Important Landscape Elements to Consider - 27/01/2009

As this is our first serious information sharing blog, I would like to start with what I consider the important elements of the landscape you want built to improve the value of your home and lifestyle.

The 5 Elements for You to Consider
1. Design
2. Soil
3. Drainage
4. Retaining
5. Pavement
 
(NOTE. This is by no means exhaustive as there are many other items to consider (like planting) which you should discuss with your Landscape Architect or Designer. Your landscaper can also advise you and indeed give you a sketch of what he or she is recommending for your garden landscape.)
 
Design.  One of the biggest mistakes most homeowners make is to rush in to building a garden with little or no consideration for a planned approach. If you have seen Jamie Durie’s TV program you will note that he always starts with a general discussion and inspection of the site and then he produces a full landscape design. Well he and professionals don't do this just to add an extra charge. They do it so that all the elements are planned and costed so that you get exactly what you were expecting from your discussions and involvement in the planning stage. It will also save you money without wasting money on materials and plants.
So a good design could cost you anything from a few hundred dollars to possibly thousands (depending upon the size of your project) but it will include all the elements that need to be taken into consideration for an effective and stunning landscape.
 
Soil.  Here at Centenary we make available a full selection of manufactured soils under our brand, Ultra Grow Organic Soils. We also have natural soil or dirt which come a long distance making it a little expensive. Generally speaking natural soils are restricted due to environmental considerations. We now manufacture soils from what are sometimes called waste streams consisting of composted green waste and various minerals and sands. This results in “soils” that are light and rich in organic matter.
Your choice of soil supports your expensive plants for ever more soil is important to make a good choice at the beginning of your landscape project. A good soil or organic blend make it easy to plant and till in the future. You don’t want it going like concrete. However you do need to understand that “dirt” mixed with water makes mud and if you allow it to dry it will go hard. It’s that simple. Thus the need for mulching to help keep your soil friable and easy to till.
 
Drainage. This is simply where the water goes in light or heavy rain. It applies to the surface runoff and subsurface water. I don’t intend to give a full explanation here but please become aware of where water will run. There are also Council requirements that you will need to check for discharging water.
You don’t want water running into your house so make sure that you slope the turf and paved areas away from your house giving particular attention to the driveway and garage. The driveway can catch a lot of water in a short time and run it through your garage and into the rest of the house. So drains are important. Also make sure you follow the instructions to drain behind retaining walls as they can act as mini dams holding a lot of water which can push the wall over and possibly on to you house. So please ask for some advice or have a good think before you start the job.
 
Retaining. Good and attractive retaining wall simply adds a whole new aspect to your garden even if it is relatively flat where you think you don’t need retaining. It is a great way to add interesting gardens.
(to be continued)
 
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