LANDSCAPES BY DESIGN
LANDSCAPE DESIGN - GARDEN DESIGN - TREE REPORTS - Melbourne Australia
Phone - 9751 2822
Mobile - 0407 478 195
WATER WISE GARDEN
Despite having a 40,000 litre under gound water tank, this property needed a helping hand to make it thrive.
A retired couple loved their garden and had spent a lot of money with another landscape designer designing it, landscapers to build it and worked on it themselves continually.
They were disappoined and frustrated.
Their property is located in the outer western suburbs of Melbourne which is traditionally drier than Melbourne itself.
They were disenchanted with the central lawn area and wanted solutions that would enable them to share their garden with family, friends and grandchildren throughout the years.
The perimeter gardens had been designed and planted and in the main part worked – they were added to only a little.
The area that had to be landscaped was the central failed/failing lawn.
Although they had a 40,000 litre water tank, they could not maintain a successful lawn.
They asked me what could be done to ‘make their garden work’.
I left after the initial consultation scratching my head, wondering what to do.
I came up with an idea and trusted my clients had the will and resources financially and emotionally to commit to complete the project.
I presented it to them and over some meetings came up with the final landscape design.
The project was brought to completion by the landscaper in consultation with me and my clients.
My clients were happy to use the water from their tank to keep the outer garden areas alive but the central lawn area was not sustainable.
Having worked with many landscapers over many projects, and having been a landscaper for many years myself, I recommended a good landscaper to quote the project for my clients.
Irrigation was mainly in place to the external gardens but some improvements had to be made during the project.
My landscape design I thought was a little ‘out there’ but my clients embraced it fully.
My plan was to use butyl liners under river pebbles.
I wanted to capture rainwater and direct it through a series of pits and stormwater drainage pipes under a bridge
We needed a garden that was not just waterwise and full of great features - it had to collect water also to be sustainable.
IT WORKS.
The collected water flows to a bottom pond but under it and concealed is an additional 5,000 litre underground water tank which when full allows that water to be directed to the existing underground 40,000 litre water tank at the front of the property.
When the 40,000 litre existing tank is full, the 5,000 litre new tank fills and when both are full the bottom pond fills.
We realised the existing 40,000 litre water tank was not sufficient to maintain the lawn.
Why not think outside the square, turn a negative into a positive by instead of consuming water for the lawn using that area to collect additional water.
The lawn had already been improved when the existing lawn had been installed which meant we had suitable soil in place to use.
Where a small amount of lawn was still required we used Sir Walter Buffalo.
The balance of the area was either river pebbles on the butyl liner collecting water or granitic sand and we even installed a bocce court.
Everything is now irrigated through an automatic controller and drip line irrigation and my client monitors its operation continually.
Whilst it was challenging to come up with and install the butyl liners, drainage pits to collect water, pvc, collection pipes, the tank and make everything work, it certainly has been worthwhile.
Decorative features such as the timber bridge, the bocce court, large feature boulders and slate crazy paving for the path are just an added bonus as is the rear covered pergola my client had previously installed.
This landscape design is utterly unique, striking and was brought into fruition from a little ‘out there, out of the square thinking; some truly wonderful clients and a great landscape contractor.
My clients just love it
Now where they once had a barren area of lawn they have a sustainable garden and even when the pond is full ducks swim there.
If you have any questions or we can assist you with your project; please do not hesitate to make contact.
Member - Australian Institute of Landscape Designers and Managers Ltd
Darrell Mcleod - ISA Certified Arborist No AU0040A