Design and Build: Landscaping a New Build Garden in Shavington near Nantwich.
The Brief
Our client had been dreaming of a natural sanctuary, welcoming of wildlife… with cottage and prairie style planting, wildlife pond, greenhouse and plenty of usable spaces to explore, sit in and enjoy. The problem this was a mud bath. Brand new-build. A complete blank canvas. See how we transformed it…
Project Summary
Location: Shavington, Nantwich
Project Type: Garden landscaping… design & build
Completed: December 2024
Timescale: 3 weeks
Client Type: Private homeowner
Lead Designer: Andrew Goodwin
Budget: £15-20,000
Our Site Assessment & Spec’
On arrival:
Ground conditions were waterlogged with poor soil quality
Top corner of the garden sloped down
No infrastructure or utilities
Our specifications:
150mm type 1 mot sub-base over non-woven membrane providing sub-base to patios, paving and paths.
Soil surface removal and subsurface disturbance, followed by incorporation of compost ahead of planting.
Decking area to level out the slope at the back into a usable space
Natural pond with butyl pond liner plus rock lined shelves for planting into soil-free substrate.
Egyptian limestone paving with 1:60 fall to aco channels, on full contact mortar bed with primer; grouted with flow point.
Design & Construction Decisions
Naturalistic was the most important word in the brief, so natural stone paving was the only option… Egyptian limestone provided a stylish aesthetic.
The natural beauty of the garden demanded an artistic flare, so at the junction between paths we created a diamond lay pattern.
Use of a pond pump and filter can disrupt natural processes, so with our client we agreed on embracing these processes for natural cleaning and oxygenation of the water
To make the pond a feature, we overhung the deck to it. This also makes maintenance easier; surrounded by a wildflower meadow.
Challenges & Solutions
The main challenge was fitting a lot of requirements into the space. This required careful design, detailed survey and careful lay out.
Team work and collaboration with our client was very important from the outset and during the build process. Together we adapted, changed and tweaked as the build progressed.
The planting was a key area which our client wished to do, with our support… so we installed multi-stemmed Himalayan birch to give structure and then provided a range of ornamental grasses; including planting of the gravel garden.
An addition of outdoor lighting and power to the greenhouse was provided as an addition in partnership with our trusted electrician.
The Outcome
In its first season of growth, through our careful soil preparation, the plants in this garden have thrived.
Following sealing of the limestone patio it has remained clean, and the natural pond with meadow has attracted a whole host of insects such as dragon flys and more.
The garden is thriving and looks like it has been there much much longer than it has!
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.