Preparing the garden                         Demolishing old walls

At the moment Secret Garden are completely changing the garden we are working in. The ground has been prepared and all the waste in the garden has been removed. This has been quite back breaking, but now we are ready to start building the different sections in the garden, transforming it from a basic patio and lawn to a stylish town garden.

  

Construction begins                          The garden starts to take shape

Once the garden had been cleared of rubble and vegetation, it was ready for different parts to be constructed. Firstly, a hardcore base was laid so that sandstone paving could be set on it. Then a timber pergola was built so that plants had a frame to grow on. Brick raised beds were also built.

Getting on with the paving                Soill preparation

The paving was laid on a full bed of sand and cement. The slabs were cut to follow the shape of the raised beds and also to go around the pergola. The front edge of the patio was laid so that a sweeping curve could be cut into it. The garden is set on a steep slope, so the soil needed to be prepared to create a bank that would lead from the patio at the top to the lawn at the bottom. The soil was raked to provide an even surface for the turf.

Timber trellis                                   New Turf

To create a bit of privacey and security, trellis was put around the sides of the garden. Timber posts were concreted into the ground and then the trellis was attached to them. After the soil was prepared, the turf was laid across the width of the garden and up the bank.

Steps                                            Wood shed begins

Another feature that was added to the garden were some steps. They lead fom the patio at a higher level down to the lawn area and follow the slope of the bank. The steps were constructed using rustic style bricks and sandstone slabs for the treads. When the back of the garden was completed, we moved on to the area that ran along the side of the house. In this area a timber compost bin was built and also a log shelter for wood burner fuel.

Wood shed finished                          Front garden gets curvey

The wood shed was was another feature of the garden. Cedar shingle roof tiles were used, which gave the shelter an attractive appearance. The front garden had a large square driveway. On one side a sweeping curve was cut into the drive, which still allowed 2 cars to park on it. The remaining area was planted with a mixture of shrubs, perennials and an ornamental pear tree.