Springbank Garden Plans

01/15/09

Springbank Garden Plans

Well, two years ago we intended to try and keep the oldest hedgerow between us and the fields to encourage red squirrels and to tame the multi-layered and mole consumed lawn into two levels with a usable staircase between and the rest of the bind weed, ground elder, stinging nettles, stickle weed, rubble, rubbish and general tatt will need to be tamed.

In 2006 we started with a vengeance, in February, the large Les Landii were removed, then we systematically had the asbestos and shed taken away, the block work shed demolished during 2007, over the following period we have had some significant hard landscaping and soft landscaping to lay the foundations of the garden for the next 20 years.

To the left is a rough aerial illustration of how the site was set out when we first started the project, below (left) is an image of the garden before the builders turned up in January 2005. The rest of the Gallery shows the progression from untamed (and unsafe) wilderness into a useable space for all the family.

We originally occupied the roof of the Workshop area which equates to the Southern most, thin end of the property. We moved in to the main house at the end of 2006 - two years later we have been attacking the garden to try and lay the foundations for years to come.

The view from the far corner over the neighbours

a cleaned up bank between the houses

Cherry tree removed and all the loose rubble and glass taken out

The top corner boundary leading on to the field

The end of the garden adhering to the boundary markers

The top boundary still needing to be cleaned up by the diggers

The initial netting that Keith and I removed and replaced with proper weed suppresant material

The unfinished job that we had to re-do

Toby in front of the diggers in the newly formed garden - August 2007

"Where is my goal going Dad?"

The sleeper wall finished and the soil raked for grass seed (which failed)

The top level taking shape and my markup for seeding / turf

The two levels

The steps up to the top level

The lawn down - Christmas 2007 - The garage needs attention!

The front garden cleaned out and the garden gated for Dog's and children's security

Toby 'Monty' doing some gardening - planting out "Beauty" the Camelia

Freshly laid turf and some beds that need planting up

The beds are being formed

The top lawn / path - is laid

That bank will need attention - fun for mowing / weeding!

The view up the garden - the idea being that eventually you will not be able to see the end - overhanging shrubs obscuring the views

The little shrubs planted out in the beds by the parking

That shed and garage really need some attention!

The first small tree - Magnolia - goes in to the top level

Secure along the back boundary

Terror's grave - poor old Pud!

The view back - in years to come we plan to demolish the garage and build a terrace above, sheltered under the Oak tree

It really is still a mess!

The garage is a mess but everything else is taking shape

The tool shed

The Garage cleaned out during Christmas 2008 - note the cave to the rear!

It is amazing now that I have taken the fencing down at the back, we have gained another 5ft of space in the cavern

Poor old garage - we have plans for you!

Christmas day '08 - the beds have some young shrubs in (planted Sept 08) we shall see how things evolve!

Kato - the gardeners companion

Behind the house on a frosty Boxing day morning

The bank has been seeded, the lawn and beds are now set out for the future

This site was last updated 01/02/09