Large Courtyard Patios with Water Feature and Pergola Flower Beds

Category: Driveways, Patio, Paving & Walls

Garden Design Project: DWSASK001

This project demonstrates a range of landscaping features including;

• Patios & Gravel Paths
• Gravel Driveway
• Block Paving
• Parterre Flower Beds
• Oak Pergolas
• Gravel Driveway
• Subtle Water Feature
• Use of Reclaimed Timber

The site was an old foal yard to their farm, and they wanted to turn it into a useable garden space. The garden was partly used by vehicles for access to the garages, and was complex in terms of levels and garage / door access's. The client wanted a Courtyard style garden, with an Italian feel and lots of separate areas to sit and view elements of the garden. The design was hand drawn and incorporated room for a vehicle to turn, three separate Patios, two Pergolas, paths and Flower Beds to create an interesting and use able garden.

Being retired farmers, the clients had a range of materials on site that they would like to use in the construction of their new garden, so I planned in as many materials as possible. The main materials that I based a large part of the design on were two 1.4m diameter Stone mill wheels. One mill wheel was used in the construction of the Water Feature, which was a major part of the design, in which other parts of the garden and axis were taken from. The other mill wheel was inset into one of the main Patios.

The Lean to Pergolas were the next item to be built, one was a walk through Pergola where we used the clients existing curved Bricks, and Reclaimed oak to construct pillars. Followed by more reclaimed timber that we cut to shape and detailed with a router to get the desired effect, these sat on to as cross beams to support climbers. The second Pergola was a corner Pergola, in reclaimed oak again, this looked over the garden and towards a church spire in the distance to make the most of the macro landscape and create a focal point.

The existing concrete was removed by hiring in a digger and breaker. We had use of the client’s dumper to remove most of the soil. After we set the main levels for the Driveway section and access paths / Patios, type one hardcore was used to form a base for the main hard standing areas, and compacted with a plate compacter. Ducting for the pump and Garden Lighting cable was also incorporated at this stage. Marshalls Tegula kerbs were used to form the edge of the Driveway and Flower Beds, these were set into a concrete foundation, and formed the main shape of the areas.

The Paving was next to be constructed, Fossil Mint Indian Sandstone was used to create a natural feel. This was laid on compacted type one hardcore, and a solid continuous mortar bed. The Flagstones were then sealed using Patio sealer and pointed using a wet mortar mix of 3 parts building sand, 2 parts grit sand and 1 cement to give a durable finish.

The Driveways were split into two as not to make the area feel too harsh. The first part was Marshalls tegula setts which matched the edgings we used. These were laid on compacted type one hardcore, a 50mm layer of concrete laid semi dry and then levelled and compacted, followed by a 50mm layer of compacted grit sand. The setts were pointed using kiln dried sand and sealed.

The second half of the Driveway was constructed using the same hardcore and concrete base, followed by a layer of bitumen, to which 6mm gravel was rolled whist wet. This gave a textured and crunchy under foot feel and matched the Gravel we had used for the Gravel Paths, yet stayed exactly where it had been laid, as this was a turning circle.

Then came the Water Feature, which used the existing mill wheel laid flat with a reservoir underneath using Butyl rubber liner and Bidim pre-liner. This also housed the pump, which was an Oase 6000. A galvanised steel mesh was then used for the mill wheel to sit on and prevent the surrounding Scottish cobbled from falling in. The paths leading from the Water Feature were constructed from 6mm gravel laid over Mypex membrane and edged using black granite sets, laid on a concrete foundation. Soil and planting was next, and we mixed organic matter with screened top soil for all the Flower Beds and planted using a variety of climbers including Wisteria and Honeysuckle, Roses and Clematis. The parterre around the water used Box hedging with purple Alyums and orange Tulips.

Lighting was one of the final stages and we used Stainless Steel 240volt lighting to highlight the Pergolas, Patios and each Water Feature. Finally mixed sized Scottish Cobbles were used as a covering to some of the ornamental grass beds as added texture and weed suppressant, these were laid over Mypex membrane. Most of the existing Stone troughs were used as planned for the garden. The statue was chosen after we had construed most of the hard Landscaping and was set on some of the existing curved bricks the clients had had in storage.

Submitted By: Richard Keast
Website: www.astekyork.co.uk

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