Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Jan 28, 2010 9:55 pm So I have come home today to find out "organic soil" provided by the landscapers spread out over our front yard. I'm a little concerned as they only dropped off a small pile (maybe 2 normal sized domestic trailer loads and spread it across about 200m2. Is this terribly inadequet? I guess it must be strong stuff as we need to keep pets and kids away from it. They do not use dynamic lifter or anything and I'm not sure if the are just planning to put the grass straight on top of our soil (sorry.. our sand) They might be putting something else down when they put the grass down but I just thought I'd get an opinion before calling them to ask about the sparsity. *Built with Gemmill Homes in WA* Slab - 1st June 2009 Plate Height - 17th June 2009 Lock Up - 18th August 2009 PCI - 5th October 2009 Hand Over - 15th Oct 2009 https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20844 Re: "landscape package" help 2Jan 28, 2010 10:47 pm 2m3 over 200m2 in our sands is a joke. If you have to pay extra to get some better soil from http://www.gardenersdirect.com.au/ that is certified organic this as well and the garden is off to an incredible start http://www.dsatco.com/PiggypostBulkBag/ ... roductName Good soil should be mixed to a good 300mm at least. I'd say there's two reasons for the word about kids and dogs. 1. Is health risks associated with inhaling dry soils. 2. Is because it would be a dark colour and kids go climbing in it, running and playing in it, then walk it all through the house and on the furniture The other animals will do similar Re: "landscape package" help 3Jan 28, 2010 11:45 pm Thanks Fu, Should I expect more from a landscape package though? Would most just throw down dynamic lifter and be done? We paid some extra money to get sir walter (wanted zoysia but they couldn't supply it) and then paid some more on top of that for the backyard lawn to be done as well so I'm not sure if they have a duty of care to provide enough of a soil conditioner for our investment in a nice lawn. *Built with Gemmill Homes in WA* Slab - 1st June 2009 Plate Height - 17th June 2009 Lock Up - 18th August 2009 PCI - 5th October 2009 Hand Over - 15th Oct 2009 https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20844 Re: "landscape package" help 4Jan 28, 2010 11:57 pm Not really. You paid for the turf, not the prep work, soil and time. This is something you'd have to do your self unfortunately. The landscape package guys have to do a heap of Mc Gardens each day to make any money from them. It might seem like a fair bit of money but labour is expensive, especially for the good crews doing the packages. Just get in what you can. We'll take things from there once it is all done Re: "landscape package" help 5Feb 02, 2010 11:25 pm So... after a bit of a cat fight with the landscaper we came to an agreement and some more organic soil was delivered. Yay for my sir walter!! I think it might still need some help but it should have a fighting chance! Everything looks great... but now I just need to go buy some more plants to fill the gaps!! The little baby plants are so cute!! We will also put out manchurian pear in the ground on our front corner. It came from Big W so we have been slowly introducing it to the real world as to not shock it with 40 degree heat on a windy corner. We will see how we go - it has been losing a few leaves and has a developed few yellow ones but I'm not sure why. The soil is slightly acidic and it isn't underwatered.. or over watered... so we will see how we go!! *Built with Gemmill Homes in WA* Slab - 1st June 2009 Plate Height - 17th June 2009 Lock Up - 18th August 2009 PCI - 5th October 2009 Hand Over - 15th Oct 2009 https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20844 Re: "landscape package" help 6Feb 02, 2010 11:55 pm Can you post a pic of the tag? That will give me an idea if it was grown in WA Why on earth are you buying plants at that place? I really can't stress enough about how wonderful our WA plants can be Some of the single most intensly flowering plants on the world. Why do we bother with exotic plants? Anyway you can get them in small tubes grown by Muchea tree farm and they are sold in every good nursery. Zanthorrea is a top visit and the folks there are highly educated If you can even get to speak to Jackie or Alec then they will have you hooked They sell tubes of plants (little baby ones ) Re: "landscape package" help 7Feb 03, 2010 12:07 am I'll send the other half outside to snap a pic. We were planning to buy from arborwest but our pennys were a little short so we gave the old Big W a go. When it dies we will learn our lesson our the $370 saving was just too tempting not to try make it survive. As for the exotic plants....well I'm allergic to all the native trees and flowers!! they are pretty in pictures on my computer screen where they can't make me sick. Thanks Fu! I'll check out those nurseries - we do what them all the same size as we are planning a few hedges so that will be great! *Built with Gemmill Homes in WA* Slab - 1st June 2009 Plate Height - 17th June 2009 Lock Up - 18th August 2009 PCI - 5th October 2009 Hand Over - 15th Oct 2009 https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20844 Re: "landscape package" help 8Feb 03, 2010 12:17 am Oh yeah! that's right your allergic to them sorry Not all flowering plants produce lots of pollen though. Natives like the Gero waxes, the native hibiscus (Alyogyne) will be fine. Even the Swan River Pea is a cracker that won't bother you. Also the wonderful Eremophila nivea and Chorizema will be lovely and not create a hassle. lots of flower for all of them but not heaps of pollen. Re: "landscape package" help 9Feb 03, 2010 12:46 am Hi Fu, I'm the "other half". Here's the pictures of our shame I did a soil test the other day and it came up twice as a PH of 6. The supposed chlorosis is only affecting about 5% of the leaves of which almost all have now fallen off (well with todays wind more like torn off). It doesn't seem to be worsening so it might have been initial shock of being transplanted. TagFront TagBack Chlorosis Re: "landscape package" help 10Feb 03, 2010 12:52 am Geraldton wax is quite safe for me. I used to have those in geraldton.. funnily enough. Here are some piccies of our baby garden for anyone who cares :/ It is sooooo green! http://www.flickr.com/photos/40514856@N06/4325424594/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/40514856@N06/4324687241/ *Built with Gemmill Homes in WA* Slab - 1st June 2009 Plate Height - 17th June 2009 Lock Up - 18th August 2009 PCI - 5th October 2009 Hand Over - 15th Oct 2009 https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20844 Re: "landscape package" help 11Feb 03, 2010 1:05 am hey they layed the turf well. I hate seeing the turf shots done by supposed pros and it looks like a motorcross track Yours has come up well I'd be aiming to reduce that lawn area by a massive amount. It may look nice now but it will become the biggest source of water use for your home. I can't help buut think of how good a pecan tree would look on that little garden bed out the front corner Edible crop, wonderful shade to cool the home and protect the home from winter storms a little better It would the feature of the century Amazing tree and if you ever have it pruned you can sell the timber to craft and woodwork types yummy pecan nuts too Re: "landscape package" help 12Feb 03, 2010 1:16 am If you were to do a mini avenue of trees down the side nature strip, that would also make a huge difference to the feel of the street, the feel of the home and reduce you home energy needs Even a row of Hakea multiliniata which flower but will mainly have nectar for birds. That will be a really nice show to have in front of the house, looking out the window. Black cockies and galahs getting into the flowers Re: "landscape package" help 13Feb 03, 2010 1:19 am That cute little front garden bed was supposed to be a lot bigger but the instructions were lost in translation somewhere along the line. I haven't seen a pecan tree anywhere! If the manchurian pear can't take it I'll look into that! I want to put three trees (that grow about the same size as teh manchurian pear or smaller) down the middle of the verge in little garden beds like the one out the front but I haven't figured out where else we can reduce the lawn quantity as we don't want to put garden beds down the sides of the drive or path as the driveway is narrow in places and we will constantly step in the garden. Our backyard only has a small amount of lawn and we are planning to pave/pebble/something both sides so the backyard won't be quite the enviromental crisis that the front yard is! ( Plus it is gettings chooks and vegies - yum yum!) But you can see now why I was a bit panicked that we wouldn't have water wise grass as we have a rather large area out the front! *Built with Gemmill Homes in WA* Slab - 1st June 2009 Plate Height - 17th June 2009 Lock Up - 18th August 2009 PCI - 5th October 2009 Hand Over - 15th Oct 2009 https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20844 Re: "landscape package" help 14Feb 03, 2010 1:20 am What do you think about our manchurian pear leaf and tag? Is it bad news all round? edit: I just looked up the pecan tree.. somewhere between 20 meters and 60 meters tall?? What stops it from eating my house - is it when I sell it for wood? Because I get emotionally attached to everything. (It is beautiful though!) *Built with Gemmill Homes in WA* Slab - 1st June 2009 Plate Height - 17th June 2009 Lock Up - 18th August 2009 PCI - 5th October 2009 Hand Over - 15th Oct 2009 https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20844 Re: "landscape package" help 15Feb 03, 2010 1:50 am It won't get that big where you are Wrong soils, wrong climate so it will be much smaller. Just throwing some ideas out there Re: "landscape package" help 16Feb 04, 2010 3:02 pm Pecan trees are lovely I used to have one in front of my home in Craigie. The new owners chopped it down Your front yard certainly is green Manda!! I'm glad to see its all nicely laid And that *is* a tiny garden!! I like the idea of planting a row (of three or so) trees down that side verge. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=22766 - my build thread! Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Chuck Norris. Re: "landscape package" help 17Feb 04, 2010 11:23 pm They chopped it down!!! I bet they had no idea how many dollars they had sitting there of Hickory Re: "landscape package" help 18Feb 04, 2010 11:32 pm Fu Manchu They chopped it down!!! I bet they had no idea how many dollars they had sitting there of Hickory *I* had no idea!!!!! viewtopic.php?f=31&t=22766 - my build thread! Time waits for no man. Unless that man is Chuck Norris. Re: "landscape package" help 19Feb 04, 2010 11:36 pm How sad, I love big trees. I'm going to die of anticipation waiting for the trees I buy to turn into something "tree-like". Good thing I am settled in my house for at lest ten years! I don't think the other half would let me take the risk that the tree wouldn't turn into something huge - it is so tempting though! *Built with Gemmill Homes in WA* Slab - 1st June 2009 Plate Height - 17th June 2009 Lock Up - 18th August 2009 PCI - 5th October 2009 Hand Over - 15th Oct 2009 https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=20844 Re: "landscape package" help 20Feb 04, 2010 11:40 pm Jodie80 Fu Manchu They chopped it down!!! I bet they had no idea how many dollars they had sitting there of Hickory *I* had no idea!!!!! You would have been rich as!!!! Landscape Design Parramatta We have been doing a large amount of landscape design work in Sydney… 0 3 Need advice on the backyard plan above. Should I excavate and cut all of the dirt to level with the house slab or semi-excavate as per photo above? Both left and right… 0 24864 Thanks very much! And would the landscaper/contractor generally involve the engineer or is that something the client would do? Thanks for your help 2 10025 |