Garden Landscaping
With spring on the horizon, you’ll no doubt start looking at your outdoor areas again thinking that they could do with an overhaul. If that’s the case, then it might be worth considering garden landscaping. Whether you’re looking to complete this yourself or hire a professional there are several aspects you can look to improve, we’ve made a list below of some of the key areas that could drastically improve the outlook of your garden.
The first option and the cheapest one by far is a general tidy-up.
Clearing weeds, gutting the grass and cutting the edges of the lawn to create a nice sharp border can immediately tidy up the appearance of your garden and the best bit is it’s free if you don’t mind a little bit of manual labour.
Trees that are dying or overgrown can also be removed or trimmed back, if it’s only a small tree and you’re competent with the use of power tools/chainsaw then this is again something you could complete yourself but if not, we’d recommend the use of an arborist to complete this for you. It won’t cost a fortune and will improve the overall aesthetics of the garden, if you’ve got an overgrown tree, you’ll also find it will allow more light into the area as typically thick bushy overgrown trees can block out sunlight, robbing you from that much-needed vitamin D. If you’ve got larger trees such as oak and beech it could also improve the overall safety if there are large overgrown branches which have become unstable and need cutting back.
Another free solution is a simple jet wash of the slabbed/decked areas. Often you’ll find you can give your garden a new lease of life just by cleaning the slabs, decking and block paved areas of algae and moss which will clean them back up and leave your patio areas looking almost as good as when they were first laid.
New patio area
If you’re currently without an area to entertain or you’ve already got one, but it needs an update then a new patio is one of the biggest ways to make an impact on your garden. In 2024 we’re blessed to have numerous options, whether it’s traditional decking, composite decking or a slabbed area, whichever you choose to install will create a living space within your garden where you can relax or entertain friends and family.
Our personal preference for 2024 is the new range of porcelain slabs which provide a wide selection of styles. From soft subtle creams and beiges to a more modern range of grey and slate colours there is such a huge variety to choose from. We’ve recently completed a garden landscaping project where we laid porcelain plank slabs which are designed to look like oak flooring. When combined with a new Astroturf lawn and raised sleeper beds the finished result looked awesome, we’ll be uploading pictures soon to our Instagram and Facebook pages so be sure to follow us to check out the finished design once we’ve posted them.
The key to a new patio is to ensure it's laid on the correct base. It’s not always the case but often cheaper quotations can be due to using fewer materials or excavating the minimum amount of ground. If the base isn’t completed correctly then this can lead to your new patio area sinking which within a few short years will need to be lifted and re-laid. When obtaining a quotation make sure the construction company you opt to use is providing a sufficient base which should consist of 100mm type 1 MOT and a high-grade weed membrane that’s been laid underneath.
If you’re based in Rugby town and are looking to have a garden landscaping project completed and you’d like to use Paddox Construction services, then we can provide a range of samples of decking and slabs which you can place in your garden to help you decide on which you like best.
Astro Turf / New Turfed lawns
Over the past couple of years, Astro turf has come on leaps and bounds. The old styles looked plastic, didn’t clean well and didn’t stand up to everyday wear and tear. Step forward into 2024 and it’s a completely different playing field when it comes to selecting a new Astroturf lawn.
There’s such a variety on offer spanning from short pile Astro for golf putting greens to keep the golf game strong throughout the winter to thick pile 40-50mm Astro which is designed to look realistic. Most Astro turfs we opt to use even come with a thatch underneath which is darker and has been created to mirror real lawns.
One of the main benefits of Astroturf is its practically maintenance-free if installed correctly. We’ve seen poorly installed artificial lawns which customers have contacted us to see if we can fix and most times it comes down to preparing the base. Some companies remove just the turf and lay it straight onto the soil or excavate a small amount of soil and lay it straight onto that.
When we lay a new artificial lawn we first cut the turf away or clear any areas such as old slabs/gravel, then excavate the ground to around 150mm - 200mm depth (depending on the pile of Astroturf you select), we then install a weed membrane followed by a 100mm base of type 1 MOT which is compacted with a whacker plate, we then install another layer of 25mm – 50mm granite dust that’s again compacted with a whacker plate, this helps form a nice flat laying surface and also improves drainage. We then install the new lawn on a timber frame so that it’s securely fixed into place and can withstand heavy day-to-day use.
If you’re not 100% sure about artificial lawns, we also install traditional grass lawns. Again, as with Astroturf, we always check the ground where we are laying the new lawn, the base is correctly prepared with new topsoil and a mix of sharp sand to aid drainage and levelled flat before we roll the new turf out in strips and bind it together. The key to a new grass lawn is moisture so we always ensure it’s constantly watered just after laying to stay healthy and hydrated.
New fence
This again can make such a difference to your garden. Your fence indicates your boundaries but also provides a clean sharp edge to frame your garden and keep it looking neat. There’s nothing worse than seeing a new fence that’s been installed which is wonky and leaning to one side.
When it comes to selecting the right fence there are several styles you can choose from. Whether it’s feather edge with traditional timber posts, feather edge and rail with concrete posts or concrete posts with fence panels which again come in a variety of styles, the choice is entirely up to you depending on your style preference and budget.
Again, like the patio and lawn areas, it’s vital that fencing is installed correctly. New posts should be installed 2ft into the ground as it provides a stable base. If, however, you’re looking to install heavy gates or the ground is of poor quality then larger posts should be used which can be placed deeper into the ground to provide a more secure fixing.
Raised beds and decorative features.
Raised beds can provide a feature which can set your garden apart. Whether it’s a timber framed wall constructed from sleepers, a brick build wall or a block wall with cladding, there are a variety of options available which can cater for all budgets and style preferences. If you’re looking to add a brickwork garden wall to your property or a larger retaining wall you can read our other article here.
Some of the main decorative features we’ve installed within our landscaping projects have been ponds and features such as water domes and fountains, stoned and gravelled areas, hot tub shelters outdoor kitchen areas and home bars. We’ve also installed putting greens for golfers which seems to be on the increase post-pandemic after the boom in people taking up the sport.
Summary
When it comes to garden landscaping, you’ll be amazed at the transformation that’s possible, the key is planning and preparation and making sure you select a construction company with whom you feel comfortable to work. Whether you use this short article as a guide to help you navigate the landscaping project you’re looking to carry out or if you decide you’d like to obtain a quotation for Paddox Constructions services then we hope this has been of some use to you and please feel free to get in touch if you’d like to book us in for a visit.