Current Projects 2011
Tea Tree Gully - Design and Construction of Front Garden
Garden Brief - the brief for this front garden was to develop a relaxed and naturalistic environment to blend with the neighbouring eucalypts and substantially reduce the lawn area and provide better access for visitors entering the property. The new gardens created are to incorporate water conscious, generally local native planting.
Tea Tree Gully Garden - before image
Completed project
Tea Tree Gully Garden - before image.
Completed Project
Before image
Completed project
Tea Tree Gully Front Garden Concept Plan - North RHS of image.
The design proposes new large format pavers to the house frontage to provide access to the driveway, new tank, the main visitor entry from the street and a small patio (with seating) adjacent the front porch. Paving is also proposed at the letterbox adjacent the driveway to provide a sense of arrival for the visitor. A network of gravel paths extend from the paving to primarily link the house front entry to the street but also to provide access to services and the tank for handwatering. The tank will generally provide water for the front lawn and garden. The low quarry stone wall along the front boundary offsets an existng embankment and provides opportunities for low planting, screening and privacy. A secondary low wall beyond the porch and extending to the driveway will help to reduce the gradient on the proposed lawn areas (dwarf kikuya). Most of the existing taller shrubs and trees are retained and will be integrated into the new planting of predominantly local native groundcovers and low shrubs.
Site preparation - removal of unwanted shrubbery and block cut and fill (by Don Pascoe) to suit new levels.
Paving - using Riverstone pavers
Front entry paving and installation of stone pitching to existing frontage bank using local quarry stone
Stone pitching to reduce grade to new lawn and gardens.
Layout and welding of steel edging (100mm x 5mm gauge) to define lawn, garden and path edges
Subsurface irrigation to lawns utilising tank rainwater.
On the barrow........
Taking shape
Big Ted observing from neighbouring gum
Planting using natives with Eucalyptus forrestiana in foreground - 3 to 5m tall x similar width to frame entry path.
Planting complete. Group of 3 Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Euky Dwarf' behind stone wall for filtered shade and vertical contrast - 5 to 7m tall x 3 to 5m width. Silver Chrysocephalum (local everlasting daisy) planted in foreground amongst red Kangaroo Paws
Laying dwarf kikuya turf - less aggressive variety
Completed project
Tank rainwater dedicated to front lawn and garden drip irrigation
