Hands-on Garden Construction

Signs like these are not just humorous but often much needed disclaimers. A property, when it is being 'landscaped', too often looks like a major renovation with all the associated angst. And then there's the destruction connected with such an undertaking, which may well result in a funeral for many beloved plants. Clients are taught to expect a mass burial of most of the flora around any construction being done on or near their garden.

But is it right to give up on the idea that your garden can look good through the transition period, what ever the scale or the length of time? Just like children, gardens can and need to be appreciated at any stage in their development.

We just finished 40 feet of wall which surrounds a raised berm garden. We brought in over 15 tons of stone material. We didnt use a bobcat or noisy dusty power tools. We tried to be careful around the plants and shrubs while working. It wasnt difficult. It's how we like to work anyway.

At the end of a week of 'hands on construction' the new wall looks like it has always been there, and the surrounding property remained undamaged. The upper 'under construction' photo shows about as messy as it got. The photo below it was taken not months later, when everything had time to heal over, but yesterday, the day we finished the project.