Landscape design for a new site

jfh

Hi all,
I'm looking for a recommendation for a landscaper to design a garden around a new build.
I just want a design, won't be able to afford the actual hard landscape for another year.
Just want to get the basics right, with gravel and lawn space.
Thanks

Lumen

Basics are easy if site is smallish and flat. Post a couple of pics and a hand drawn site map with North arrow and get it done for nothing. :pac:

jfh

Lumen wrote: »

Basics are easy if site is smallish and flat. Post a couple of pics and a hand drawn site map with North arrow and get it done for nothing. :pac:

I like the sound of that!
Will put it out there

Samuel T. Cogley

Go with a company that is established and with testimonials. I got seriously stung for 5 figures and I'm not happy with the job by a long shot. On the plus side I blame the wife and when she brings up the lad I gave €10 to mow the lawn and he buggered off half way, I bring up the 11K for the **** job on the back garden she insisted on.

Fr_Dougal

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Go with a company that is established and with testimonials. I got seriously stung for 5 figures and I'm not happy with the job by a long shot. On the plus side I blame the wife and when she brings up the lad I gave €10 to mow the lawn and he buggered off half way, I bring up the 11K for the **** job on the back garden she insisted on.

What’s wrong with the garden? Poor job, or not to your taste?

Samuel T. Cogley

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

What’s wrong with the garden? Poor job, or not to your taste?

Rubbish paving not done to the pattern, grout lines are uneven and too think in places and I've got tiles cracking. Border they did varies by up to 8" in width.

Cowboys.

Oh and right up to within mms of the damp course which I only realised afterwards.

Discodog

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Go with a company that is established and with testimonials. I got seriously stung for 5 figures and I'm not happy with the job by a long shot. On the plus side I blame the wife and when she brings up the lad I gave €10 to mow the lawn and he buggered off half way, I bring up the 11K for the **** job on the back garden she insisted on.

I know someone who used an award winning famous company - they wouldn't use them again.

If you get a designer then they have to draw up a detailed specification that includes absolutely everything - this will cost you but save money later.

Then you give a copy to any prospective landscaper & get them to quote to the specification.

When you agree a price. You both sign to agree the specification & the total price.

Grawns

Discodog wrote: »

I know someone who used an award winning famous company - they wouldn't use them again.

If you get a designer then they have to draw up a detailed specification that includes absolutely everything - this will cost you but save money later.

Then you give a copy to any prospective landscaper & get them to quote to the specification.

When you agree a price. You both sign to agree the specification & the total price.

Hi all

I'm in the process of designing the garden for a new build. Plot is 9 metres by 9 metres. We are overlooked to the rear and I have mapped the windows I want to obscure. What I would really appreciate is suggestion for appropriate trees. Its a fairly sheltered coastal site in Skerries. I have looked at local gardens and have several books so am not clueless but still a total beginner! I don't want to put a conifer in but at the same time as a South facing garden I don't think.it would effect the light badly. All suggestions gratefully accepted.

Lumen

Grawns wrote: »

We are overlooked to the rear and I have mapped the windows I want to obscure.

Have you figured out how wide you need the canopies to be to give you privacy from specific places in/on your own property?

Do you want/need the privacy to be year-round? How patient are you?

Going evergreen really narrows the choice down, it's harder to go native (worse for wildlife) and you lose the lovely seasonal changes.

Arbutus unedo is a lovely tree, native and evergreen, but slow growing.

Birches are great IMO. Even when they get big they don't have a big impact. I've a 12m tall one standing alone and the canopy is only maybe three metres across and high/open enough not to shade other plants. And they group really well too.

Rowan has a lot of character.

Then there are loads of fruit trees which are small enough depending on the rootstock.

Or go the shrub route - 4m is easily achievable.

Although you're near the coast I'd avoid Cordylines. The leaves will drive you demented.

Grawns wrote: »

I don't want to put a conifer in but at the same time as a South facing garden I don't think.it would effect the light badly.

They tend to be very dense though. And a lot of them are ugly, particularly when young. And if you get something fast growing it'll need to be chopped just when it's getting attractive.

Tree Council has a good site with few enough options to avoid head spinning:

https://treecouncil.ie/tree-advice/trees-smaller-gardens/

Grawns

Grawns wrote: »

Hi all

I'm in the process of designing the garden for a new build. Plot is 9 metres by 9 metres. We are overlooked to the rear and I have mapped the windows I want to obscure. What I would really appreciate is suggestion for appropriate trees. Its a fairly sheltered coastal site in Skerries. I have looked at local gardens and have several books so am not clueless but still a total beginner! I don't want to put a conifer in but at the same time as a South facing garden I don't think.it would effect the light badly. All suggestions gratefully accepted.

Here's a picture of the blank canvass.

Lumen

If that wall is 2m you only need 3.5m of height to deal with most of those windows. Some tall shrubs planted near the wall would do it.

I went for Elaeagnus ebbingei for exactly that problem. Hardy and fine near coast. You can see in this pic of some pleached ones how tall they get, but they'll never get tall enough to need topping so low maintenance long term. Maybe there are more attractive options though.

Grawns

Lumen wrote: »

Have you figured out how wide you need the canopies to be to give you privacy from specific places in/on your own property?

Do you want/need the privacy to be year-round? How patient are you?

Going evergreen really narrows the choice down, it's harder to go native (worse for wildlife) and you lose the lovely seasonal changes.

Arbutus unedo is a lovely tree, native and evergreen, but slow growing.

Birches are great IMO. Even when they get big they don't have a big impact. I've a 12m tall one standing alone and the canopy is only maybe three metres across and high/open enough not to shade other plants. And they group really well too.

Rowan has a lot of character.

Then there are loads of fruit trees which are small enough depending on the rootstock.

Or go the shrub route - 4m is easily achievable.

Although you're near the coast I'd avoid Cordylines. The leaves will drive you demented.



They tend to be very dense though. And a lot of them are ugly, particularly when young. And if you get something fast growing it'll need to be chopped just when it's getting attractive.

Tree Council has a good site with few enough options to avoid head spinning:

https://treecouncil.ie/tree-advice/trees-smaller-gardens/

Thanks for all your advice. I did consider cordyline in the north western corner but am researching shrubs. I like cordyline but I'm not that patient. I've had bad experience with silver Birch growing to more than 10 metres and snapping in a similar garden but inland. I'm trying to balance the planting so it won't look too lopsided as I won't put a tree or shrub in the north Eastern corner. I love the view.

Lumen

The problem with cordyline leaves is that they won't compost and will jam a shredder. I tried drying and burning them in stoves but they were smoky.

Grawns

Lumen wrote: »

If that wall is 2m you only need 3.5m of height to deal with most of those windows. Some tall shrubs planted near the wall would do it.

I went for Elaeagnus ebbingei for exactly that problem. Hardy and fine near coast. You can see in this pic of some pleached ones how tall they get, but they'll never get tall enough to need topping so low maintenance long term. Maybe there are more attractive options though.

Yes the wall is 2 metres. That could be perfect. I'm a huge fan of climbers and ivy so a wall of green is what I'm looking for. Thanks so much.

Grawns

Lumen wrote: »

The problem with cordyline leaves is that they won't compost and will jam a shredder. I tried drying and burning them in stoves but they were smoky.

That's very good to know. What would you think of Amelanchier lamarckii in the North West corner.

Lumen

Grawns wrote: »

That's very good to know. What would you think of Amelanchier lamarckii in the North West corner.

Nice. I've been looking for something to fill a spot out front and that might do the trick.