Categories
All Posts Gardens by Peter Donegan Garden Design

Landscaping Dublin: Front of House

Pre 1980’s domestic gardening in Ireland had with hindsight quite a unique style, if I may even call it that.

Plants planted were sometimes in straight lined beds, but also individually within the lawn; hedges, though they do seem to be making somewhat of a comeback, were a thing of spirit levelling pride and the lawn at times a measure of how well you may be spoke about in society.

This I should add was all at a time just before the log roll epidemic and an almost decade of “dwarf” conifers and heathers taking over minute areas of Irelands gardens. In the music analogy department, think Cliff Richard and Englebert Humperdink and about as exciting as watching Peig Sayers frown at Mark Bolan and T-Rex. Of note, the last time I planted conifers and heathers collectively was 25 years, just before I started horticultural college. 

Categories
All Posts Gardens by Peter Donegan Garden Design

Donegan Landscaping: Portmarnock, Co Dublin

peter donegan, landscaping dublin (1)

I rarely if ever show works in progress photographs of gardens. I’ve no real specific reason for that; apart from the fact that I feel it shouldn’t influence whether you like that end result or not.

In a funny sort of a way, I will admit it does add to the story when you see what it was beforehand and here I’m going to make the exception. 

Categories
All Posts Gardens by Peter Donegan Garden Design

New Planting Scheme: Tara Winthrop Private Clinic

I was delighted of recent to be asked to come up with a new planting scheme and plan and to complete the landscaping to the front of grounds at Tara Winthrop Private Clinic. 

Categories
All Posts Gardens by Peter Donegan Garden Design

Donegan Landscaping, Dublin: Back Garden Makeover.

donegan landscaping dublin, back garden (1)

I’ve most probably noted this a bizillion times over but, there are two things that make any garden that little bit extra brilliant:

  1. A really, really great client – I hate that word – And…..
  2. An entire disaster of a pre my getting there garden.

The latter if I’m honest, very simply gives the before and after video that extra wow factor and maybe makes me look a little more of a genius at what I do. Whereas the former, really is what makes it all, feel just that extra special and tailored just for you. Something I can only describe as the difference between a house and a home.

What may be worth considering here is:

  1. that the (pre my getting there) garden rose by approx 27 degrees over a 9 metre distance to the rear
  2. the soil was really something terrible; better known as a gley soil to the horticulturist; or a level below subsoil. And…
  3. therefore the drainage and nutrient soil value was virtually non existant.
  4. the only access was through the house

Those factors however really did not affect in any way what the garden was to become. That, in it’s entirety came down to the Clients (yup) wishes and a meeting of minds for the what the space would become.

Categories
All Posts Gardens by Peter Donegan Garden Design

Back Garden Landscaping. Swords, Dublin.

swords dublin, garden landscaping

It’s kind of hard to explain the actual how an unbuilt garden picture [see before pic/ vid] in my head type dream becomes a real space that is something of the now present, great or better.

And, more often here I analogise that to falling or being in love, because essentially the [your] garden is a place or space that makes you feel something, of which you smiling as a minimum should be, the end result.

Before I get to where I’m going, go see the before works started image/ video below.