garden landscaping ireland – Peter Donegan Garden Design & Landscaping

Private Garden Landscaping: Swords, Co. Dublin

Of note: garden build completed late December 2014

It may be, a little naive of me to publish images of gardens made by Peter Donegan in their over wintering state. I say may be. Logically, all of the gardens I create are good and great, of course; but here I refer solely to the photograph of the garden and [again] here, it is quite visible to see that the trees are leafless etc and I guess it doesn’t paint the full complete picture, in its finest hour.

As I noted, it is a brand new garden and quite young by way of planting. And with that and season in mind; this is as naked, or as bad [?] as it can possibly look.

Based on that I was a little hesitant to post this garden here, but some suggested that it would be honest, or even refreshing to see December made garden images – its not the done thing for a professional landscaping company – whilst others noted that maybe I’m being a bit harsh on myself. I think I’ll leave that for you to decide and, I haven’t really thought about that too much.

The reality is this is not a show garden – to clarify – a garden that is built as a stage for 5 days only. And in reality [again] the new owner must like this, their new garden for 12 months of the year, every year – not just in the summer months. And that, that loving it all year round part – that comes down to very good design, good plant choice and great planning. A little like you, gardens in mind…. seeing me in a tuxedo and thinking he’s a handsome fellow. But should we live together, for ever and ever…. you’d quickly find out that that is not the attire I might wear whilst I eat my porridge or bring you up a cup of coffee in the mornings and kiss you gently… or make your garden. Even though it is what first attracted you to me; or in this case to a garden I made. If that makes sense. Does that make sense ? I hope it makes sense. It should….

And back to all things great outdoors….. some before garden images ?

Garden Ideas: 5 Uses of Mirror in Garden Design

Mirrors are a great way to brighten up any garden and add that extra added and varying dimension to your space outdoors. The following are 5 examples of how I have used mirrors in gardens to change, for the greater a gardens space.

If you have an area which needs that little something to brighten it up, this should get the mind flowing and maybe thinking in a slightly different light.

1. Surrounded by Walls on all Sides

This garden area is walled in on all four sides making available light almost at a premium. To change that, three of the walls in this garden were painted white whilst one was covered with three full length, slightly separated mirrors. The light increase now as the sun moves around is phenomenal. More than that, it made the garden interesting and the views so different depending on where you stood. Brighter for the better on so many levels.

2. Low Level Light Reflection

With lights installed at ground level a 4 metre wide paved area separates the light source from the mirror surface installed on the far side. This allows the light, as you see it in the image, to be viewed from a very different angle. Extremely effective at night and made even better by choice planting which dappled the lights shadows as the winds movement caused it to appear to flicker.

3. The Small Courtyard Garden

This small courtyard is around 1 metre by 3.5 metres in size. Raised beds in place the mirror choice allowed the transformation from a dull and non descript potential no mans land to one were dappled planting gave it just that extra added dimension. The photograph was taken from inside the kitchen area and the rain at the time dapples the image captured slightly.

4. Mirror Garden Surface Furniture

Sometimes less is more and this table top covering was just enough to create a little intrigue from one point within the garden. On a non garden design side note, the use of mirror here also ensured a clean easy of the eating area. That aside, personally [and although I might have been told off for it in my youth], I liked it most when my elbows rested on it.

5. The Narrow Garden Space

Just at the point where the garden narrows and the design may appear like it has just, well… ended. In this case this garden very simply needed that something to take ones eye away from a path that I was not able to change nor move – [client is king]. Note the distance it created as you look at it. Simple, yet effective.

mirror n 1 a sheet of glass with a metal coating on its back, that reflects an image of an object placed in front of it

More info:

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email: info@DoneganLandscaping.com