The meadow and gardens as they are now. The area is
being strimmed off and the top thatch removed to ensure the soil is not enriched
with Nitrogen, essential for the areas to be retained as wild meadow.
Work begins on clearing old overgrown hedging to open the area
up. These areas will be treated with glyphosate, not something we enjoy
applying, but essential before replanting begins to ensure that couch
grasses and nettles are not a problem to the young plants next season.
Ready to landscape to our initial design. The design
includes a large area of retained meadow with the wild orchids, a new natural
pond, shrub and perennial borders. Grasses and alpines will be
planted in the areas around the pond and into the raised banking to the rear of
the pond area. Time to get the diggers in to take some of the hard work
out of the project.
The photographs below demonstrate
how dark the centre of the wood has become. Only the ivy can survive
these levels of light on the woodland floor.
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The Digger begins work on clearing old
tree stumps from the new driveway and Nursery area. |
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Final shaping takes place by hand on
the new driveway and nursery area, before hardcore and shingle are
laid. 21 tonnes of base course are delivered, followed by a shingle
finish. |
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With the final work completed by the
digger, the poly-tunnel frames are erected and trenches
excavated around the perimeter to secure the covers. |
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Trenches are hand dug for water and
electricity supplies to the poly-tunnels and future potting shed,
seen marked out by the poles. |
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The nursery area begins to look complete with ground cover laid
around the poly-tunnels and 98 English Yew planted around the
perimeter to create a formal hedge that will divide the Nursery from
the Garden area.
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Work can now commence on the landscaping of the
formal garden areas. The digger makes light work of the main
excavation before hand finishing around the edge of the pond and
the shelf areas, and raised planting area behind. A bog
garden has been incorporated at one end of the pond. The
spoil is carefully banked at the deep end of the pond and overlaid
with topsoil which will be planted in a crescent shape with alpines
and grasses and backed by a lawned top.
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Hand shaping completed, the pond is carefully lined with 2
layers of fabric to ensure that the liner cannot be punctured
before .....
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the liner is laid out across the excavation .....
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and smoothed into position .....
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| And finally the Pond is filled for the first time.
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