Big tree next door Garden Doctors????
David Grundey
--
Garden Enhancement Service
http://www.grundey.clara.net/geshome.htm
If youve got a big tree next door see the garden doctors ch 4
Well build a large deck
Import 600 bags of material
Mature plants
Total cost £ 25,000+
Excessive use of resources
What an expensive tree
Lots of plants will grow under mature trees
This man has got no skills as a plants man to make use of NATURAL
opertunities??
Coments please
Excuse the spelling.
Donald Boyall
David Grundey wrote in message <01be2ac5$f9662f20$0100007f@default1>...
>
>--
>Garden Enhancement Service
>http://www.grundey.clara.net/geshome.htm
>
>If youve got a big tree next door see the garden doctors ch 4
>Well build a large deck
>Import 600 bags of material
>Mature plants
>Total cost £ 25,000+
>Excessive use of resources
>
>What an expensive tree
>
Even allowing for the design, buying that quantity of topsoil in bags
seemed to me to be a bit excessive - convenient no doubt.
I wonder who payed for it all.
Don Boyall
dave-...@ilsham.demon.co.uk
>Garden Enhancement Service
>http://www.grundey.clara.net/geshome.htm
>
>If youve got a big tree next door see the garden doctors ch 4
>Well build a large deck
[snip]
>This man has got no skills as a plants man to make use of NATURAL
>opertunities??
It would seem not. As you imply, it was a ridiculous and non-sensical
approach that failed to create a workable garden with any sense of
permanence. All of that decking - he must have been crazy. What
happens when it collapses? Whatever happened to natural soil
improvement techniques? And that outrageous layout..... I can think
of many 'non-professional' gardeners who out of necessity, would have
easily created something of greater value, that had more impact, with
future development potential and all for a fraction of the cost!
David Poole
Sarah Dale
> David Grundey wrote:
>>If youve got a big tree next door see the garden doctors ch 4
>>Well build a large deck
I thought it was a bit daft - contact Garden Doctors
because you have a shady garden with huge tree next door.
Designer comes up with plan which allows for shade and huge
tree. 3 months later when they come to do the work - neighbour
has agreeed to chop problem tree down!!!
I also thought he would have been far better off buying
top soil etc. wholesale by the tonne (ton?) - far cheaper.
so far I have watched 2 and a bit GD programmes and I have
yet to make up my mind about them. Obviously unlimited
budget from C4 or garden owner - but they have come up
with some fairly non-practicle stuff - e.g the decked
garden - where was the dog going to have pee?
Oh well - I shall watch learn and wonder (and wince
in symapthy at the large pocket hits!)
Sarah
Ivy Blyth
David Grundey wrote in message <01be2ac5$f9662f20$0100007f@default1>...
>
>--
> I felt sorry for the poor dog! Was there somewhere for it to answer
"calls of nature"? Or is the decking repeatedly washed down? I don't
imagine it was encouraged to go on the flower beds or up the banana plant
:-(
Ivy Blyth
Morley
Ivy Blyth wrote in message
<914155235.7315.1...@news.demon.co.uk>...
which would then be disinfected and hosed down. A lot of boat-living dogs
are taught this and I met one couple who sailed everywhere with a piece of
fake grass that was put down on the bow when they anchored offshore, so that
the dog knew where 'her patch' was! This was a Rottweiler who took you
*fairly* gently by the hand when you came aboard and led you to the cockpit
for drinkies! Nobody was going to burgle that boat! Morley
Ghengis the Shed
Regarding Garden Doctors...
Acacia dealbata I presume ?
Beatiful.
Cut it down cos it causes shade and only Flowers " a month a year "
Idiots.
I reckon Interflora were involved somewhere....
Compost in bags now that is just taking the wee.
Sorry but that's the last time I watch that rubbish ( I used to like it too !)
Anyone else noticed the presenters taking a sly glance at the plant labels
before telling everyone what they are ?
Yours in disgust
Pat
ia...@teleord.co.uk
dave-...@ilsham.demon.co.uk that wrote:
> All of that decking - he must have been crazy. What
> happens when it collapses? Whatever happened to natural soil
> improvement techniques? And that outrageous layout..... I can think
> of many 'non-professional' gardeners who out of necessity, would have
> easily created something of greater value, that had more impact, with
> future development potential and all for a fraction of the cost!
This is what I couldn't understand. They decided on all that decking 'cos
the shade from the tree, so why didn't they have a rethink when it was
chopped down?
Another question though, is decking a bit like the back of car seats, and
down the side of sofas? They've got little gaps for loose change and
other thin things to disappear through? There'd be no rescueing anything
from under that lot of decking!
One thing everyone seems to have forgotten, the couple did seem very
pleased with the end result, and were still happy n months later.
Actually, having said that, they did have serious reservations about
decking to start with, which I guess the designer answered with, "well,
see what it looks like when we've finished. You'll love it then!".
Adios Amigos!
Ian.
--
This post does not reflect the opinions of Whitakers.
To reply remove "Spam?Mmmm!" from email address.
Jon Rouse
<01be2ac5$f9662f20$0100007f@default1>...
> If youve got a big tree next door see the garden doctors ch 4
> Well build a large deck
> Import 600 bags of material
> Mature plants
> Total cost £ 25,000+
> Excessive use of resources
>
> What an expensive tree
>
> Lots of plants will grow under mature trees
> This man has got no skills as a plants man to make use of NATURAL
> opertunities??
>
> Coments please
Oh, I'm glad we were not the only ones. They even showed you an example of
what happens to timber after a few years and it still didn't sink in.
You can buy top soil by the lorry load and barrow it through the house, and
horse manure is given away if you have a trailer.
We counted eight men on site, at lets say national minimum wage is several
hundred pounds a day.
What concerned us most is how little notice these people take of the
surroundings, That sort of garden would be great in a modern new town, but
didn't fit in at all with the stone and brick of the setting. A large sheet
of plastic and some raised beds of stone and brick would have solved the
problem of the tree robbing water (and may have discouraged its growth - as
would a letter to their insurers).
Victoria Clare
>One thing everyone seems to have forgotten, the couple did seem very
>pleased with the end result, and were still happy n months later.
>
>Actually, having said that, they did have serious reservations about
>decking to start with, which I guess the designer answered with, "well,
>see what it looks like when we've finished. You'll love it then!".
>
I'm not sure they were really THAT pleased with it - got the distinct
impression they were 'putting a brave face on it' and had managed to
convince themselves.
I thought that was the worst bit - they spent all that money, but
didn't really seem to pay that much atention to what the owners of the
garden really wanted!
Victoria
--
Victoria Clare vict...@nogrod.u-net.com
http://www.nogrod.u-net.com/ Cheshire
--
cormaic
our lives with these words:
8<---S-N-I-P--->8
>Another question though, is decking a bit like the back of car seats, and
>down the side of sofas? They've got little gaps for loose change and
>other thin things to disappear through? There'd be no rescueing anything
>from under that lot of decking!
>
One way to avoid this happening is to fit 6mm mesh sheets
directly beneath the decking timbers, so that nothing can fall through
into the sub-space. It's also a good idea to do the same thing at the
open ends of any decked area, to help keep out leaves, crisp packets
and rodents. :~)
--
cormaic - http://www.tmac.clara.net/cormaic/garden/garden.htm
Culcheth - paving pages at http://www.tmac.clara.net/paving2.htm
Cheshire Last Updated on 14th December 1998
(allegedly)
cormaic CAN BE FOUND AT tmac.clara.co.uk
Trevor Rimmer
check up on bogus garden doctors?
I think they were garden porters disguised in the equivalent of white
coats - were they wearing green wellies?
Bring back Carol wossname, I say.
Trev R
paulw...@my-dejanews.com
Ooh! Can't this group turn nasty. What happened to all those
"Isn't Garden Doctors more inspiring than GroundForce" posts?
Do I take it GroundForce has been re-habilitated, Decks and all?
(Bring back Dan Pearson. He *DOES* appear to be a genuine genius)
BugBear.
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
Ghengis the Shed
says...
>Ooh! Can't this group turn nasty. What happened to all those
>"Isn't Garden Doctors more inspiring than GroundForce" posts?
>
>Do I take it GroundForce has been re-habilitated, Decks and all?
Sorry to come across like that ( the red mist must have come down )
BUT...
I personally don't feel this is gardening ... just spending money for money's
sake ... absolute madness.
There are loads of more deserving causes out there that could do with an
improved garden environment.
I've had it with decks too and presenters who offend me and and and ...
Grrrrrr !!!
GRAVEL !!!
I'm off to mump and read my Burle-Marxs books for inspiration ....
Grump
Pat
dave-...@ilsham.demon.co.uk
>Ooh! Can't this group turn nasty. What happened to all those
>"Isn't Garden Doctors more inspiring than GroundForce" posts?
Garden Doctor had Dan Pearson and he does know something at least.
>Do I take it GroundForce has been re-habilitated, Decks and all?
Well, it does have the added advantage of Charlie's risers - uplifting
for some I'm led to believe.
>(Bring back Dan Pearson. He *DOES* appear to be a genuine genius)
Absolutely, his penchant for wilderness does get a tad out of hand at
times, but he has created very interesting and intuitive pieces of
work. This new bloke (can't be bothered to remember the name) seems
to rely on chucking cash at anything and hoping something of worth
will turn up. So far it hasn't. Maybe I'm being far too judgemental,
but somehow I don't think so.
I tend to get a bit cheesed with landscapers in any case - they have
the infuriating tendency to relegate plants almost to the bottom of
the league and then fly into abject rapture at pieces of old wood,
rotten rope and a beat up old bucket. Look at some of the truly great
gardens and the so-called hard landscaping whilst undoubtedly there,
takes a subtle, background role, providing the canvas upon which the
masterpiece can sit. Now it seems as though the canvas and frame are
more important than anything else, so it doesn't matter what you chuck
in.
'Bah! Humbug mood' over for this year at least!
David Poole
Jon Rouse
<367e541...@news.csc.liv.ac.uk>...
> I'm not sure they were really THAT pleased with it - got the distinct
> impression they were 'putting a brave face on it' and had managed to
> convince themselves.
Perhaps these garden designers should have a 'if not delighted we will put
it back the way it was' clause?
> I thought that was the worst bit - they spent all that money, but
> didn't really seem to pay that much atention to what the owners of the
> garden really wanted!
I think when garden design became a branch of the fashion industry instead
of a branch of horticulture the wishes of the client went out of the
window. After all, how many ordinary people are the shape of the anorexic
bimbos we see on the catwalks, and would be seen dead in the clothes they
portray? Similarly, garden design programmes should be taken as
entertaining alternatives to soaps and quiz shows and not as anything to do
with gardening.
Suzieandal
In article <3681945f...@news.demon.co.uk>, dave-...@ilsham.demon.co.uk
writes:
>I tend to get a bit cheesed with landscapers in any case - they have
>the infuriating tendency to relegate plants almost to the bottom of
>the league and then fly into abject rapture at pieces of old wood,
>rotten rope and a beat up old bucket. Look at some of the truly great
>gardens and the so-called hard landscaping whilst undoubtedly there,
>takes a subtle, background role, providing the canvas upon which the
>masterpiece can sit. Now it seems as though the canvas and frame are
>more important than anything else, so it doesn't matter what you chuck
>in.
It's the way they are taught. At my college - and I'm not saying its the
same all over the country - the landscapers were those who could draw
really nice pictures but didn't like getting their hands dirty. Whilst I was
diligently learning my plant ids (forty a week) they were cleaning out
their Rotring pens!
I know several students who fully intended to become Landscape Designers
and expected to get away without knowing the properties and characteristics of
plants.
Sue Bennett and Alan Fisher
cormaic
dave-...@ilsham.demon.co.uk enriched all our lives with these words:
>I tend to get a bit cheesed with landscapers in any case - they have
>the infuriating tendency to relegate plants almost to the bottom of
>the league and then fly into abject rapture at pieces of old wood,
>rotten rope and a beat up old bucket.
Tell me about it!
>Look at some of the truly great
>gardens and the so-called hard landscaping whilst undoubtedly there,
>takes a subtle, background role, providing the canvas upon which the
>masterpiece can sit. Now it seems as though the canvas and frame are
>more important than anything else, so it doesn't matter what you chuck
>in.
I'm with you on this one, Dave, far too many folks vastly
overdo the hard-landscaping for all sorts of reasons, an aversion to
gardening being just one of them. As far as paving is concerned, it
should be functional and complementary, and never dominating, IMHO.
Other 'hard' features, such as rock-scapes are better left understated
or they run the risk of looking tacky or twee.
There are some garden monstrosities out there, usually because
the owner is a garden-hater, or because of the recent development of
buying a 'fitted garden', where the planting plays second fiddle to
fancy and costly so-called features.
dave-...@ilsham.demon.co.uk
cor...@NOSPAMTODAYTHANKStmac.clara.net (cormaic) wrote:
>>I tend to get a bit cheesed with landscapers in any case - they have
[Snip]
>>rotten rope and a beat up old bucket.
> Tell me about it!
>>Look at some of the truly great
>>gardens
{Bigger snip]
>
>I'm with you on this one, Dave, far too many folks vastly
>overdo the hard-landscaping for all sorts of reasons, an aversion to
>gardening being just one of them.
Ah, another soul mate - I cannot agree with you more. I'm convinced
that so many of these 'landscapers' are mere mortals, visited upon the
garden-hating populace in an attempt to run those of us who strive to
be plantsmen off the face of this earth. Begone foul spirits, return
to the dull and tedious hovels from whence you came.
Ooh - er! Too much of the 'fruit of the vine' courtesy of the
oldest pub in Torquay methinks!
Off to bed!
David Poole
Karen Mountford
> I'm with you on this one, Dave, far too many folks vastly
> overdo the hard-landscaping for all sorts of reasons, an aversion to
> should be functional and complementary, and never dominating, IMHO.
> Other 'hard' features, such as rock-scapes are better left understated
> or they run the risk of looking tacky or twee.
> cormaic CAN BE FOUND AT tmac.clara.co.uk
I agree too. One friend asked me to do a design for her garden (small
behind a four bed new house. I did as asked and was quite pleased with
the result and included a sitting area and her "pebble water feature",
barbecue and swing. She has since added a statue ( a copy of the
hidcote chap with the hat on, so quite nice) a bird bath another bench
seat, a rustic arch, hanging baskets and puches,about a dozen more
pots.....
Actaully it doesn't look that bad, but I took her to Beth Chattos for a
day out last summer and she was really disappointed in it. She had
expected more "things" and found the plants really ratehr boring I
suspect.
Another friend who professes a huge enthusiasm for everything
"horticultural" is ecstatic about a small garden in Aldeburgh which is
paving, bedding plants, cannon, bird bath, sundial etc etc etc and
describes it as an example of "real garden design" :-)
I'm at the other extreme, mostly interested in plants and only add the
hard stuff where essential. I also have a tendency to dig up areas of
grass :-)
Karen (Coastal Suffolk)
Remove "Greenweed" to e-mail.
Ghengis the Shed
>I also have a tendency to dig up areas of
>grass :-)
Lawn has no place in any garden design it is a waste of good planting space.
Let's here it for the abscence of the flat and green.
It's muddy in the wet ( children ) yellow in the dry , it needs cutting and
raking and spiking and weeding and feeding and it ...
Still remains ... flat ... and ... well ... er ... green ...
Why stay flat when you can go vertical....
Cardoons and bark can't beat it !!!
Pat
Jane Ransom
<P.N.B...@shef.ac.uk> writes
>In article <3680AE...@talk21.com>, Karen.M...@talk21.com says...
>
>>I also have a tendency to dig up areas of
>>grass :-)
>
>Lawn has no place in any garden design it is a waste of good planting space.
And I love to see a lovely flat expanse of green - and I enjoy
'maintaining' it.
Of course, I wouldn't want *only* grass but, to me, a garden without a
lawn is just not a garden :))
--
Jane Ransom in Lancaster.
Jane Ransom
po...@ilsham.demon.co.uk writes
>
>Ah, another soul mate - I cannot agree with you more. I'm convinced
>that so many of these 'landscapers' are mere mortals, visited upon the
>garden-hating populace in an attempt to run those of us who strive to
>be plantsmen off the face of this earth. Begone foul spirits, return
>to the dull and tedious hovels from whence you came.
>
garden in gravel etc. to make life easier for her.
Said landscape gardener dug out all her topsoil (years of digging in
compost etc), loaded it into a skip and dumped it in the local tip
:(((((((((((
Ghengis the Shed
ran...@mearsgyl.demon.co.uk says...
>And I love to see a lovely flat expanse of green - and I enjoy
>'maintaining' it.
I must admit that a well maintained expanse of the flat and green
looks good in a formal setting - particularly when clipped box hedges
etc. are involved
There I've go back on my word - a Shed world's first ( well it is Xmas )
cheers
Pat
cormaic
<ran...@mearsgyl.demon.co.uk> enriched all our lives with these words:
>And I love to see a lovely flat expanse of green - and I enjoy
>'maintaining' it.
>Of course, I wouldn't want *only* grass but, to me, a garden without a
>lawn is just not a garden :))
And you need *somewhere* to play croquet in the summer,
somewhere for the kids to camp-out in relative safety, and somewhere
to stretch out, drink beer and sunbathe.
I love my flowers, but at the end of the day, the garden is
there for my enjoyment, and I gladly sacrifice half of my small plot
to lawn because it helps me appreciate the flowers and shrubs even
more. :~)
--
cormaic - http://www.tmac.clara.net/cormaic/garden/garden.htm
Culcheth - paving pages at http://www.tmac.clara.net/paving2.htm
Cheshire Last Updated on 14th December 1998
(allegedly)
Kay
>
>It's the way they are taught. At my college - and I'm not saying its the
>same all over the country - the landscapers were those who could draw
>really nice pictures but didn't like getting their hands dirty. Whilst I was
>diligently learning my plant ids (forty a week) they were cleaning out
>their Rotring pens!
they were misled! There are few more efficient ways to get your hands
dirty than to clean out a Rotring pen. And it doesn't wash off ;-)
--
Kay
k...@scarboro.demon.co.uk
Trevor Rimmer
extra room". It is a cliche that irritates me unreasonably. A room
has a few plants in to give it life, but the decor is mainly wood,
stone, paint, &c. Some of the designer "gardens" seem to bring that
philosophy with them - except that the room has no roof or TV
(although I seem to remember someone putting a TV outside aswell.
Perhaps a garden is just a bit of outdoors next to the house where
you can enjoy yourself after all, and it is up to each of us to
define it in our own way.
Merry Christmas
Trev R