Family garden design and build in Sydney, Crewe.
The Brief
Our clients garden had poor accessibility and wasted space. They were introducing a hydro-therapy pool around which the garden improvements were designed and built. The garden had to be naturalistic in style while stimulating of the senses and harmonious the the natural landscape.
Project Summary
Location: Sydney, Crewe.
Project Type: Garden landscaping… design & build
Completed: September 2024
Timescale: 3 weeks
Client Type: Private homeowner
Lead Designer: Andrew Goodwin
Budget: £15-20,000
Our Site Assessment & Spec’
On arrival:
Slippery decking and steps
Rotting raised beds
Limited use of space
Bland and devoid of much functional or aesthetic value
Heavy clay close to the ground surface
Our specifications:
300mm deep Type 1 MOT sub-base compacted in 50mm layers on non-woven membrane with biaxial geo-grid incorporated
C25 reinforced concrete slab.
Large powder-coated, aluminium pergola with opening and closing louvres plus privacy screens around the swim-spa.
Design & Construction Decisions
A garden is only as good as its foundations. What lies beneath is key to a garden built to last.
Groundworks were therefore exceptionally deep, engineered and finished to perfection with a 1:60 fall built in for the patio.
The swim spa had a high mass, so we used stronger concrete and reinforced the slab with structural steel mesh.
The framework for the decking was built into this concrete slab rather than into the ground, for structural unity and long term stability.
The sensory garden included a circular cut porcelain patio to make best use of space.
The deck had to gradually slope down and flow round a corner, so we mitred the boards on a 45 before cutting the internal and external radius to shape.
Challenges & Solutions
Most of the challenges and solutions to this project have already been explained.
The porcelain choice was however vital. Together, the client and designer considered a range of options from limestone to travertine and also porcelain. We eventually found slabs with the appearance of natural stone and low maintenance properties; this was vital given heavy leaf fall and potential from staining by Oak.
The key aesthetic to this garden however the charred timber cladding and sleepers; also known as Shou Sugi Ban… a Japanese technique that dates back to the 18th century, for preserving wood. This was an experimental process to determine the optimal burn duration and resulting grain pattern.
The Outcome
Within the first season of growth, the sensory garden absolutely thrived. This was due to professional planting with soil preparation first.
The paving and decking remain stable and strong as installed, as does the pergola.
This family garden is now open and safe for access. We have created a stimulating and supportive environment for holistic health and wellbeing… the perfect compliment to a beautiful, architectural property.
About Goodwin Gardens Ltd
We are qualified paving contractors, with horticultural knowledge and experience of all garden landscape installations. We are design and build specialists offering in-house services from garden design, to groundwork’s and all completed installation’s. Five star rated with and high quality reputation.