Low maintenance Courtyard Garden Design, Booterstown, Dublin

On our first visit this courtyard consisted of Indian sandstone patio surrounded by low granite walls. The walls were too low and  gave no privacy from passing pedestrians. There were no beds in the garden which gave a cold atmosphere. The existing side gate was rotten and needed replacing. The aspect was Northerly  so the garden was shaded and received very little sunshine. Existing soil was of very poor quality and would have to be replaced. After discussing the clients requirements and budget we came up with the following brief.

• Low maintenance
• Heighten walls
• Water feature with sound
• Lush planting
• Garden shed for storage
• Garden lighting
• New side gate
• Incorporate existing paving
• Create definition
• Raised beds
• Planting that will do well in shade

Working with the above information, initial site survey and clients budget I came up with a simple garden design. The garden design consisted of extension to surrounding walls, raised bed, water feature, garden lighting, garden shed, lush planting and  ground level beds. The materials chosen were all natural and reclaimed.

Our landscapers first built the the pool for the water feature. A hole was dug to a depth of 18” and surrounded by 4” solids. The solids were plastered with a strengthened render. The render was strengthened by adding fibreglass fibers to the cement mix. The walls and base were then painted 4 times with G4 waterproofing solution.

The raised bed was then built directly behind the pool. The materials used for building the bed were black limestone capped with slate and reclaimed yellow bricks. The water feature was finished by incorporating a red galvanised gutter within the raised bed about 18” above the pool. The height of the gutter above the pool would ensure good sound when running the water feature. One aquatic light was installed in the pool with an orange filter placed over the light to give a soft glow.

 

Our landscapers then installed the ground level beds by cutting out the existing paving. The existing soil and hardcore was then excavated. The edges of the beds were finished with reclaimed yellow brick laid  3” proud of the paving. The yellow bricks gave definition to the space and a small bit of height. All beds were then filled with quality screened topsoil. The topsoil we use is always supplied by a reputable supplier and ensures healthy plant growth going forward.

The height of the surrounding granite walls were then extended using the hit and miss fashion. The timber used was pressure treated pine which was then finished with a Sadolins coloured wood preservative. To keep the timber in good condition this would need to be done every five years.

Our landscapers then planted up all the beds with Bamboo and ferns, both of which would thrive in the conditions afforded by this site. Once the plants were in the  garden lighting could be installed placing lights strategically through the beds, 20 watt Led bulbs were used throughout.

 

The Baumanns 6×4 shed and side gate were the final pieces to the jigsaw leaving a lovely lush atmospheric low maintenance traditional courtyard. The garden came within budget and the client was very happy with the results. If you like what you see and require a quality landscaping service, contact Kevin Baumann on 086 8198444.