Post category: Case Study No. 3

 

Assessment:

 

Medium height walls, garden faces west, somewhat overlooked all round.

 

Scanner Q76

 

Hard landscaping:

 

Most of the surface area is covered with a layer of at least seven centimetres of fine gravel. This area has curved edges and is bounded by gently sloping borders, rising thirty centimetres above the general garden level at the walls. Part of the garden is paved with 40 cm square concrete paving slabs. The walls are smooth, plastered and painted.

An informal (2.5m x 1.5m) pool is lined with a flexible liner that is covered with fist-sized stone cobbles to hide it. Two sets of two large stones are placed where they contrast with the gravel and the planting. The gravel, cobbles and large stones should be all the same type of rock.

 

Planting:

 

Most of the planted area is covered with ground cover plants. Some trees feature as specimens, and to provide some privacy. A few well-chosen shrubs and perennials provide year-round interest. In the gravel for contrast, one spiky plant, and a flat one near the pool.

 

Garden style:

 

An informal modern style. This style relies on the value of the shape and texture of plants and hard materials. The flat gravel and sloping borders create an illusion of space. Smooth walls set off the plant shapes.

 

Maintenance and cost:

 

Practically no maintenance; just occasional raking, and weeding until ground cover is established. Relatively inexpensive; only the paving adds significantly to cost.