Landscaping Contractors Design and Build, Churchtown, Co Dublin.

I won this contract through my website on Google. This was a large garden with newly renovated house which faced North. The front was in complete need of restoration. The sides and back had most of the prep work carried out by the builder. The whole site was surrounded by concrete post and pressure treated fencing panels. There were many mature trees both on site and in neighboring gardens which afforded instant character. Plant selection would be an important factor as there were many shady dry areas.

There was no need to survey this site as the client had previous architects drawings detailing the house and boundrys. After sitting down with the clients and discussing their ideas, needs and expectations we came up with the following brief:

• Low maintenance
• New driveway done in grey to match windows, door and facsia on house
• Large tumbled silver granite apron with services in place for future electric gate
• Create beds using 200x100x100mm tumbled silver granite cobbles, cobbles to be proud of gravel by 75mm to add structure and definition
• Create path through driveway using 600x900mm brush hammered silver granite slabs
• Armoured cable through garden for future garden lighting
• Entertainment area to include raised bed/seat to soften neighbouring wall
• Disguise concrete posts around seating area and close to house
• Finish steps with brush hammered silver granite, steps to have no overhang and faced with granite
• Mowing edge to be finished using brush hammered silver granite strips
• Installation of instant roll out lawn with slight fall to allow water to run off
• Create two planting pockets either side of steps using Scandinavian Spruce pressure treated sleepers laid vertically in concrete
• Black Bamboo
• Internal grout lines to match exterior lines to connect tiling to brush hammered silver granite patio
• Cut back overhanging trees, prune trees on site and remove unsuitable plants
• Create utility area to East side of house using standard concrete slabs
• Create entertaining area to West side of house using brush hammered silver granite slabs
• Stay within budget for job, any extras to be discussed before implementation

  

  

  

Armed with the above brief and scaled Architects drawings I created a garden design which took into account all the above points while staying within set budget. Two weeks later presented the design and was given the go ahead with 10% deposit. Below is the schedule of works carried out.

Front area:

• Remove existing tarmacadam/soil to a depth of 100mm and cart to dump
• Supply, spread and compact 75mm layer of quarry screened dust to create sub-base
• Supply and create apron using 200x100x50mm tumbled silver granite cobbles
• Supply and create beds using 200x100x100mm tumbled silver granite cobbles
• Supply and install path using 600x900mm brush hammered silver granite slabs
• Supply, spread and compact 25mm layer of 14mm pea gravel to finish driveway
• 2 gate posts capped and plastered
• Fence and gate between pillars plus 1 letterbox
• Fix fence and gate
• Clear soil from front
• Remove all rubbish and cart to dump

  

  

Upper area:

• Excavate soil 100mm below level of patio and cart to dump (10 tonne)
• Supply, spread and compact 75mm layer of quarry screened dust (38 Msq)  
• Supply and create border using 200x100x100mm tumbled silver granite cobbles
• Supply and install stepping stones using 600×800 brush hammered silver granite slabs
• Extend patio using 600×800 brush hammered silver granite slabs
• Finish area using Dunshaughlin pea gravel to a depth of 25mm to match driveway (38 Msq)
• Raise fence and face concrete posts
• Supply and install raised bed/seat
• Edge two upper beds with off cuts
• Planting of Buxus balls
• Repair of verge by entrance
• Clip hedge and weeping birch

  

  

Lower area:

• Supply and install 2 sleeper retainers, sleepers installed vertically & bedded in concrete
• Supply and create retainer by studio using 4” solids
• Supply and install mowing edge re-using off cuts laid on 75mm bed of strong cement mix
• Collect, hire rotovator, prepare soil
• Supply and spread screened topsoil soil for lawn (16 Tonne)
• Supply and spread soil for bed and plant Bamboo (8 Tonne)
• Supply and lay instant roll out lawn (80 Msq)
• Fell Sycamore, treat stumps and dump
• Swap damaged slab

  

On completion of this project the clients were very happy with the results. If you require a professional garden designer/landscaping contractor please contact Kevin Baumann on 086 8198444.