Hasler Grove
Click on a photo to enlarge. Scroll down to have a read of the process involved!
This project saw all kinds of weather as we started in February 22, catching the tail end of winter and then early spring.
We found out early on that the original plan to have hedging along the wall behind the pergola wouldn’t work due to the wall having a huge footing. We could’ve come away from the wall to accommodate, however, it would have meant losing space in an already small garden that has a lot going into it. So, it made sense to leave this out, and have it as a space for the client’s potted plants.
After measuring and spraying everything out according to the design we started off with the woodworking element. As the pergola was being built to house the large swing chair specifically, we ensured that it wouldn’t go anywhere by using sturdy, 3-metre oak posts, concreted in at 1m depth and covered in deck tape to waterproof the wood. The ground was very unforgiving when it came to digging; it was thick with compacted clay, made all the harder by the cold weather. The top of the oak posts had sections cut out so that the softwood beams could sit flush on top and once screwed in place, it became an interlocked, secure structure. We cut the crossbeams to size, customized the beaks, and part-notched out the wood where the beams sit on the structure, before screwing everything in place. Also at this stage, we put posts up for the trellis screen, attached the battens and built the two raised sleeper beds.
We stripped the existing lawn and excavated some of the soil to get to our required depth. It was here that we came across a simple irrigation system across the highest part of the garden, which made no sense to us as it rendered it ineffective. Our clients told us that they’d paid a third-party company extra to install that as well as a new lawn after their first lawn since moving in failed due to the poor soil conditions. We were all appalled.
The ground was prepped for laying on, which meant we put non-woven geotextile membrane down, followed by a compacted scalping sub-base. We always put down a full-contact bed (meaning there are no holes/gaps beneath the paving) and always use a slurry primer to ensure the full adhesion of the slab to the mortar bed. For this project we used Kota blue limestone for the main paved areas and the colourful, mint sandstone setts for the paths, creating a lovely contrast and adding a bit of warmth back into the palette.
When it came to excavating for the lawn, we came across an excessive amount of blue clay which indicates poor drainage and lack of oxygen when saturated. We suspected this but did the dig-a-deep-hole-test and see how fast (or slow) water drains – it took an inordinate amount of time. To get around it, we agreed with our clients to excavate even more. We dug out trenches in front of one of the patios and path which was filled with gravel in order to help with drainage and keep water away from the paved structures. We brought in a huge amount of BS-certified, free-draining topsoil for the lawn and beds and compacted it. A top layer of rootzone was used for the lawn which was levelled before being turfed.
Our client commissioned us to design and create a simple barbeque area to house a special outdoor grill engineered and created by a relative using unique materials. We did this using rustic bricks and Brazilian grey slate, from which we also made copings that were bullnosed and polished.
The paving was grouted and metal edging was installed to retain the decorative gravel; the decorative screen was installed, as well as the stainless-steel vine eyes and wires. Finally, the swing chair itself went up and adjusted as needed.
The project was completed with the planting. We chose a beautiful variety of plants to suit an overflowing, cottage-style garden with an abundance of colours, textures, structures, and fragrances as requested by our client. She is a huge fan of the beautiful wisteria and requested 2 more plants for the pergola, despite them being difficult to care for in pots, and three king-sized fibreglass planters for them to grow in.