
Nice curves around front garden
On initial site visit this garden was over grown and in need of an over haul. Railway sleepers lined the beds planted with unsuitable specimens. The gravel was Wexford beach pebble mixed with underlying hardcore. The steps to both front doors were quite tight and finished in a red tile which would get slippy when wet and didn’t look well. The apron between the road and driveway was a row of 300x300mm Indian sandstone slabs laid 3” higher than the external path level with a concrete haunch which looked amateur and ugly. Four wheelie bins were used for rubbish removal which looked industrial and out of place. After discussing budget and clients requirements we came up with the following brief:

Side door, bullnosed steps framed with Hyydrangeas, also disguised man hole to the front
- Replace apron between road and driveway with 200x100x100mm oatmeal granite cobbles
- Replace sleepers with rendered 4” solids and cap wall with oatmeal granite slabs
- Remove unsuitable plant specimens
- Meet client at nursery to advise and choose plants
- Plant beds with chosen plants
- Create wheelie bin area to hide bins out of sight
- Supply and install bike shed
- Tidy existing gravel and top up with more Wexford beach pebble
- Extend width of steps and create larger landing to greet guests, use bull nose oatmeal granite slabs
- Mulch all finished beds with 75mm deep soil conditioner to reduce maintenance and give nice finish
- Supply and install low voltage lighting system throughout front garden include 2 uplighters to both landing step areas by front doors
Cobble apron and disguised man hole
Custom built Baumanns bike shed and wheelie bin screen
Planstered 4′ solids capped with Oatmeal Granite
Going on the above brief I created a front garden design that came within budget and was acceptable to the client. The design included all of the above with curves used to soften raised beds. The garden was completed following the work schedule set out below:
- Remove unwanted plants and cart to dump
- Cut back strongly, Escallonia hedge and cart to dump
- Supply and install wheelie bin recess and screen (Colour to be decided)
- Replace railway sleepers with 300mm high concrete rendered wall capped with brush hammered oatmeal granite
- Extend second step at both doors to create landing, install extra step at both doors
- Finish all steps with bull nosed brush hammered oatmeal granite
- Supply and create 400mm high L shaped raised bed between steps using rendered 4” solids capped with brush hammered oatmeal granite
- Supply and install apron using 200x100x50 tumbled oatmeal cobbles, disguise man hole using recess and finish with cobble
- Supply and spread 3 tonne of Wexford beach pebble over whole driveway and compact
- Supply and install 2 sets of uplighters at both doors (Fittings to be decided)
- Remove all rubbish and cart to dump
Baumanns bike shed with paved area behind for bins
Front door framed with Bay laurels two lights in paving to uplight in dark
Raiseed beds hugging front of house and softening
Planting of Buxus hedge, Bay laurels, lavandula hidcote and daffodils for spring colour
The planting was kept very simple and included Buxus hedge with standard Bay Laurels and lavandula hidcote planted behind. All the beds were then mulched with 50mm Greenking soil conditioner. This mulch would not only control weeds but also protect plants from dehydration by reducing evaporation. The clients were very happy with the results. If you require a landscaping Dublin professional contact Kevin Baumann on 086 8198444.