A Guide to Landscape Gardening

Page 1

A GUIDE TO Landscape

GARDENing by gardens galore


WHAT’S IT ALL about

1.

WHY CHOOSE LANDSCAPE GARDENING?

2.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A LANDSCAPE GARDENER

3.

FUNDAMENTALS OF LANDSCAPE GARDENING

4.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

5.

BENEFITS OF USING GARDENS GALORE

6.

WHAT’S INVOLVED IN LANDSCAPE GARDENING

7.

SUSTAINABLE GARDENING

8.

A GARDEN THAT’S A WILDLIFE PARADISE

9.

FAQS

10.

THE NEXT STEPS


WHY CHOOSE

LANDSCAPE GARDENING FOR YOUR GARDEN?

Today our gardens are much more than just that, a garden; they are an extension of our living space and are an important element in our day-to-day lives. Gardens big and small are used every single day of the year by all types of individuals and communities with varying wants and needs. This is why the thought process of landscaping a garden is essential as it’s the difference between a garden that’s useful and cherished, and a garden that is dull and unused. Garden landscaping includes many components within the garden ranging from paving, decking, walling and turfing and offers you the choice to simply include one, or many of these elements, to create your own unique garden space, perfect for all you desire it for. Whether you choose to undertake a full garden project or re-design a part of your garden, the choices are endless. Gardens Galore provide an extensive range of garden landscaping services to suit every taste and budget and we’ll use our expertise and extensive experience to help you design your ideal garden.

What To Look For In A Landscape Gardener If you’re looking to spend any amount of money on your garden, you want to know you’re putting the responsibility in the right hands. Here are a few things you should always look for when choosing a landscape designer. First of all, can you build up a good rapport with them? This is one of the most vital qualities a landscape gardener can have, when you consider that you might be spending many weeks working closely with this person. Equally importantly, a good landscape gardener will never be afraid to use his or her expertise to tell you the truth; to be honest with you in areas such as what is feasible for your garden based on its size, your budget and the availability of materials. It’s also important to look for a landscape gardener who has sufficient project planning and surveying experience. It’s quite likely that you won’t feel 100% confident over making decisions about your own garden. This means you need someone with

sufficient vision to draw out your own, individual ideas and provide blueprints of different design options and price plans that reflect both these and your given budget. Now, this one might seem quite obvious... but always make sure you pick a landscape gardener whose designs and completed gardens you actually like. Then make sure that you see references and testimonials for these. It’s always a good idea to look over their previous projects so that you can get a feel for their personality and design style. Lastly, while it’s an excellent idea to do a bit of competitive research to get a feel for fair pricing, always go with the person you feel most comfortable with.


Fundamentals Of

lANDSCAPE GARDENING

Preparation

Tolerances/Specs

Project Management

Costs

Introducing landscaping to your garden is an investment, so whether it’s a patio or deck the right preparation is key to it lasting for many years to come. Gardens Galore conduct a thorough audit of your current garden to determine what needs to be done to prepare your garden for a landscaping project and redesign.

It is important that preparation is carried out to the appropriate standards and specifications, this will ensure good foundations for long lasting landscaping. We are proud to provide professional workmanship and advice and will always communicate discussions made and discussions had that will impact your landscaping project.

We provide a project management service for our landscape gardening projects designed to take you by the hand and lead you through your project. This means you have someone to direct questions at and discuss progress with from the start, right through to the end of your project.

The costs of landscaping your garden vary depending on several factors but a good way to think about it is to liken the cost to how much you would spend on renovating your kitchen, and also consider that your garden is likely to be larger than your kitchen so could potentially cost even more. A simple breakdown of costs could look like this; up to 15% on soil work, planting and other soft works, up to 80% on hard landscaping including decking, paving and garden feature construction and around 5% on design.


IN THE

SPOTLIGHT

Design and Build Project – Auchterarder This garden project started with a blank canvas after the completion of a house renovation/extension. The brief was fairly simple, with the main focus of the garden being planting with a country garden feel, however this needed to tie in with the more modern extension to the property which had a more contemporary edge.

Concept & Consultation The existing garden had a small granite paved area outside the rear doors leading to a small area of lawn and the rest was soil. The main focus was to create large planters and to introduce separate sections of the garden to visit and enjoy. Our design incorporated: • Large shaped planters which were constructed with fairstone sandstone walling in silver birch to tie in with the existing granite paving.

Garden Features The design really brings shape to the garden with gentle curves and interesting shapes and textures introduced: • The large stepping stone path design offers practicality yet a fun and interesting addition to the garden. •Arches provide height to the garden and when roses climb will offer colour and scent. • Planting is key to the project with various planting schemes in place ranging from conventional herbaceous, woodland planting and dry loving plants including lavenders and grasses in the planters. • Bark paths sweep through the garden and take you through the different scents, textures and colours of the plants. • Timber planter next to the house provides a place for growing herbs and vegetables with easy access.

Completed Project

• Shaped steps created using sandstone setts lead down to the lawn area with various paths connecting to the lower section of the garden.

The garden had a lovely view to the west and the completed project cleverly draws your eye across to the left with the beautiful back drop of the hills.

• Timber steps lead to the lower gravel area which was laid using 20 mm flint.

Planting really completes the garden and once established will be a haven for wildlife with the different mix and styles of planting in place.

• A circular patio was formed using sandstone silver birch paving, this provided shape and texture also breaking up the gravel area. • Bark area for woodland feel for kids to enjoy and play.

The garden design widens the garden and the silver birch walling and paving tie in with the original granite paving at the rear doors. Why not visit some more of our garden projects for ideas on designing your garden.


BENEFITS

Of using

GARDENS GALORE

1. Bespoke sketches and design illustrations. 2. Personal consultation on design and budget. 3. Consistent personnel (same team from start to finish).

4. Project management to lead you through your project

5. Family run business with your satisfaction our primary goal.

6. Garden aftercare and maintenance advice.


What’s Involved In

LANDSCAPE

GARDENING?

Patios Patios can be built to any shape or size and can be designed to suit your individual needs and lifestyle. Patios are perfect for areas of uneven ground, as they can be split into levels and, thus, help to define different areas of the garden. Patios can be designed from a wide range of materials and stones, while blending these together can bring a beautiful mix of textures and colours. Added to this, the materials used can be tailored to your needs, either to complement your property or to create contrast for an even bigger impact.

Garden Paths

Edging

Rather than just a way of connecting two areas, paths can ultimately be the heart and soul of your garden. They can transform a garden and give direction, highlight a particular feature, and give a natural border for planting. So much of your personality can be involved in a garden path. Which would you prefer, for instance – the feel and sound of gravel crunching under your feet or the steady, structured feel that you get from stone slabs?

Edgings are commonly used to provide a tidy border to a patio or decked area, to help to stabilise paved driveways and to keep gravelled areas in place. Edging is also a great way to feature a particular area of your garden. Edging can be a very precise and delicate task, and is one where highly qualified landscapers can really show their skills. There are a variety of edging types to choose from which use a range of materials, including concrete, stone and timber.


Garden decking

Garden walls

Driveways We use a material called mono block for the driveways we create. We use this for a number of reasons; partly because it’s popular and decorative, but also because it’s very practical and hard-wearing, easy to clean and maintain. It is also available in a variety of styles and colours to complement your property. As well as the driveway itself, we are also specialists in driveway edging. While this is not necessarily an essential part of the driveway, it can add a muchneeded boundary between the driveway and your front garden, adding that important finishing touch. To enhance the entrance to your property even more, you could consider adding an octant or circle design to the centre of the driveway. And, should you feel that the mono block is too harsh for your property, there are several other options, such as gravel, available which can add texture and colour.

Garden walls help to create privacy; or at least the illusion of privacy. They are also a great way of differentiating between the living and the more rural areas of the garden. Placing walls in your garden is also a great way to complement patios and other garden features. Gardens Galore specialises in building garden walls from a variety of different materials, including stone, brick, block and timber. We use high quality coping stones and caps to add the finishing touches to your garden wall. This not only makes the wall look better; it also helps to protect it from water damage. Well designed and constructed walls, using high quality materials, can last a lifetime; that is why we pride ourselves on our team of skilled professionals who build walls to personalised specifications.

Garden decking can be built to pretty much any shape or size, and can be raised, flat, multi-levelled, square or curved – the choice is in your hands. There is also a huge choice of decking materials on the market which will cater for whatever purpose you choose for it; hardwood for heavily used decking and slip-resistant for those catering for small children or elderly visitors, for instance. Balustrades allow for a safe but stylish surrounding for your decking – perfect for raised or multi-levelled decked areas and, again, a great way to protect the little ones without having to compromise on style. As there are so many options, balustrades are also a great way of customising and adding personality to your decking; choose aluminium, metal or glass for a more contemporary look, or beautiful wooden

spindles and balustrades to match the decking material if you’d prefer something more traditional. Take your customisation that little bit further with some deck lighting to add the finishing touch. Lights will present your decked area as the real highlight of the garden, also allowing you to use it late into the evening without the need for hundreds of candles. As with everything our landscape gardeners build, we want to ensure that you get the ultimate satisfaction from your decking by building it to last a lifetime. We ensure this both by careful planning and by choosing materials that are suited to your requirements, bearing in mind the likely weather and level of usage.


Fencing and gates Fencing and gates serve a multitude of purposes and, at Gardens Galore, we construct them to an extremely high standard. Without exception our timber is pressure treated, which helps to preserve its life. All fence posts we position are firmly concreted into the ground to prevent any movement – particularly important if you live in a windy area. Our method of constructing fences and gates is designed to give you with the strongest structure possible. We stock a number of fence collections, including panel/deco fencing, palisade fencing, trellis fencing, ranch fencing, picket fencing, and post and wire fencing. We are also able to install gates to match our fencing collections.

Gravelling Gravelling is a popular landscaping option, especially for those looking for a low maintenance garden. Gravel is also an excellent way to break up and provide contrast to areas of paving or grass. As with everything at Gardens Galore, our ultimate aim is to landscape a garden that will last you a lifetime. Which is why we always grade and level an area to be gravelled, laying a membrane to keep weeds from sprouting through.

Bark Bark continues to be a popular material used in gardens because of its versatility. It is useful for inhibiting weed development in flower beds and borders, and also helps to reduce your ongoing maintenance budget. Bark can also be used to create decorative edges around your garden and to line the edges of driveways and paths. It is particularly popular among garden owners with children, as it is a safe surface material for children’s play area where swings and other play equipment might be located.

Garden steps Like garden paths, garden steps can be much more than simply a way of connecting one area to another. They can help create a grand entrance to your house or garden, or lead the way to your conservatory or decked area. Garden steps can be made using the same variety of materials that you’d use for garden paths, so is an excellent way of connecting the two together; a mixture of materials often creates the most vibrant effect.

Turfing and Grass Seed In order to provide a great-looking and hardwearing lawn, a great deal of preparation is required. Firstly, we need to provide a level and graded platform for your

new lawn. The most important thing to remember, both about turfing and sowing grass seed, is that ongoing care is vital for the success of your new lawn. We will leave careful instructions for you following the laying of your new lawn, including when and how to mow the new grass. Once your new turf roots have had a chance to knit themselves into the soil, we recommend mowing, feeding and weeding your lawn little and often to keep it in tip-top condition.


SUSTAINABLE

GARDENING

Sustainable and organic gardening is more often than not being integrated into everyday gardening as it’s a great step towards leading a sustainable lifestyle. It ultimately makes sense these days to consider sustainability with everything that we do, especially considering the fragility of our eco system and environment. Using sustainable gardening practices in your own garden can actually help you to enjoy and appreciate it even more and is something Gardens Galore can work with you to achieve with your garden landscaping design.

A Garden That’s A Wildlife Paradise Gardens Galore’s Favourite Ways To Attract Wildlife To Your Garden

At Gardens Galore we like to encourage customers to think about sustainability throughout the design process and we have various simple suggestions for integrating sustainability within any garden, in particular:

Gardens play a huge role in maintaining and nurturing our national wildlife and so it’s really important that gardeners are encouraged to provide a habitat for wildlife with their gardens. It’s actually really easy to ensure your garden is buzzing with life, here’s a few of our simplest and favourite ways.

• We encourage the planting of fruitful trees that help to store much-needed carbon in the soil, help to naturally cool your garden and property during the summer months and will provide sustenance for wildlife and humans alike! • We encourage the planting of herbs and organic vegetables in your garden for you to grow and enjoy throughout the year. Fresh herbs provide fantastic varying scents and contrast beautifully against typical sweet and floral garden fragrances. • We encourage the natural disposal of waste through the use of a compost bin as well as using natural fertilisers and pesticides to avoid damaging the environmental with harmful and unnecessary chemicals. • We encourage water efficiently and can work together with you to design a system

1. Pollen and nectar is key for attracting butterflies and bees.

2. Hedges and shrubs can provide essential for sustainably watering your garden. We can even build drainage and water storage systems into your garden design. • Finally, we encourage you to consider that your garden shouldn’t just be a haven for you but for the local wildlife too. Creating a habitat with your garden can benefit it greatly and increases biodiversity. There are various ways to encourage wildlife to make a home in your garden, we share our favourite methods in the next section.

shelter and hiding places for wildlife, especially areas with lots of texture and coverage. Combine this by planting fruitful shrubs such as blackthorn, as they will provide the added bonus of food and nutrients for wildlife.

3. Water is an excellent way to attract

wildlife to your garden, giving animals and birds a safe place to drink and bathe.

4. Birds in particular like water, so providing even a tiny bird bath will help attract wildlife of the flying kind. Supplementary

feeding will bring birds back to your garden time and time again and can be of great value to them over the winter period when natural food resources are low; seeds, berries and even common kitchen scraps are popular – they’re really not fussy.

5. If you’re looking to attract wildlife to your

garden we’d suggest not keeping your garden overly tidy – how lucky is that? Piles of leaves and debris provide much-needed food and shelter for various varieties of wildlife.

6. We’ve talking a little bit about sustainable

gardening; it may be a bit of a buzzword at the moment but, in this day and age when resources are short, it’s nonetheless essential to consider this as a option for your garden. Wildlife is very much in favour of sustainable gardening as it helps protect them from harmful chemicals and toxins; kindness to the Earth is kindness to the animals living on it.


FREQUENTLY asked QUESTIONS

What steps are involved in the garden landscaping process?

achieving what you want in line with your pocket.

How are payments arranged and do you require a deposit?

1. Initial enquiry

Why do you need to know my budget?

On acceptance of our quotation, we always draw up a written contract which includes arrangements for payment. We normally request a 25% deposit at the start of the project and, depending on the size and duration of the project, may request staged payments at intervals throughout the project.

2. Site visit to discuss requirements, sug-

gestions/ideas, options, materials, chalk out sizes of patio, decking etc.

3. Quotation/drawing collated and second visit to meet customer set-up.

4. Contract drawn up and team assigned. 5. Project managed to completion. 6. After-sales service. What information do you need from me to help the process move faster? It’s important that you think about what you really want to achieve in your garden; is it somewhere to sit, for example? Or an area for growing your own veg? Maybe somewhere for the children to play? Or possibly all of these! Be clear on when you use the garden and for what; which way does your garden face? When do you get the sunshine and shade? Is your garden exposed to wind? Do you have a view you would like to make the most of? What materials do you like? Would you like a contrast to your dwelling, or something to tie in with everything? As with any improvement to your home, a well-thought-out budget is the key to

A budget allows us to advise what it is feasible to achieve in terms of the garden design, planned materials etc.

Do you charge for a quotation? No, we do not charge for a quotation. We do require certain information (outlined above), however, in order for us to collate appropriate costs and a drawing. If it is a sizeable project and we deem it appropriate, we may recommend using our garden designer; this would carry a charge.

Is there a chance my garden will cost more than the quotation? Only if the customer changes the specification – materials and/or the design/ layout, for instance –after pricing or during the project.

Will my garden be finished on time? At Gardens Galore we draw up a contract which details the start and end date of your project. The duration of each project is calculated using our in-house project costing system; very rarely do the given dates change and only occasionally does the weather affect completion dates.

I already have gravel, fences and paths in my garden; will you strip the garden and remove these, and is this included in your quotation price? What happens to my garden waste? Where appropriate and where stated in the quotation, we will remove and dispose of any waste including soil, green waste, wood, rubble, materials etc. This is mainly done using skips for each type of waste.

Will you provide me with an aftercare plan for my newly landscaped garden? Once you are satisfied, your project is signed off by our Project Manager. Around one month later an after-sales visit is arranged to discuss our handling of your project and to walk around your garden. Any issues will be entered on our snagging request sheet, and any work will be carried out within seven working days. We will set up a further aftersales site meeting for the first anniversary of your garden project.

Do you still carry out work throughout the winter months? Yes! We landscape gardens all year round and some of our biggest projects have been completed over the winter months when the garden is not being used. It can then be up and running ready for use in spring.

Where can I find examples of your previously completed garden landscaping projects? Our website is full of images of our completed garden projects, from individual components like patios, paths, walls and decking to full landscaping projects. If you would like to visit one of our projects in person, this could also be arranged for you.


THE NEXT

STEPS

• Like any garden project, the first and most important step is to get in touch with us for an initial chat about your landscape gardening project. Don’t worry if you’re not sure about the services that you might need, that’s exactly what we’re here for. • Once we’ve got some basic information we’d love to come out to see your garden and make some preliminary plans. We cover Perthshire, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the whole of Central Scotland but are happy to discuss projects further afield if desired. • We’ve found that our customer’s find it really helpful to look through our previous landscape gardening projects for inspiration.

• We’ll need to know your budget, timeline and garden requirements pretty much straight away so if you can have these in mind from the start it will make the process much, much smoother for both parties. • Finally, we look forward to meeting you and designing your dream garden. Every project is a joy to be involved in, from simple paving projects to complete garden overhaul projects.

Simply give us a call if you would like to discuss our lanscape gardening service.


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