Landscaping tips category < back
24th Apr:
It seems strange that in the middle of this incessant rain I am sat here writing a blog about what we can and can’t do with hoses over the next few months! On April 4th having taken a huge gamble, we finished laying 480m² of turf in one garden. Since then I don’t think it has stopped raining which is great for that lawn and the reservoirs but frustrating for all our other jobs.
I have been asked many times over the last couple of weeks what the general public are allowed to do in the garden so hopefully below are a few helpful guidelines.
- No hoses are allowed to water lawns or plants. However you can fill watering cans and water any lawns or plants. It will just take a lot longer.
- No cleaning of any walls, or windows, patios, paths, garden furniture or any other outdoor artificial surface using a hose.
- You are not allowed to fill or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe (unless it has fish and their welfare is at stake – lucky fish!).
- You are not allowed to fill or maintaining an ornamental fountain.
- However you are allowed to use a hosepipe for cleaning purposes if health and safety is going to be an issue.
Ways to make the most of the situation.
- Plant any new trees, shrubs and plants in well-rotted, water-retaining compost and cover with a heavy layer of mulch (up to 4 inches) to retain moisture.
- While you are at it cover the rest of the beds in a thick layer of mulch.
- Deliver water directly to the base of plants through tree-root watering pipes or trickle/drip irrigation equipment.
- Install a trickle/drip irrigation system.
- Wherever possible, use timer devices to water early in the morning or late in the evening when evaporation is minimal.
- Don’t worry about lawns turning brown. This shows the grass has stopped growing, but most lawns will recover completely when the rain returns
- Install water butts to collect rainwater off greenhouse, shed, garage and house roofs
If anyone is unsure about anything or has any questions please feel free to give us a call and we will try to help in any way we can (legally!!).
Looking for inspiration?
21st Feb:
A garden is a very important part of the house, as well as adding to the overall look and feel of your house it also adds considerable functional value as well. Often the garden is the most well taken care of place in your house, there is nothing as wonderful as relaxing in a beautiful garden, surrounded by your favourite plants and replete with comfortable outdoor furniture.
If you are thinking of doing your garden up its well worth your while coming in to the show room here at 419 New Kings Road as we have a vast range of samples out on display. You can plan your garden in every detail and see all the material samples available. In addition to the usual furniture and pots we also have wide selection of stone, paving, pebbles/cobbles, decking, batoning, trellising, fencing, paint and grass samples. To help you visualise your garden we also have a number of photo books of gardens we have created as well as gardens we have seen and admired to give you all the inspiration you need.
Please feel free to come in for a browse and chat.
New design and build process
21st Feb:
We have continued over the last few months to improve and fine tune our design and build service. We are really seeing the benefits that a thorough design process brings, both in terms of planning from our end and with regard to managing our client’s expectations. Experience is a wonderful thing and over the years we have learnt what information and questions are key in order for us to create the right design for each client. The clearer and more detailed the information at the beginning the more exceptional the garden will be at the end.
We can now provide a range of drawings from simple line drawings to 3 dimensional drawings which go a long way to helping our clients visualise the proposed garden and to see where their money is being spent. This visual aid is very useful in ironing out any issues prior to the build starting; one person’s mind’s eye picture can be very different from the next.
As a design AND build landscaping company we can overcome various issues that some garden designers and their separate contractors encounter. We are there at the inception of your dream garden so therefore understand the journey that had been taken and what your likes and dislikes are which means its quick and easy to deal with any issues.
With 50% of our design fee being waived if we build our designs too, we try to ensure the whole process from initial enquiry, through the design, planning and building stages, is as straight forward and pain free as possible. (And of course don’t forget our maintenance service too!).
Decking
4th Oct:
Decking and what are your options.
There are three main types of decking one can have in your garden. We frequently get asked which is the best choice to go for and especially which one requires the least maintenance.
Below are some brief explanations for each of the three main types of decking and hopefully if you are thinking of getting some decking done in the near future this will help with your decision.
Firstly you have softwood and hardwood decking. Basically softwood comes from faster growing trees and is therefore easier to farm, whereas hardwood comes from slower growing trees which are common in rainforests. These are also now ‘farmed’, which means that when a tree is cut down they are replaced by a newly planted one. The terms hard and soft have nothing to do with physical hardness of the wood, but hardwood does include some natural properties that softwood doesn’t have such as high fire rating, natural oils, and a natural resistance to insects, fungus, acids and alkalis, which ultimately will mean less maintenance needed for a hardwood deck. In theory both softwood and hardwood decking should be cleaned and oiled once a year.
The other option is composite decking. This is a relatively new product and is a combination of wood, plastic and PVC. It is good for anyone looking for a very low maintenance deck but will not look as good as the real thing. Also it has a longer guarantee and can last for up to 25 years.
Then there are the different widths of the boards (approx 4 inch or 6 inch) and the option of having smooth boards, small grooves and large grooves.
If anyone would like to know more about the options available and approximate costings of the three different types available please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Harrington Porter. Also have a look on our website as we have recently added some photos of some gardens we have recently done and some of them include decking.
Inside Out
28th Jun:
Bespoke outdoor cushions – We have a skilled cushion maker who makes up weatherproof cushions in outdoor material to any size and thickness depending on your needs. The specialist fabric is able to withstand most weather conditions except heavy and prolonged rain. There is a wide range of materials to chose, from neutral creams and beige to stripes and patterns. Try scatter cushions in bright accent colours to add some drama to your garden or revive your existing outdoor seating with new covers.
BBQ & Outdoor Entertaining – though we are a huge fan of the traditional charcoal BBQ there are more and more options available to us these days. Firepits, pizza ovens, and built in BBQ’s create a focal point for entertaining and can also give the men a dedicated spot in the garden as well! To help with the manly job of cooking, why not include an outdoor fridge? We were asked to redevelop a garden on Walton Street and one of the specifications was to include an outdoor fridge. This can be the perfect place to store all your drinks for summer especially when the kitchen fridge is over flowing with salads, a place where wine and beer is the priority!
Feature in SW Magazine
21st Jun:
This month we have an article in Londons SW Magazine talking about top tips for your garden in July, looking at seating, planting, material choice, lighting and garden features. To see this article on line or receive a hard copy of the magazine go to www. http://sw.greatbritishlife.co.uk/
