner. The plan produced can be a basic
pattern for the owner to follow and modify as required, or it may be a detailed
plan that the landscaper will put into action.
Getting a plan made up is only the first
step. The section has to be laid out, the plants bought and planted and the
garden tidied up afterwards. You can do all this yourself or you can hire a
landscape gardener who will do all or any part of the job as you request.
If you intend to employ a professional
you need to be aware of the differences between landscape gardeners and
landscape architects. Landscape architects are generally well qualified and
belong to a professional organisation. They usually produce work of a high
standard but they are expensive and will often sub-contract the actual
construction work. On the other hand, anyone can set themselves up as a
landscape gardener and many do.
Whoever you choose, it pays to check
their credentials. This is not always easy. All you can do is to ask for
references and if possible inspect a few of their previous jobs. If the work
appears satisfactory and the owners seem satisfied it’s over to you. Many of
the larger garden centres offer landscaping services and they can be a good
place to start; at least you know where to find them when you need to.
Re-modelling an existing garden
Most of the topics discussed in this
chapter apply as much to existing gardens as new ones. The only real difference
is that some of the features will already be present and others may have to be
removed before alterations can be made.
Remodelling a garden can involve far more
work than building a new garden. Old plants have to be removed before new ones
can be planted, tree stumps have to be lifted, and paths and patios may even
have to altered. Don’t rush into garden remodelling, you’ve lived with the garden this far, a little
more time spent working out what you really need to change can save a lot of
unnecessary labour later on.
A common problem when remodelling is that
the new plants look completely out of proportion with the rest of the garden.
Time will take care of this, but you may be better to buy slightly more
advanced specimens; this will also lessen the risk of overplanting.
Regardless of whether you are building a
new garden or remodelling an old one, the work takes time and effort. It will
also be several years before the full effect of your work becomes apparent. The
worst thing that you can do is to attempt to rush everything just to see a
quick result. If you have planned properly you have nothing to worry about and
there is little to gain from a rushed job.
Design elements
Break up the design
By dividing your garden up into areas
based on their use or features that you wish to incorporate you will develop a
better idea of the space required for your plans and how functional
considerations may affect the design.
Ornamental features and gardens are best
kept separate from utility areas but the conflict that can arise from this is
typical. For example, the clothes line needs to be near the laundry but that
may mean that it has to passed on the way to the back lawn or that the washing
gets tangled up in the vegetable garden.
Careful planning can help you avoid these
problems and others, such as the barbecue area that is situated right next to
the compost heap. Start by dividing the garden into areas based on use. This
will highlight which area is best for utilities, will simplify the laying out
of paths and lawns; and will help you to keep potential clashes of both a
domestic and design nature to a minimum.
The entrance sets the theme
Because initial impressions are usually
the strongest you should start the design process with the entrance to the
garden. Most gardeners treat their entrance area as the showpiece of their
gardens. If the gardener has some particular area of interest this is where you
will usually see his or her best plants: the beautifully maintained rose bed,
the huge-flowered dahlias, or massed annuals. Often it is the only part of the
garden that could be considered very ornamental.
Entrances can be enhanced in many ways.
Structural features, such as archways, pergolas, walls and fences, can be used
to define as well beautify the entrance. Small flower borders and potted trees
or shrubs flanking the entrance or a climber along the wall will soften the
harsh lines of such structures or a hedge can be used instead of a wall or
fence. An unusual mailbox or a distinctive style of street
number also contribute to the overall impression.
Next, consider any particular features
that you may wish to have in your garden. Garden beds and small shrubs are
easily accommodated, but large trees, ponds and patios demand careful siting
and may impose special restrictions such as being close to water or electrical
supply lines.
Finally, look at how you can blend the
functional and the ornamental. Trellises, hedges and other simple screening
devices can be used to hide the rubbish bin, compost heaps or other unsavoury
sights. Climbers can be used to cover the blank walls of the garage and tool
shed and if possible, changes in level can be used to more clearly define the
function of each part of the garden. These can be natural or may be artificial,
as in patios and decks or steps that lead to an elevated area.
Structural elements
All gardens contain structural and
utility elements. These ‘hardware’ items are sometimes fixed, in which case the
garden must be arranged around, but often they can be altered to fit the garden
or hidden from view. Most gardeners will want to include or need to take
account of some of the following items.
Driveways and paths
Grand driveways have always been a
feature of large houses and since the advent of the motor car the drive has
come to dominate the entrance design of most houses. Drive and paths can create
very rigid harsh lines that do not blend well with the garden; anything that
can be done to break away from straight lines will help. Pillars and arches
with a grand sweeping curve of drive suit a large country estate but they are
scarcely practical in a small garden, but there are other ways to break away
from the straight drive that hugs the fence line.
The first step is to position the
entrance more centrally, at least 2 m from the boundary. This will
eliminate the troublesome narrow border that is so often seen between the edge
of the drive and the fence and allows for more variations in drive design.
Curving the line of the drive also helps
because it enables the side paths to be better integrated with the drive. They
can be run off at tangents to the curve of the drive rather than at the rigid
right angles that a straight driveway dictates.
Few modern houses are without driveways
or entrance courtyards and even those that do not will usually have main paths
that are effectively pedestrian driveways. It is always a good idea to make the
main path considerably wider than the side paths as this will naturally point
any traffic in the direction that you want it to follow.
Paths require careful siting to ensure
that they divide the garden into the appropriate areas of operation while also
provide the best access. A shortcut that is used in preference to a path means
that the path is in the wrong place. Try taking a mental walk around your
garden plan to check out the layout of the paths, make sure they go to the
places that you will visit most often.
Wherever possible avoid straight lines
but don’t go overboard with curves either. Too many curves take the walker on a
circuitous route and lead to shortcuts being used. Try to keep your main paths
at least a metre wide, 75 cm is the minimum width for a one-person path.
Garage and shed
Often the garage is already sited by the
time the garden is planned, but if not, try to incorporate it into the overall
design instead of making it an ugly outhouse that will require camouflaging.
The same applies to garden tool sheds. Often the area of driveway directly in
front of the garage is used for car washing, so special attention should be
paid to the drainage of this part of the garden.
Swimming pools, barbecues, decks and patios
These entertainment areas are usually
directly linked to the house with the garden built around them. Often these
features are not used regularly or used for other purposes. Try to make them as
multi-functional as possible because they do take up a considerable amount of
space. A patio that is occasionally used as a barbecue area can be a good
location for a hideaway clothes line.
As mentioned earlier you should pay close
attention to how often you will use these areas before committing yourself to
their construction. This is especially true if you opt for more permanent
structures, such as a brick patio, concrete or stone block barbecue area or an
in-ground pool. These items are also likely to be a severe test of your
do-it-yourself skills and some, especially an in-ground pool, will have to be
professionally built.
Other points to consider with pools are
the proximity of trees and the possibility of falling
leaves and other debris; the pool surround, which should be paved as wet grass
cuts up very quickly; and compliance with the fencing regulations.
Courtyards
As gardens have become smaller it has
become more common to have large paved areas that act as courtyards. A
courtyard can be at the front of the dwelling, as a combined drive and
courtyard; it can be a somewhat glorified patio and entertainment area; or it
can be genuine courtyard of the type often seen between groups of ownership
flats.
Like all large areas of paving,
courtyards pose problems with run off and generally barren appearance. A
well-laid courtyard should not develop puddle in wet weather and should not
cause the surrounding garden to flood. Courtyards can be made more attractive
with potted plants, and more sheltered and inviting by surrounding them with
climber covered trellises and low hedges.
Clothes line
The main considerations are what type of
design, location and how to get to it. Fixed rotary designs offer the greatest
convenience but they tend to be the most difficult to fit into the garden.
Although roll-away styles take some setting up each time they are used, they
can be blended into the garden so that they are almost invisible when not in
use. A clothes line must be sited where there will be good air movement and it
needs to be easily accessible from the laundry. You will either need a path
that goes directly to the line or a line that can be strung across a patio.
Waste storage
All households create waste and it soon
piles up. Where you will keep the domestic rubbish prior to disposal is an
important design consideration. A waste area should be well screened so that it
is not visible from the leisure oriented parts of the garden. It should also be
protected from household pets and marauding neighbourhood animals.
Compost area
A good garden needs good compost. But you
don’t want the compost area to be highly visible, although it does need to be
easily accessible, with enough room around it to comfortably manoeuvre a
wheelbarrow. Once again, intelligent use of screening is the best way to
disguise this very useful but unattractive item.
Lawns
A lawn could be considered as an
ornamental feature and can be beautiful in its own right,
it can provide access to garden beds and can also serve as a sportsground,
playground, relaxation and entertainment area.
The details of laying a lawn are covered
in a later chapter, but there are a few design points that should be discussed
here. It is usually best to avoid formal squares or rectangles of lawn, curves
provide a more gentle, less austere effect and blend
in better with the rounded forms of trees and shrubs. The arc created by a
curve also leaves more room for planting at the corners of the garden.
Long narrow strips of grass tend to be
walked on most at the centre and can become rutted tracks. Try extending the
garden into the lawn at various points to break up the flow of traffic. This
also reduces the alley-like look that often occurs when narrow lawns are
flanked by garden borders.
Children’s play area
Items such as swings, sandpits, and games
areas need not spoil the look of a garden but they are best sited away from
your most precious rarities. Cricket balls and trilliums don’t mix! Children
grow up quickly, so build these facilities with a view to removing them later
(the facilities not the children).
Greenhouse
Although it is can be a very useful, a
modern greenhouse is not a very attractive building. Yet, because it requires a
position in the sun for maximum production and there is a need for easy access,
the greenhouse will probably be out in the open and clearly visible. There is
really no way round this; to screen the greenhouse would automatically reduce
its effectiveness. All that you can do is choose the most attractive design.
Plants and ornamental features
Ornamental trees
Trees provide shade and add a vertical
dimension to the garden, and because they have such a large impact on what can
be grown or built around them, trees should be the plants that you select
first.
Tree are the tallest plants in the garden and they can be used to screen out
unwanted views or to screen you from unwanted viewers. Evergreens are best for
screening and the more rapid-growing trees, such as acacias, eucalypts and Virgilia, are most commonly used. These
trees tend to be short-lived but by the time they have to go, your later
plantings should have grown sufficiently to replace them.
Deciduous trees are more often used as
feature plantings. They are primarily grown for their flowers, as in the case
of cherries or magnolias, or for their autumn foliage colour. They also provide
shade in summer when it is needed while allowing in light in winter. Evergreen
trees on the other hand, provide year-round shade, which may be useful in some
instances but often causes problems.
Take care when siting trees that their
roots will not interfere with sewers or other pipes and that they won’t lift
the surface of your drives and paths. Also, remember to allow for the leaf
litter that is sure to accumulate; even the most beautiful tree can become a
nuisance if you are continually having to remove
debris.
See the trees chapter for more details on
tree cultivation , selection and planting.
Mixed shrubbery
Almost all gardens include beds of mixed
shrubs. They add height and form to the garden and because they generally
require little maintenance they are often used as fillers. There are so many
different shrubs and they vary so widely in their flowers, foliage and growth
habit that it is possible to create almost any effect on any scale.
When planning beds of shrubs it is
vitally important that you think ahead. You need to consider the variations in
height and spread of the shrubs and grade the planting accordingly. It is very
easy to underestimate the size of the plants when mature and if you’re not
careful the shrubbery could develop into a jungle.
See the shrubs chapter for details on
planning your shrubs and their selection and planting.
Dedicated shrubbery
Enthusiasts for a particular type of
plant, such as rhododendrons, roses and fuchsias, will often create beds
dedicated to those plants alone. Keeping similar plants together makes it
easier to cater for their requirements but may encourage host-specific pests
and diseases and hasten their spread.
Herbaceous border
A herbaceous border is similar to a shrubbery in layout but is
composed of assorted perennials, sometimes in combination with shrubs and
annuals, or collections of particular genera such as hostas, astilbes or Phlox. As few of these plants are
evergreen, the herbaceous border is distinctly seasonal in habit.
Herbaceous borders tend to be long and
relatively narrow. They are best used along driveways or for edging large
lawns.
Flower and foliage colour, size and
growth rates are important considerations when designing a
herbaceous border. There are few areas of gardening where obtaining a pleasing
blend of these elements is more important or more difficult. For this reason
the herbaceous border is often considered the pinnacle of the gardening art.
Flowers beds
The everyday flower beds that are such a
riot of colour in summer are made up of mixed annuals, biennials and heavy
flowering, usually short-lived, perennials. Flower beds are easy to plant out
and care for but they provide a relatively brief effect and require annual
replanting. Indeed, for the best effect they may need to be replanted up to
three times a year.
For this reason, formal flower beds are
not the extremely popular garden features they once were. Modern gardeners simply
don’t have the time for them. They opt instead to use annuals as colour accents
among shrubs or in the herbaceous border. However, if you don’t mind the labour
involved, the formal flower bed is still the best way of providing a solid
block of colour.
Mixed borders
Annuals, perennials and shrubs don’t have
to be segregated, nor do they have to be planted in large beds. The mixed
border combines them all in a harmonious yet seemingly random blend. This style
of planting has recently become popular for its informal, unstructured look and
its apparent low maintenance. Unfortunately the low maintenance is only
apparent not real, weeds don’t mind what style of garden they grow in.
Nevertheless the mixed border is one of the best ways to create a natural-looking
garden.
Climbers
Bare fences often stand out starkly in
new gardens. Climbers may be used to soften the lines of fences and such
utilitarian objects as sheds and garages or they may be grown on purpose built
structures, such as pergolas. Unfortunately many of the best climbers are
frost-tender, so you will need to take care when making your choice. Also, some
are very rampant growers that can smother less vigorous plants.
See the climbers and roses chapters for
details of care and maintenance of climbers.
Ponds
Water is always a restful feature in the
garden and a pond can be an extremely beautiful addition to your design. The
neighbourhood birds will also thank you: a garden pond attracts them in from
miles around. The activities of fish add interest to the garden and the odd
frog or two doesn’t go amiss. Installing a garden pond is covered in greater
detail later in this chapter.
Water features
Water features, that is fountains,
waterfalls, and streams, as distinct from static ponds can be a simple way of
adding movement in the garden. Fountains need to be carefully designed to avoid
appearing contrived, but fountains and small streams can be used alone or
combined with a pond to create a very pleasing natural effect. Unless you have
a natural stream in the garden, a recirculating pump is essential and this
requires electricity to run. Small submersible pumps are the simplest to
install but a fixed pump in an underground housing is less obtrusive. Hardware
shops, garden centres and pool specialists often stock garden pond and plumbing
accessories and can advise you on design and hardware.
Plants in containers
Container plants can be used to provide
quick colour and are very useful for areas where it would be difficult to have
permanent plants. Patios, courtyards and outdoor entertaining areas are all
enhanced by potted colour, while entrance ways and formal paths almost demand
to be flanked with narrow, upright shrubs in pots. Window boxes and planter
troughs are a great way of livening up otherwise barren walls. There’s really
no limit to what you can do with container plants but do remember that they
require regular watering and feeding.
Vegetable garden
In recent years the vegetable garden has
often been sacrificed to make way for garden amenities and ornamental plants.
However, vegetables are a satisfying and budget stretching form of gardening.
Vegetable gardening is covered in detail
in a later chapter but when doing the laying out the garden it is important to
realise that most vegetables require full sun. Wherever possible the rows
should run north–south to ensure the crop receives even light. Some crops, such
as sweet corn, may be damaged by strong winds, and as crops should not
regularly be grown in the same place you will need to ensure that all parts of
the vegetable garden are well sheltered if you are to be able to safely rotate
your crops.
Fruit trees, bushes and vines
As suburban gardens have become smaller
the home orchard has become less common. But newer fruit varieties, such as the
‘Ballerina’ apples and dwarf plums and nectarines mean that enough fruit for a
small family can be grown in a relatively small area. Fruit trees need sun and
shelter from cold wind during the flowering to ripening period. They also need
occasional attention to pests and diseases.
Currants, raspberries and gooseberries
can be all be grown in home gardens. Grape vines are
also a worthy addition to the backyard and can be grown on trellises and used
as screens. None of these plants impose any serious design restrictions, it is
just a matter of whether you wish to use them or not.
Herbs
Herbs can be used for all manner of
purposes and herb enthusiasts will may well opt to use
a large part of their vegetable gardens for their favourites. Most of us,
however, concentrate on the culinary herbs and these are usually very easy-care
plants. Many herbs are also ideal for growing in containers, and pots of
culinary herbs can be a very useful and fragrant addition to a barbecue area.
Arches, pergolas and climber frames
Arches and pergolas can be ornamental
features in themselves or they may have climbers trained over them or hanging
baskets hung from them. Many designs incorporating trellises for climbers can
be bought ready-made or as kitsets from hardware shops and garden centres. Most
of these are attractive enough that they don’t have to be covered with climbers
and some are large enough that they can also serve as car ports.
If the structure is to be largely hidden
under a climber it doesn’t need to be very elaborate. Simple wooden or wire
frames are perfectly adequate and need not be that strongly built if they can
be attached to something sturdy that will take the weight of the climber.
Adding an arch is good way of creating
the feeling of entering a new area and is a technique that is often used to
highlight a change in garden theme.
Seats and tables
A garden seat in the shade is the perfect
place from which to enjoy your creation. There are hundreds of different styles
of outdoor furniture. Although some appear more suited to the beach than the
garden, there is enough choice that you should be able to find something that
suits your taste. Avoid anything that is garishly coloured or gimmicky; plain
wooden furniture is probably the least obtrusive and it lasts well provided it has
been properly treated. Wrought iron also blends well with most gardens,
although it is often painted white, which is very stark. An alternative to
bought furniture is some sort of rustic seat. Stone is the traditional material
but almost anything can be used; manuka and driftwood being two of the more
fanciful materials.
Bird bath and feeding station
Some gardeners get upset when birds
nibble their crops but birds add life to a garden and it would be a dull world
without them. Providing them with food and water will do more than anything
else to encourage birds into your garden.
The traditional bird bath on a pedestal
doesn’t always fit in well with a modern garden, so if you are planning to
include a garden pond you may prefer to have a shallow area where the birds can
drink and bathe.
Bird feeders can be suspended from trees
or attached to posts and many birds will be quite happy to feed on your back
lawn without any elaborate feeding stations. Birds will feed on old bread,
fruit, grains and many other things.
Remember to leave a clear space around
your bath or feeder. This allows the birds a good field of view, which is
essential because they are very wary of potential dangers and will not venture
down, regardless of what you tempt them with, unless they feel secure.
Dovecotes and nesting boxes can add
further interest, but they are really best suited to large country gardens. Too
much of this sort of furniture in a small city garden can become overwhelming.
Outdoor lighting
Outdoor lighting can extend the time you
spend in your garden, make it safer to navigate at night and help to deter
intruders. Oil, solar, and battery powered garden lamps are available if you
need portability, but mains electricity is usually the most convenient and most
easily controlled power source.
Spot lamps may be attached to the house
and directed into the garden. However, this tends to make your garden feel like
a floodlit football pitch; better that the lamps are situated in the garden.
Their effect is enhanced by keeping them low, the idea is to have the lamps
illuminating the garden rather than dazzling the viewers,
and this is best achieved by keeping the lamps below eye level or shielded from
the direct field of view. Lamps on short stands or footlights directed back
towards the plants provide ample light without being blindingly bright. The
lamps can be set to switch on automatically, either with a photosensitive
switch or by using a movement detector.
Because electric lamps require permanent
wiring, they are best installed at an early stage of garden development.
However, digging a few small slit trenches for electric cables need not greatly
disturb an established garden.
Extras
Garden gnomes, boys with trays and
ball-balancing seals have to be pretty cleverly used to avoid being crass. The
same goes for wooden butterflies on trellises and ‘Dunroamin’
written across the front wall. Such things might have their place but more
often they are laughed at, and not in a pleasant way.
Garden statuary, ornamental urns,
Japanese stone lanterns and drinking fountains are more appropriate, although
they still require restraint. Gardens are primarily about plants and people, think carefully before including anything else.
Garden construction
Having planned the garden you will need
to proceed with the construction. The first thing to decide is how much you
feel capable of doing yourself. There will almost certainly be some areas where
you will need professional help.
Drive and paths first
The main drive and garden paths should be
the first construction jobs. This will make access to the garden easier and
prevent mud being trodden all around the garden as you move about.
Permanent materials, such as concrete and
paving stones, make the most durable all-weather drives and paths. However,
bricks, shingle or coarse bark chips often blend into the garden better and
should be considered for the minor paths.
The main drive
Because the main drive must be at least
strong enough to take the weight of a light delivery vehicle it is usually made
of concrete. This may be smooth surfaced, exposed aggregate or embossed with a
paving pattern. Individual paving stones or bricks can be used for the main
drive, but they tend to move and are more likely to be damaged by traffic. They
are best used to create ornamental insets in a concrete drive rather than being
put in load bearing areas.
The main drive should be at least 2 m
wide. It can be a continuous surface or may have grass inserts or flower beds
up the centre strip between the wheel tracks. If you do use a centre strip you
will need to ensure that the grass surface is slightly higher than the drive or
the mower and the drive edge will be damaged when the grass is cut. Any flowers
used will have to be very low or the will scrape the undersides of passing vehicles.
Coloured gravel, bricks and paving stones can also be used in the centre of the
drive.
A driveway is expected to last as long as
the house and carries a lot of traffic over its lifetime. It must be well built
if it is to last. Large areas of drive, especially if they are to be
cobblestone patterned, require professional laying.
Simple concrete drives and paths, however, are well within the scope of the
gardener.
Before you pour the concrete make sure
that you have a solid foundation of gravel or crushed rubble and that there is
strong grid of reinforcing that is held off the ground so the concrete can flow
around it. The reinforcing must in the centre of the concrete, not underneath
it. Also, any boxing or formwork must be secure and have smooth inside surfaces
with no protruding nails that will make the forms impossible to remove.
Divide the drive up into blocks no larger
than 2.5 m × 2.5 m and use narrow metal or plywood strips to divide the blocks.
Remove this just before the concrete has fully cured to leave an expansion gap.
Concrete driveways can create heavy run-off in wet weather so take care of the
drainage too. Small gutters or drainage channels along the edge of the drive
are best, but a 40 cm depth of gravel along either side of the drive is usually
enough to cope with the run-off water.
Pouring concrete is hard work and demands
careful preparation. It’s no good finding that you don’t have enough labour or
the right tools when the truck is at the gate. Make sure that you have several
rakes for tamping down the concrete, several long, wide boards for screeding
and floats for the final finishing. Several friends to use the tools would also
be a great help.
Minor paths
The main garden pathways usually run
directly off the drive and usually look best when constructed of similar material to the
driveway and made to a similar design on a smaller scale. Minor paths may, as
mentioned previously, be made of less durable materials that don’t require such
complicated preparation. This is convenient for two reasons: it makes the path
cheap to construct and it allows the design to be changed relatively easily
later on.
Gravel
Crushed gravel is usually the best choice
for minor paths. It is fairly cheap, easily laid and looks neat provided it is
regularly raked.
Start by marking out your path; a garden
hose is an excellent for marking the line and using one simplifies marking the
curves in the path. To create a good foundation for the path remove about 100
mm of soil and firm down the base; a roller is recommended. If the drainage is
very poor you may have to run a drainpipe along the centre of the path, but
this is unlikely to be necessary.
Although it is not always essential and
sometimes difficult to curve, 100 mm × 25 mm edging boards give the
path a neat finish and help retain the gravel. Use 50 cm long 75 mm ×
75 mm or 75 mm × 50 mm pegs to keep the boards in place.
A 75 mm base of coarse crushed
gravel is now laid and firmed down with the roller. Crushed gravel is better
than small rounded stones because the flat surfaces bind together and make a
better base. Top off the path with a 25 mm layer of fine gravel, firm it
down and rake it smooth.
Regular raking (at least every two weeks)
should eliminate most weeds before they take hold. Inevitably a few weeds will
grow along the edges and these can be removed by hand or sprayed with a
weedkiller. Do not use long-term weedkillers on gravel paths, they will seep
through the gravel and out into the garden, killing any plants they come in
contact with.
Paving stones and bricks
Paving stones and old bricks are a quick
way of making a path with a hard wearing, low maintenance surface. A firm and
even base is vitally important or the stones will become uneven and may wobble.
Dig out the path to about 100–150 mm deep and firm it with a roller. An edging
board is essential for aligning interlocking cobblestones, but it need not be
permanent. Next lay enough sand that the paving stones will be a little above
ground level when set in place. Rake the sand level and roll it. If the base
can be left for a few days to weather, any small humps and hollows will become
apparent and can be repaired. Next, lay the stones. If you are working with a
complicated pattern this may take some time. Large paving slabs, on the other
hand, can be laid as quickly as they can be heaved into place.
Stepping stones and informal paving
Stepping stones can be used instead of a
continuous path. They need a firm base to avoid wobbling and the stones should
be close together otherwise children and the elderly may find them difficult
and dangerous to use.
Crazy paving, which is made from
irregularly shaped stones, was once very popular but is now seldom seen. It is
easily laid but it can be time consuming trying to get the irregularly shaped
pieces to fit together. The spaces between the pieces can be filled with small
ground cover plants, such as thyme and baby’s tears (Soleirolia soleirolii). Weeds are an unavoidable problem with this type of path and are probably the main reason for its falling out of favour.
Bark chips
Coarse chips of bark or wood can be used
to make a very natural looking path. Bark paths are particularly effective in
woodland areas. If you use a reasonably dark bark it will blend in with soil
and scarcely be noticed. The base for the path should be excavated to at least
100 mm deep. The bark can be laid by itself but it will wear better if laid on
a gravel base.
Steps
Abrupt changes in garden level make steps
essential. Even if you don’t really need them steps
can be a useful design element because they announce a change and emphasise
that you are moving from one area to another.
Steps can be made from a variety of
materials: concrete, bricks, stone and railway sleepers are all commonly used.
Whatever material you choose, the steps must have a firm foundation. Steel or
wooden pegs can be used to hold low, shallow steps, but steep flights require a
permanent concrete base.
Shallow, wide steps look best in garden.
Wide steps are also safer to use than narrow ones and require less elaborate
retaining and foundations. The height of the steps (the riser) should be kept
below 18 cm and the width (the tread) should be at least 25 cm.
Fences
As outlined earlier there are many
different fence designs and they can be used to serve various purposes. The
typical wooden paling fence is not ideal as a windbreak because the wind often
flows right over it to continue unabated on the other side. Alternating the
palings on either side of the rail will create a more effective windbreak but
will reduce the privacy provided by the fence. A tall screen at least 1.8 m
high is best for privacy. Wooden palings or fibre cement panels are best.
Wooden fences are the easiest for the
home gardener to erect. Styles other than those already mentioned include
trellis, louvred palings, horizontal basket-weave and pickets. For long life
and low maintenance you should always use treated timber with galvanised nails
and fittings.
Timber yards and large do-it-yourself
centres willingly offer advice on the materials, and if take a rough plan in
with you they will be able to work out the quantities of timber required.
Wooden fence posts, which should be 100
mm × 100mm or 100mm × 75 mm, are normally 2.4 m long and are set 60 cm into the
ground. Concrete fence posts are a long-lasting alternative. The posts are
usually set at 2.4 m spacings and the traditional 1.8 m paling fence has three
horizontal rails made from 100 mm × 50 mm or 75 mm × 50 mm timber.
The posts can be rammed into the ground
or firmed into post holes, but to be absolutely sure of durability they should
be set in concrete. Make sure the concrete is well tamped down by using a stick
to work it into place. This will also ensure there are no air holes, which is
important as these weaken the mix. Leave about 100 mm between the top of the
concrete and the ground surface so that the concrete will be hidden when the
job is finished.
Set the end posts in the ground first, then string a line between them as a guide for the rest of
the posts. Keep the string line very taught and the face of each post against
the string line. Once you start putting posts in the holes you will need to be
constantly checking the horizontal and vertical levels. After the concrete has
been poured, brace the posts so they are absolutely vertical and leave them for
a week for the concrete to fully harden.
The rails can either be nailed between
the posts or to the face of the posts. If you are using concrete fence posts,
the rails will be bolted to the posts through pre-drilled holes.
The covering can now be added. If you are
using palings or pickets that are to be painted, it is a good idea to paint the
edges before putting them up.
Walls
Although walls serve much the same
purpose as fences, they tend to be more ornamental and we generally demand that
they are built to a high standard of finish. Masonry walls and retaining walls
that will be under stress require an experienced bricklayer, but low stone
walls and prefabricated concrete walls are within the scope of a competent
gardener.
Prefabricated concrete walls are
available in a range of sizes and designs. They are easy to install and should
present no great difficulties, provided the installation instructions are
followed.
Dry-stone walls are the easiest for a
gardener to construct. These do not require mortar and part of their charm is
their rustic look, so maintaining a perfect level is not important. Also, they
do not need elaborate foundations and some irregularity in height is
acceptable.
Dry-stone walls can be made from rocks,
split stone or stone blocks. You could use bricks or concrete blocks but it
would ruin the natural effect and besides, they look strange without mortar.
Construction
At its most basic, constructing a
dry-stone wall is just a matter of stacking stones on top of one another as
neatly as possible. In practice there are many little “wrinkles” that will
ensure a neater and sturdier wall.
Start by digging out a shallow trench,
200 mm deep by 600 mm wide will do, and fill it with a mixture of crushed stone
and clay-based crusher dust. This will bind together to form a solid but
free-draining base.
Next, select your largest and most evenly
shaped stones for the base. The wall will taper from the base upwards so it is
important to have a wide and stable base. Always lay the outer stones
horizontally, but some of the centre stones should be placed vertically and
interlocked with horizontal stones. As you proceed, fill any large holes with
mud, preferably a clay mud. Continue adding layers of stones until you reach
the desired height. The gaps between the stones on the sides and top of the
wall can be filled with soil and small crevice plants may be grown there.
This may seem a rather flimsy
construction method, and dry-stone walls do tend to be a little unstable about
1.5 m high, but many old English dry-stone walls have withstood hundreds of
years of wear and tear.
A similar method can be used to create
low retaining walls up to about 1.2 m high. A solid concrete base on a footing
of sand or crushed rock is best for this sort of wall. Once again, start with
your large rocks at the base and work up, tilting the wall back into the face
of the slope at a rate of 2.5 cm per 30 cm of wall height, as you go. Try to
make as interlocked a structure as possible, and this time, fill the gaps between
the stones with mortar or a 3:1 clay-mud and cement mixture. Any gaps at the
back of the wall can be filled with small stones.
This type of retaining wall is
self-draining but should not be used on very wet ground or where any soil
movement is expected.
Paved area and patios
Laying a paved area or patio is very
similar to laying a driveway. The range of construction material is also
similar but may include more exotic items such as marble slabs.
Irregular surfaces and poor drainage are
intolerable with this work, especially if the paving goes right up to the
house. Special attention must be given to levelling the surface, coping with
the run-off and ensuring a solid foundation. Also, as this work is often close
to the house, it is vital to check that any pipes or cables remain accessible.
The larger hardware shops and garden
centres stock the necessary materials and like to promote this sort of job as
being appropriate for the do-it-yourselfer. But the construction and precision
involved means that this is a job that should really be left to a professional
builder unless you are absolutely sure of your abilities.
Garden ponds
A garden pond is always tranquil and
creates another dimension in the garden, something to look down into rather
than up at. Add some water plants and a few fish and you have a created whole
new environment. Yet many gardeners are wary of including a pond for fear of
ending up with smelly green water and an area of the garden they can do nothing
with.
Algae can be a problem in ponds, but if a
natural balance can be achieved algae can be kept under control. The pond
should be situated where it will receive about four to six hours sun a day. It
should include some aquatic plants with surface leaves (water lily, lotus, etc)
that cover about 50% of the surface. These will reduce the bright light that
encourages algae to grow.
One of the main causes of algal growth is
nutrient rich ground-water running off the surrounding garden into the pond.
The pond and garden should be arranged so that this can’t happen. Under these
conditions the water should remain healthy, if not always perfectly clear. Fish
and bathing birds will inevitably muddy the water from time to time and there
will occasionally be periods of algal growth.
The pond should have an overflow outlet
or there may problems with ground-water getting into the pond or the pond water
overflowing into the surrounding garden. If possible, the pond should have a
drain so that it may be cleaned occasionally. Remember, however, that the key
to maintaining clear water is environmental balance; regularly emptying and
refilling the pond means having to achieve that balance all over again.
Ponds are often best shaded from the
hottest summer sun, but avoid overhanging branches that will drop leaves or petals
into the water. If you want additional features, such as a waterfall, fountain
or lighting, you need to also consider the availability of water and electrical
supplies.
The most common methods of garden pond
construction are free form concrete, pre-moulded fibreglass and plastic pond
liners. Large ponds should be constructed from 10–15 cm thick concrete
reinforced with steel mesh. The concreting must be done quickly to ensure that
no cracks develop. Apply a 25 mm thick 3:1 sand and cement rendering as a final
surface.
Ready-made fibreglass ponds are available
in a range of sizes and colours. Stone or earth-coloured ponds generally blend
in best. Fibreglass ponds tend to be quite small and are often designed to be
tiered to form a waterfall or cascade. Provided the pond has a firm base and is
kept level there should be no problems with installation.
Plastic pond liners are the cheapest
option and have the additional advantages of being easy to put in and easy to
remove. Use the heaviest gauge of ultra-violet resistant polythene that still
retains its flexibility. This is usually in the 500µ range, although 200µ grade
horticultural plastic will do at a pinch.
Mark out the pond shape on the ground and
check the levels, you may need to build up or remove some soil around the
edges. Polythene sheeting is now readily available in 4 metre widths, so it is
possible to build quite a large pond, but you will need to allow for the depth
of the pond and the crimping that occurs around the edges. Excavate a hole with
gradually sloping sides and a slightly bevelled edge over which the plastic is
rolled. The pond need only be about 50 cm deep in order
to cultivate water lilies. Remember to allow for a shallow area that can act as
a bird bath.
Fitting the plastic takes a little
juggling and it will need to be weighted down with bricks or stones. If the
pond is easily drained you should fill it now in order to check the levels. If
not, put some stiff boards across the pond and check them for level.
Once you are satisfied with the levels,
the edges can be secured and hidden with flat stones. Lining the pond with a 25
mm-thick 3:1 sand and cement mixture will make it far more puncture proof and
also creates a more natural-looking surface. The cement should go right over
the rolled edge of the pond and the stones that were weighting down the plastic
can be set into the cement.
Cats, ducks, herons and kingfishers can
all cause devastation in a garden pond, which may lead to the pond having to be
protected. A discretely positioned low voltage electric fence will deter cats.
A wire mesh cover is effective against all of these creatures but it will be
unsightly and will stop the more friendly birds from gaining access to the
water. If you have young children, your pond should have a permanent
fall-resistant cover.
*************
There are many other construction jobs
that you can do around your garden and they don’t have to always be highly
complicated or expertly executed to be enjoyable and successful. The little
extras that you add personalise your garden, increase your enjoyment of the
garden and may also add to its value.
Copyright Geoff Bryant
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