Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Aug 25, 2008 10:26 pm LOL, well enough of decorating inside for a while, i thought i'd start up another thread and let you know that we've gathered up the strength to combat the garden (actually its the quagmire that we have for a garden with all the rain!!!)
Plus, i'm getting hassled for more pics.... We have one lot of fences up now, along the LHS of the house, all of the back from the garage to the rear boundary and a little at the front to give our neighbour a little more side yard with gate access: http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8190007.jpg http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8190009.jpg http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8190016.jpg http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8190012.jpg Our plan...design something that will not use up and waste precious water, be low maintenance and child and doggy friendly.... My feature pot, thanks ebay has been in storage for 12 months, and survived the move....It will be a feature piece in the front garden outside the master bedroom window. (more on that later) We've already planted our two Little gem magnolia's as DH shattered our massive terracotta pots they were in for the past 7 years, during the move... (Dont ask how? He doesn't know....but anyway to save them, we had to plant them asap...They have been doing well and will be features in the two rear corners of the block. Then along the front boundary fenceline, its river rocks for the moment, until i decide what plants will suit: http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8230019.jpg http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8230020.jpg Topped up the rocks around my Agaves and have trimmed off some damaged leaves/petals?: http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8190017.jpg And behind the garage, something a little bit different: First some weed matting: http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8230023.jpg Then some Tuscan Toppings alternating with some 2.4m Red Gum sleepers....to give a different sort of look. http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8170004.jpg http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8230033.jpg A garden bed under one bedroom window: http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/smllrimgs11.jpg And we've got one long garden bed running along the fence. I would like to select a row of deciduous treea so that they can block some summer sun and also let the light through in winter to the rooms with windows to that side. http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8230031-1.jpg http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee299/matthewnathan/P8230039-1.jpg I'm looking to plant some ornamental grasses in and around the endges of the redgum sleepers and maybe throw in some river rocks here and there in small piles. The garden beds will have black mulch in them, but until we chose the plants, we wont bother starting on them. Next job, i need to source some Empire Zoysia turf for the back section...On either side of the alfresco will be grass then hopefully for the other side of the house will be the tuscan toppings again. But more on all that soon...its still a work in progress, and i'm feeling the aching in my muscles to prove it!!! Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 2Aug 25, 2008 10:48 pm How much fun are those river rocks to move?
Cant use a shovel, cant use a rake!!! Who designed those?? Anyway .... looks good 'P'. The design looks interesting and I look forward to the end result! Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 3Aug 25, 2008 11:12 pm Thanks Matt, yep, the river rocks are a bugger to move....we need another 2-3 cbm's of them at a guess to complete the front yard. Then add in some large boulders, black bark, retaining walls, feature effects, plants and lighting....*sigh*.....but its all fun...
We should be finished this time next year......... I have designed it, i just hope it still looks good when it goes down... Next job for DH is the front deck! so I will need to start sourcing materials for that soon. Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 5Aug 26, 2008 9:56 am Maybe its just the neighbourhoods I used to live in, but there's no way I'd put perfect "throwing rocks" right up to the footpath. It's a powerful temptation to followers of the evil one.
Also, the way those sleepers are laid, won't they start moving around if a car is driven over them ? And won't the fill naturally tend to pack down leaving a the sleepers raised to give a corrugated surface ? No using the driveway for tricycles, skateboard, rollerskates, handball etc (Though no doubt this has already been well considered.) And, me being very ignorant of such things, with all the black plastic 'underlay' to the driveway, where does the rainwater go ? Is it sloped or drained in a particular direction, or does it still seep through ? Not meaning to be too negative I like the deciduous tree idea. I suggest Japanese maples. Not too big, but thick foliage in summer, and wonderful colour display in autumn. http://images.google.com.au/images?gbv= ... =N&ndsp=20 Do the hard jobs first. The easy jobs will take care of themselves. - Dale Carnegie Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 6Aug 26, 2008 10:12 am Phoenix, I haven't seen the Tuscan Toppings before is it cemented in or does it blow around? Any ifo or links would be much appreciated.
Thanks Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 7Aug 26, 2008 6:45 pm P….very nice!!!!
Don’t you just love hard work? Looking forward to seeing it all progress. Internal and External Building and Colour Consultant Online - Worldwide http://www.denovoconcepts.com Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 8Aug 26, 2008 7:05 pm Cabinfever Maybe its just the neighbourhoods I used to live in, but there's no way I'd put perfect "throwing rocks" right up to the footpath. It's a powerful temptation to followers of the evil one. Also, the way those sleepers are laid, won't they start moving around if a car is driven over them ? And won't the fill naturally tend to pack down leaving a the sleepers raised to give a corrugated surface ? No using the driveway for tricycles, skateboard, rollerskates, handball etc (Though no doubt this has already been well considered.) And, me being very ignorant of such things, with all the black plastic 'underlay' to the driveway, where does the rainwater go ? Is it sloped or drained in a particular direction, or does it still seep through ? Not meaning to be too negative I like the deciduous tree idea. I suggest Japanese maples. Not too big, but thick foliage in summer, and wonderful colour display in autumn. http://images.google.com.au/images?gbv= ... =N&ndsp=20 Cabinfever, thanks for the feedback, i dont think you're being negative, its nice to get an alternative opinion! In answer to some of your comments, the sleepers are 75mm thick and being 2.4m wide, if a car did drive on them i dont think they would flick up or break as such...the gravel will be there to take some of the weight as such....but i'm not expecting that to happen...(the car driving through that is...) Lots of homeowners are using river rocks nowadays and hopefully nothing in the coming years will be thrown at our home or our neighbours...but unfortunately you can never tell...and can't prevent either.... The Tuscan toppings do compact down as do Lillydale toppings and the like, and that can be done with a whacker or can be done by nature. We have wet it down and will top it up as time passes, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue.... no bikes etc out there, no point for us, we live in a court and our kids are always outside with the neighbours kids our going down the park which is at the end of our court. The black weedmat is not a solid sheet of plastic as such, it is a woven material that will release the water/moisture so drainage should be ok. The last thing we want is more mud around the place!!! Thanks too for the information on the Japanese maples, i will look into them for sure! gweluphome Phoenix, I haven't seen the Tuscan Toppings before is it cemented in or does it blow around? Any ifo or links would be much appreciated. Thanks Hey, just do a Google search, sorry, i haven't been able to find much but your local nursery should have some sort of gravel mulch mix, maybe using another name? Sorry.. Michelle P….very nice!!!! Don’t you just love hard work? Looking forward to seeing it all progress. Hi Mish, i love seeing what we've achieved in a short time since moving in, and its great to see and know that we have done this ourselves...yes with lots of inspiration from others but at the end of the day, we are the ones doing the hard work. Its great, yes....but the blisters on the other hand.....are definitely not great!!!! Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 11Aug 26, 2008 9:51 pm donuts Gosh P you've been sooooooo busy!!! It all looks fantastic, will be coming back to get inspiration when we get to that stage Thanks Donuts, yes its busy, busy, busy at our place, so far this week, when DH has come home from work, if its not raining, we'd get back out there.... i want to get as much done as possible so that we can have time to relax and enjoy when the nice weather does happen to arrive! haywgl When your done do you want to pop around to mine Looking good! Thanks NP, always happy to help out!!! I even bought myself a pair of ladies gumboots today....lol...but they're too pretty to get dirty... Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 12Aug 26, 2008 11:25 pm **Phoenix** I want to get as much done as possible so that we can have time to relax and enjoy when the nice weather does happen to arrive! Sorry....confused....what else do you do in nice weather but gardening?..... mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 13Aug 27, 2008 7:12 am **Phoenix** Lots of homeowners are using river rocks nowadays and hopefully nothing in the coming years will be thrown at our home or our neighbours...but unfortunately you can never tell...and can't prevent either.... Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 14Aug 27, 2008 8:28 am commodorenut **Phoenix** Lots of homeowners are using river rocks nowadays and hopefully nothing in the coming years will be thrown at our home or our neighbours...but unfortunately you can never tell...and can't prevent either.... I like that idea!!! to_do_list **Phoenix** I want to get as much done as possible so that we can have time to relax and enjoy when the nice weather does happen to arrive! Sorry....confused....what else do you do in nice weather but gardening?..... Ummmm drinking champagne by the pool?????????????????? Paula Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 15Aug 27, 2008 10:16 pm Phoenix,
I'm looking forward to the progress of your landscaping! I'm hopeless when it comes to gardening (same with DH!). Might have to leave it to the professionals. I admire you for doing it yourselves! If you show us the progress thru photos, we might be tempted to do it by ourselves too! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Built the Nevada 42 Next project - landscaping! Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 16Aug 27, 2008 10:30 pm Looks fantastic! What material did you use for the driveway? I thought I'd take a break from the building forum and look to the future (what seems to be the very distant future at the moment, as still waiting for the slab) and think about other things, nice things like plants and trees and rocks!!!
Seriously though, I can't wait to be at your stage, it's tough doing it yourself but god it's soooo rewarding. When we lived in London we completely regenerated what was an unfenced, wild derelict 'space' into an urban garden. Did everything ourselves, fencing the lot even made our own gate!!! But the payoff was great and when it was all finished we just kept looking around as we sat there saying wow, we did this! So don those wellies/gumboots and enjoy!!! Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 17Sep 23, 2008 10:39 am P ~ I love the pot, ebay hey, what was the postage
Cabinfever ~ I love japanese maples.. I will be planting them when we move in.. I love the red leaves, shame its not all year round. nesspop Why am I covered in feathers Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 18Sep 24, 2008 3:07 pm Brisvegas, the driveway is exposed agg.
Nesspop, yes l lurve my pot, cost me $127 picked up from Chirnside Pk in Melb. (bargain i'd say!) and has sat for over a year but it will be worth it when and i do say WHEN, my front garden is finished....but i'm not holding my breath for that anymore..... One day i'll have my garden. Re: Our landscaping adventure.... 20Sep 25, 2008 9:37 am Thanks for letting me know re driveway. Your garden will come together before you know it, at least you're in your beautiful house, even when ours is finished I have no idea when we'll be able to move back and enjoy it.... Hmmm, I have checked your past posts and it seems that you are in NSW, not WA as I had thought. It pays to show your State in your avatar. Retaining wall regulations… 5 7857 Hi, you've probably already resolved this, however, Commbank will probably pay the funds to you after you send evidence the work is done regardless the change in the quotes. 1 35326 Ideally you would engage a landscaper to give you some insight what they may need in the space to make your vision come to life… 1 13639 |