Case Study - Large Garden in Surrey - Update 3

The contractors are really cracking on now and the blockwork that forms the curves and retaining walls of the conservatory terrace are almost finished. They are working on the corner terrace, and some clarification was needed on the design changes in this area. Since the master plan was completed the small corner terrace in the lower right-hand corner of the garden has been re-designed. A higher rear wall incorporating a circular porthole and a semi-circular raised bed has been added. The porthole is being referred to as a moon gate although it is not strictly a moon gate as it is not possible to walk through it; its purpose is purely decorative and allows a view through to the planting behind.

Case Study - Large Garden in Surrey - Update 2

The landscapers have been on site now for a few weeks and the garden is starting to take shape. The site still looks horribly messy, but the structural walls on the conservatory side of the garden are in place and the blockwork that will create the rest of the terraces is going up rapidly.

The circular brick structure attached to the conservatory terrace rear wall shown on the photographs below is a barbeque enclosure. It will be fitted with a low steel top that can be raised up and used as a roof in bad weather. It will also be fitted with a steel door.

The main structural wall had been started on the driveway side of the garden when a problem was discovered. The wall had been moved back 300mm (on my instructions), but the pivot point had not been changed in accordingly, so the wall was going in on the wrong arc and would not have fitted into its designated space. I spent a couple of hours on site re-triangulating the pivot point and making sure that the curve of the rear wall was correct so that the wall started and finished at the points shown on the plan. The remainder of the concrete wall was re-shuttered on the correct arc and the difference between the two sections of wall will be evened out with blockwork by the landscapers.

What I do

I’ve told you what I don’t do. Now I’ll get to what my life as a garden designer does involve.

Communication – I spend a great deal of time talking to clients, contractors and suppliers. I need to understand clients’ requirements, explain my solutions, and keep them informed of project progress and any changes. I also need to communicate with the contractors who build my gardens and the other suppliers who provide plants, pots, etc.

Getting inspiration – looking around me as I walk anywhere not just at gardens, but in towns, art galleries, parks, museums to get ideas.

Taking surveys – measuring the whole site including the house and using surveying equipment to ascertain level changes throughout the garden.

Designing – preparing scale plans of client’s gardens, planting schemes, construction details, lighting, irrigation, and anything else that need a drawing.

Managing projects – my jobs are all projects that need managing. I often have several projects running simultaneously, all at different stages of implementation and I need to know the status of each one. I need to be able to switch roles comfortably – one minute I am at the drawing board preparing a master plan the next I’m on site overseeing some part of the build process, then I may go and see a potential new client, after that I’m off talking to my steel fabrication man, then I might have to prepare a fee quotation or chase up some material samples. Never a dull moment!

Setting out – when the garden is built I lay out the plants on the borders as they are shown on the planting plan and then shuffle them about until I am happy with their positions. Then whoever is doing the planting knows exactly where I want them to be planted.

Choosing plants – this is fun. I go to wholesale plant nurseries whenever I’ve got time to get inspiration and choose the best plants to go in clients’ gardens.

Sourcing materials – each garden has a unique look and feel and I spend a lot of time looking at different materials and suppliers.

Sourcing the finishing touches – statuary, pots, furniture all the details that go into finishing off the garden.

Administration – I’m running a business and that carries with it the usual dull overheads of administration and record keeping.

Continuous professional development – attending training courses and seminars to ensure my skills stay up to date.

Driving - I design gardens throughout Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Hampshire and London, so I spend quite a bit of time in my car driving around visiting clients and keeping an eye on any live projects.

Case Study - Large Garden in Surrey - Update 1

The first phase of the garden build is to construct the structural walls. The rear conservatory terrace wall is 2.4m high and must be piled to ensure that the next door property is not undermined. The curved wall that supports the front of the conservatory terrace is being constructed using shuttering and poured concrete on a robust concrete footing to ensure stability of the terrace, the house and neighbouring house.

It is important that the position and dimensions of these walls are absolutely spot on. So, a visit to site is required by the designer (me) to help set out the walls. This involves identifying the exact point on the ground that represents my compass point on the drawing. I have plotted this point on the drawing using two triangulation points from the house. However, all my plans are hand-drawn and the master plan is on its fourth iteration – some slippage will almost certainly have occurred.

I work with Darren the foreman of the main contractor. To my surprise and delight, with a minimum amount of little fiddling about and much checking of related measurements we manage to plot the pivot point for the curved terraces with hardly any problems. Once identified a metal bar is banged into the ground and cemented into place. It is very important that this point remains constant as all terraces and the bands of pebble mosaic are calculated from here.

Now the pilers can start on site.

Case Study - Large Garden in Surrey - Construction Starts

This is not the largest garden I’ve designed in terms of square metres, but it is certainly the most technically challenging.

The house is set into a very steep slope. The ground floor is 2.4m higher than basement level; the ground rises steeply up from the rear of the property and falls away dramatically at the front. The brief was to provide a much larger terrace for the conservatory, access from the conservatory terrace and the driveway to the lawn at basement level and a garden that was contemporary with a Mediterranean feel.

The solution comprises curved terraces with wide steps and planted areas at each garden access point. Walls will be faced with Purbeck stone and the terraces and steps will be paved in black limestone. The rear wall of the upper conservatory terrace will have niches backed with polished steel to reflect the light from lanterns placed inside. The paving to the upper terrace will be separated with curved bands of polished black pebble mosaic. The railings are to be stainless steel. There is a grey water and rainwater recycling system.

The front driveway will be paved in black Basalt setts with an inset pathway of black Granite setts. Curved terraced beds flank the driveway. Raised beds wrap around the front of the house.

A structural engineer was consulted to specify retaining walls sufficiently robust to support the new terraces and ensure that next door’s house does not fall into my client’s garden, and my client’s house does not disappear down the hill. That’s where the fun started as you will see.

In the meantime here are some before photographs …………………

I’m Back!!

You might have noticed the six month delay between my first post and these current entries – I’ve been busy working on some of my most exciting projects to date and really haven’t had a moment to write. You’ll see from the case study just one of the interesting (and time consuming) garden builds that have been taking up my time.

Apologies, and I’ll try to be a more diligent blogger in future …………………

Garden Design - Dispelling the Myths

I’m a garden designer, you may have seen us on TV and wondered what we do apart from slagging off Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, so I thought I’d give you an insight into my creative life. Yes it is a very cool job, and yes I do love it, but probably not for the reasons you think. I thought I’d start by dispelling some common myths:-

1. People ask ‘How’s your gardening going?’ (my Mother mainly) - I am not a gardener. Actually, that’s not true – I’m a keen gardener, but this is my hobby, not my job. What I mean is that I don’t do gardening for other people. I do occasionally do a bit of planting, but only when I have to, when the people who usually do it for me are not available. But that’s it.
   
   
2. People say ‘Oooh it must be lovely to be outside all the time, not sat at a desk’ - I don’t spend all my time outside. Far from it. I’m either standing in front of my drawing board, sitting at my computer sourcing materials, plants and specialists, talking on the telephone, visiting clients, or doing something random to gain inspiration, the latter occasionally does take me outside. I go on site when my gardens are being built, but this is a small fraction of my working time. I do my own surveys and then I’m outside, but only for a few hours.
   
   
3. People say ‘I suppose this nasty weather makes it difficult for you to work’ - the weather does not in any way interfere with my ability to design gardens. Well, it shouldn’t as the winter is the best time for people to think about how they want their garden to look next summer. The reality is that most people go outside on a sunny day in spring, decide they want their garden re-designed for the summer, and call me. So, I do end up doing the majority of my work throughout the spring, summer and autumn, but I’m actually busy most of the year – some people are foresighted and organised enough to start the planning process in autumn/winter. I’m not being disparaging, human nature dictates that as soon as it gets cold we don’t want to go outside and our thoughts are on the interior of the house, not the garden.
   
   
4. People say ‘Oooh, you’re just like Charlie Dimmock then?’ – errrrm, no, actually – no offence Charlie.