The pictures below follow the process of building and establishing a new garden over the space of 8 months in 2014, from start to finish. There’s more work to do elsewhere in the garden, but the area directly outside the rear of the house was the primary focus of this phase of landscaping. It was a tricky job in very difficult conditions, but I hope the results speak for themselves.
Click on the first picture to open it up at a larger size, and use the arrows to scroll through the gallery.
The old Yorkstone terrace
Views across the old terrace
The former swimming pool right next to the house
Views to the garden across the old pool
Work starts
Views to the house and the old swimming pool, before the trees come down
Filling in the swimming pool
A sea of mud
Setting out the hard landscaping in the sunken terrace
Concrete being pumped over the house
Spreading the concrete foundations
Formation of the sunken pool
Building the walls for the sunken pool
Formation of the brick walls around the sunken pool
Building the raised pool
Paving was covered in the wet weather to allow the landscapers to continue working. The covers come off in rare dry spells!
Brickwork & paving
The pool is ready for waterproofing
Waterproofing the pools and rill
The garden structure becomes visible
Hands off that mermaid Lee!
Setting out plants around the sunken pool
Craning the first tree over the wall
Positioning the trees
Plants set in position
The garden one month after planting
Path across the sunken terrace
Water fall in the rill
View to the gravel garden & pergola
A view to the house
An elaborate bird bath
Brickwork paths in the terrace
Lights in the step of the sunken pool
Planting in gravel
RILL IDEA
Bridge across the rill
A very hot July day
Daisies and lights below the trees
Borders full of flowers
7 months on from the mud bath in Froxfield
Two months after planting
Plants to attract butterflies
Agapanthus & other sun-loving plants
A mermaid in Cosmos
View from upper lawns
A sunny day in August
Picture credits: Janet Bligh