Back at the end of May, we embarked upon a 10-12 week garden/driveway project. So after 26 weeks, it’s a relief to have finally completed it! Some poor summer weather, extra scope and some good old-fashioned issues conspired to extend the timescales, but now it’s over, we’re very happy with the result.
The team from Esse Landscapes have taken a great deal of care to transform the whole garden; there’s very little left that hasn’t been worked on in some way. The lower lawn is now completely flat (one significant addition to the scope)…
…and hosts a sunken trampoline which the kids love playing on.
The Next To Tree House is now even less tree-house-esque, but has some useful pillbox-style access points and luxurious astroturf underneath…
The cedar screen that disguises the old wall is a vast improvement and the extra decking gives more space around the house.
Through September, the driveway took shape. Barring one minor hiccup with measurements that required the relocation of a wall and pillar (my fault), all was going well…
…although the gateposts and gate mechanism proved more troublesome to install than anticipated (instructions?!). Some creative work by Bobby, Jamie and Steve got us there in the end. There’s now parking for plenty of cars and a safe space for the kids to play in away for the road…
Another decision that extended the timescales was to use turf on the front bank instead of seed… cue another 10m³ of soil and 120m² of turf.
Towards the end, there were a few weather-related issues with the render…
…but these have happily all been overcome (after one or two tense exchanges of viewpoints over the phone).
Three new uplights add a nice warm night-time glow to the louvres…
…and the new gates complement the front door and balustrade nicely…
The quality of workmanship that went into creating the pedestrian gate is a testament to Pat’s skills and experience; it’s a very close match for the front door (produced over two years ago by a Brickhurst carpenter) and makes coming home a pleasure! Similarly, the proportions and colour of the vehicle gate are a good match those of the uprights around the retaining wall.
Finally, 50 Portuguese Laurel hedges were planted (and then replanted to prevent them obscuring the view when pulling out of the drive). In time, these will grow to a decent height; softening the look of the walls and offering more privacy…
But for now, we’re very happy 🙂
The Upside Down House 
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