The works entail creating an unusually shaped gravelled area between a 6m crescent shaped existing bed with low granite wall edging and the small round pond close behind it.
Both are viewed from the house, with the pond being behind the bed.
The crescent bed has some existing planting of a flowering prunus species and some roses, with an untidy appearance.
The pond is visited by herons, and currently has an unsightly heron guard around it, and some tired looking planting around the edges.
The aging client has requested the gravel as she cannot get her ride-on mower into this area, which is close to her house, in part of a very large garden with several outbuildings.
The ground area is mainly covered by lawn, with conifer and fenced boundaries.
The new gravel area will be enhanced with dressed granite pieces and large crystalline rocks, that are already in the garden and were found in local mine waste, to create a Japanese styled garden feel.
The pond edges will be dug over, widened and will be planted with coloured phormiums, and tall purple flowered hardy perennial Verbena bonariensis.
The crescent bed will be planted with decorative grasses, bulbs, attractive perennials and annuals for colour.
This bed is clearly seen from large glass patio doors serving the open plan ground floor of the house.
The new planting will create a pleasing outlook onto the bed and the pond behind.
Existing planting in other nearby beds and a rockery style area behind the pond will be pruned, tidied and replanting of some specimens will take place, so that they can be offset in an attractive fashion.
For the pond,the plan is for a low wooden edge to be built around the 8m pond circumference, with a firm heron proof net placed across the area, above the pond surface. Existing access for fish feeding and plant maintenance will remain in place, utilising the current granite slabbed low steps.
The phormiums are considered for style, low maintenance, suitability for the windy environment and big enough to prevent the heron landing at the edge of the pond.
The works will be undertaken by a local gardener/builder who works with me on other jobs and who is also known to the client.
I will source and plant the new and existing areas, and do any remedial gardening necessary.
