questions & answers
A1: Drift planting is when you mass plant one species of a plant in a "drift". The shapes are not usually structured in solid lines but more flowing. This style suits modern houses and relaxed spaces. Maybe you could post the plants the designer has suggested so i can help some more? Good luck!
A2: Its best to get a builder out to look at the wall. Sometimes the pointing can be removed and replaced, some small cracks may be able to be filled. Separation may cause a bit of a problem but its tough to say from a picture so my advice is to get at least three separate opinions from qualified builders.
A3: With a mature garden like this one you can get some great secluded areas that slowly reveal themselves as you wonder through the garden. Try making small level areas that have a purpose, for example one area could be just for relaxing, so have some comfortable seating and use the greenery as walls to the area others just for reading or dining. Utilise the pathways as points of interest and not just as a means of travelling through the garden, its here where you can display your favorite plants. Vertical structures such as pergolas and arbors work well with tall planting and help to comfortably mix the hard and soft elements of the garden. Large scale water features work really well with a sloping block and will definitely draw you into the garden.
A4: You will have to make the cages yourself, a local hardware should have the galvanised mesh sheets. After that you will have to line the cage with some fabric such as fly screen mesh or shade sail to prevent the growing media from coming out. Then your growing media has to be a free draining succulent mix with vermiculite to keep the weight down. Water saving crystals are a great additive too. And lastly make sure you have suitable fixings to hang them on.
A5: This is a common problem and I'm not a fan of concrete as an answer to it as its a bit harsh and prevents water from entering the soil. There are a couple options firstly pebbles or gravel, there are a lot of different textures and colours out there, your local garden supplier should have a selection to choose from. There is also a product called de-co granite that is set to a solid crust and should be retained by form work. It also comes in various colours and is usually a cheap option.
A6: Firstly the hedge, i would recommend a viburnum odoratissima, its got dense deep green leaves that will complement the Camellia and is quick growing as well as suited to your aspect. Make sure you enrich the soil with lots of compost whilst planting.
For the front; i love when houses have full garden beds as you don't really spend much time in the front garden, why not fill it with plants so it looks great when your coming and going. This will also alleviate any drainage problems. Natives will handle the full sun and their are some great new varieties coming onto the market at the moment. good luck.
A7: I'm really sorry to hear about your husband, that can't be easy for anyone. Compacted de-co granite really suits the style of garden you have and comes in a varity of colours from australian native landscapes. It is also an inexpensive option too! You may need a skilled landscaper to install it but it is really quick and easy so shouldn't cost too much. Just make sure they add cement to set the product so you do not drag it into the garage. good luck
A8: Soft landscaping is either lawn or garden beds and that is all there is to it really. Some councils are a bit more flexible but communication is the key when dealing with them. Some may allow pebbles or gravel so try that or instead of using a continuous path try stepping stones with garden bed around it, but again you will have to check with your council.
A9: if you need some landscape work done please contact me through my web site www.inspiredexteriors.com.au or send me an e-mail on info@inspiredexteriors.com.au. Thank you
A10: I think to be a good landscape designer you have to have done some landscape construction. It is really difficult to product a good landscape plan if you have no idea how to build it. Try and find a landscaper that does design as well as construction and is willing to involve you in every process. Tafe is a great option as well as part time course will quickly upgrade your cert to a diploma. Good luck.
A11: Perhaps you could supply a photo of the block and i could give some suggestions. As far as lawn goes, it does use a fair bit of water comparatively but if you don't have any other plants using water don't feel bad about keeping your lawn in good condition. Also lawn is a much better option than pavers as when it does rain the water will not shoot straight down the drain. I look forward to seeing some photos.
A12: To be honest with you I'm not really that sure about that one! I know fruit and veggies can suck up a considerable amount of water to produce decent fruit but i would be surprised if the difference was that great. Plants that produce fruit and veg are great for the Eco garden because the more you can produce by yourself the less impact is made from transporting them around the world. Its a great feeling to produce your own organic and fresh fruit and veg so if you do have the space make sure you have at least one bed dedicated to these plants.
A13: To emphasize a tropical theme you must make sure you do not simply put a row of planting to create the buffer you desire. This will look like a hedge and alter the style of garden you want. I would mix together some lillypilly's, some Bamboo, and some native frangipanni's. The lillypilly's are evergreen, quick growing, and originate from the Australian tropics, they will fill the space with some lush foliage. The Bamboo will give a great vertical accent, whilst adding different textures and colours it will also bring a feeling of the Asian rainforest's. The native frangipanni's, although not fast growers will be a great addition as the fragrance from the flowers is a real knock out and that will help to distract from the busy road. Hope this helps and good luck with the rest of the garden.
A14: There are very few trees that will stay under three meters but my favorite two small trees that have great autumn colour are the Chinese tallow wood Sapium sebiferum or the Chinese pistachio Pistacia chinensis.
A15: Any plastic liner will work as long as it keeps moisture off the wall but allows the water to drain out of the bottom of it, try to find a uv stable one. I use a mix of coconut fibre, water crystals, and polystyrene. Try to pack the mix in hard around the plants as it settles a lot. Good luck
A16: Janet..... welcome to the warmth! Working around bushland can be a tough one as there will always be a risk of fire encroaching on the house. There are ways of making the garden a bit safer for when this does happen. Any plant with enough heat will burn but hear is a great link i refer to when designing such gardens http://asgap.org.au/fire.html. It also has other handy hints for utilising fire breaks. If you would like a consultation for a garden makeover please feel free to contact me through my website www.inspired exteriors.com.au.
A17: I would recommend using a carpenter to produce such a product for you as its really not as easy as it looks to build! This will also insure you have a bespoke custom fit piece for your exact area.
A18: I am a member of the Australian institute for landscape designers and managers (AILDM) It is a great association that can help you through your career. It was them who showed me the advert for the show .... good luck
A19: I got them from a trade only warehouse called the terracotta trading company in Lanecove, any good landscaper should be able to get hold of them for you
A20: Its a tough one as I'm not too sure where you live so ill take a guess at Sydney. In a classical vein you could plant rosemary or lavenders, they are very drought tolerant. Pennisetums are a lovely flowering grass but try to get a sterile cultivar. Austromyrtus is a native with a great purple leaf colour small flowers. What ever you plant i would enrich the soil with compost and be sure to mulch after you have planted, this will help with water retention and help keep the roots cool.
A21: I used a mixture of coco fibre potting mix, water saving crystals and spagnum moss.
A22: I would recommend talking to the neighbors and asking very nicely if you could plant a garden bed combing some medium shrubs (not too high so they block out the light) and some spill over planting to mask the wall. If they are really apposed to this try mounting some external sleek shelves to the retaining wall. I would rather use lots of smaller ones at irregular intervals over longer ones on a similar plane. You can then use small pots and plants to jazz the wall up.
A23: Creating flat ground can either be done by cutting away the ground or filling it in but this can also add to the cost of a garden. To combat a similar problem in the past i have used Hardwood decking to build up the sloping area as it was more cost effective. This decking simply ran into the existing levels to create a seamless expanse. This also gives a great effect as there is an exaggerated drop around the deck this can be used to show off veiws or can be planted so the view of the plants is now over the top of them instead of by their sides.
A24: That was a Brugmansia also known as a datura or the angels trumpet. Be carefull they can be poisonous
A25: Your right modern landscapers can get a bit stuck on small inner city garden ideas, this is understanderable as its their bread and butter. I have been lucky to have worked on a few rural gardens in the southern highlands, England and even France. My tip is don't be afraid to create lots of small garden rooms in your space. I have found the success of these gardens is does not only rely on the individual garden rooms but the connections between them. All the nooks of a large scale garden have to connect with each other to create a beautiful garden as a whole. Each room could have a different style (why not you have the space) but the connections (paths and walk through rooms) could all have a similar theme. This will make the garden feel complete as a whole singular unit. With a large space to fill you really have to think large scale, go for something truly grand and you will not regret it.
A26: Drought tolerant natives and grasses are really well suited to such poor soils. No plants are completly maintenance free but natives can deal with a fair bit of neglect. One of my favorite grasses that you will see on the show a bit is the purple fountain grass. A quick growing native screen is the Acacia frimbriata, most of the banksias and grevilleas will add colour to the mid growth section of the garden and i really like the creeping geebung as a ground cover. The list goes on and on so i'd reccommend getting a book on natives called 'Australian native gardening made easy' by Dick Chadwick. Before planting make sure to add lots of compost to the soil this will give the garden a real boost and help it in hard times.
A27: With such an empty block that has a mis-mash of plants you really need to decide on a style of garden your after and plan your garden before rushing into buying plants. Plants are the finishing touch to the bones of a space. Don't be scared of snakes, they don't tend to like living in garden beds more bundles of dead branches and twigs..... if all elese fails they will keep the rats away!
A28: Firstly Try to create unity between the two areas, this can be done by replicating or extending out the existing tiled area into the garden for another seating area. Your choice of plants could leave the garden feeling a bit souless; if you can create some more garden beds try introducing some romance with some flowering plants such as Salvia leucantha or some Japanese wind flowers. If there is suitable space between the hedges these plants could grow there. Large urns will add impact as a feature and really suit the style your going for. You could also plant these up for some more colour and crocosma would emphasize their height. With out seeing the remainder of the garden and what fills it its a bit difficult you give any more advice but i hope this helps.
A29: In the front I used bronze cordyline australis and some new zealand flax to complement the existing planting yet modernize it. This also made the entrance more striking. Out the back in the troughs I used rosemary and purple fountain grass.
Charlie's answer
