Garden Planning Ideas

[Kristen]

Pond with waterfall ? ... A common mistake is putting them at the bottom of a garden too far away resulting in neglect.

Although that retaining wall would make a great drop for a waterfall ...

[Norwich Max]

I'm starting to become more confident with my plan now, I gues I wanted to check that I hadn't made a complete schoolboy error. In terms of planting, I want to get the slow growing stuff in the right places if possible. I know that everything could be moved but I would like to make building the basic structure as right first time as possible- building walls etc.

I would be able to see the pond from the house- it could be made bigger- something I am always tempted to do but I do have to occasionally share the garden with my family. I certainly don't plan on buying a liner before digging the hole.

I have found it really useful to think out loud, thank you for all of your ideas. Strangely I can't stop thinking about an island in the pond........

[fern Rob]

On a smaller scale to the one at Abbotsbury gardens .

[jungle jas]

Hi Max, Can you give us some more information regarding your garden please, you seem to have plenty of space so I'm sure it will look great when it is finished.

What sort of low temperatures do you have in the winters.

Do you want to block out being overlooked from the neighbour?

Is the fence yours?

How far away are the drains from the fence, and how deep are they.

Thanks.

[Adam D]

Looks a great space with those big mature trees around the garden. You could create an excellent woodlandsy type garden.

Where do you live in Norwich? My wife and I lived down there from '94 to '00. We lived down in a flat just down from Will Giles' garden and I can remember visiting his garden back in 1999 when my wife was almost full term with our eldest child.

[bordersboy]

I dont want to come across as a smart **se but ,its worth taking your time to sort the pond edging out . An exposed liner will look dreadful and be careful with an island too. It will me a mare to maintain and if you put ducks on it a fox can jump a long way to get at them.
Mini diggers are wonderful toys and back savers too.
Btw have u thought about building a bog garden into the pond liner ?

[Norwich Max]

We live on the same hill as Will Giles, I can see the top of his tree house from our garden. Minimum temps I guess about -11 to -12 but this is off the top of my head. The drains from next door go under our lawn a bit lower down from where I plan to put in the pond I imagine they are about 1m to 1.5 m deep. I only know about them as the lady next door had to get it unblocked over last summer. The fence is next doors as far as I know- it was up before we moved in and I know was put up by her.

As for being overlooked, it isn't a major problem but it would be good to screen it off a bit. I'm not keen on creating another really shady area as I have quite a lot of those. I am realising now it is the basic design I need to be confident with and the placement of the hardy backbone.

[Blairs]

I would like to look out my study to something like this (pic 5):

http://www.floralandhardy.co.uk/pages/lush-tropical

And I would like to design my terraces like this:

http://lushgardendesign.co.uk/another-sloping-garden

Or like this:

http://gardendesignuk.blogspot.co.uk/20 ... ester.html

[jungle jas]

Hi, Max sorry for the delay in getting back to you after asking all those questions. If it were mine i would plant a few evergreen shrubs or small trees of Oriental origin along the boundary to give some winter colour. Then in the front I would make a Japanese garden with Acers, Ferns, rocks and of course water with a nice red arched bridge. If you want to see one at its best look at the Tatton Park website. In my opinion one of the best Acers is Sango Kaku, with beautiful coral red bark in the winter which is a stunning focal point when there is little else of color avaliable.

EDIT. I forgot the Bamboo.

[Norwich Max]

Thanks, more ideas to think over. I have now taken up another concrete path, planted a couple of Trachycarpus and a fig tree. I will update with some photos when I get to see daylight again (at the weekend). I am starting to be able to visualise what it might look like. The hardest thing is to imagine how it will feel when the plants get bigger.

[Delboy]

Nice garden Max, so much space to play with I'm sure it's going to look great.

[Norwich Max]

A small update on progress

Looking down the garden, I have planted a couple of new Trachycarpus and begun to fill in the old path.


The path at the bottom of the garden has now gone.


A fig is now in place


The patio and part of the path have gone.


A view across the top of the garden.


Not much more concrete to come up and I can start to build some walls.

[Mr List]

wouldn't you have been better off planting a new young fig tree?

[Norwich Max]

wouldn't you have been better off planting a new young fig tree?

Maybe, but I was given this one by a friend who was moving house and didn't want it. I have also got a couple of young ones if there is a problem.

[fern Rob]

Looks like you have had to cut a lot of it but that may not be a bad thing as its been moved.