This was a garden that I got to revisit some years after I gave it it’s first garden makeover.
Before I go any further, that in the distance you might just be able to recognise as the view of Ireland’s Eye.
Tag: gardens dublin
For me the absolute stunner in this space has to be the Fraxinus excelsior better known as the weeping Ash. Brought in with a 30cm girth, those in the know, know, they are far from a tenner down at the local euro saver discount store. But in the sometimes you need to dance in the middle of your local supermarket for no apparent reason department, may I be allowed to refer to the case of the wedding dress versus those who study economics and accounting.
And in your, or at least in my imagination, you and I both know you look so damn good in that white gown and even though you’ll only wear it for just one day and* even though when noted on some type of economists shareholders report type graph it makes nothing but illogic sense to buy it; In short, sometimes, just sometimes, it makes total sense to forget everything that makes sense on some annual report flow chart, in the real world and just go for broke.
As fencing goes, there are many styles and types that I have been party to. But, in the front of house home extremely eloquent department, there are few if any that come close to how beautiful a finish this wood is. In short, if barrel board were a lady, I would happy recite it the most lovely paragraphs of Shakespeare’s finest.
Of note, if you are looking for the cheapest quote or in short a screen made of wood; then it’s probably best you head on over to one of the many DIY Super Store emporiums. No offence…. see what I did there ? Fence. No. No ? To explain, sometimes a Ferrari is the right call and sometimes the Transit van will do just dandy. Here, we chose the MG BGT. 1977 version. With the chrome bumpers and 4 speed overdrive. ie. the very smart and damn tasty option.
I’ve already noted the fruit bush hedge, which may be worth a read before you read this; in fact, recommended you go read that and then come back here and read this, in order for this to make sense… if that makes sense 😉
Back over here… Organised but disorganised within, this was prior to an odd little bit of a garden space. Geographically, it lies to the side of the home, as versus the back or front and really, it had become a little of a no mans land that just didn’t sit right in any ones mind. There was a sort of unknown unease being there; a little like Del Boy and Rodney and the time they turned up to that funeral in the Batman and Robin costumes…. God that was funny ! Point taken.
There are gardens that I have done before that are the ultimate in what one would consider the perfect picture. Yup, I would be that confident in myself and what I do. But there are other gardens in which the final picture does not sometimes mean as much until you meet a] the client; which you most likely will not, in this case or/ and b] you see what the garden was before hand.
The reason part b] is sometimes so important is that depending, it can very necessarily consume so much of ones budget; and in ratio, one spends a higher percentage of the costs undoing and removing; when in an ideal world it would be solely spent on creating just the final picture. Does that make sense ? Pause. then contrast the first image with the second [above]. This garden is a class example of what was quite a tough one to inherit, when it came to getting the garden made to suit its new owner.
Before hand as you can see [above], was grey paving slabs and pebble. That is all. And a shed. It was a space that looked small, uninviting and symmetrical. And what was required like any addition to any home was that it made you want to open the doors; leave them open and draw you outside. And whether you see the finished product as quite simplistic or not, that warmth has been achieved. That and they don’t all have to have Morris Minors in them to make them great. 😉
I wanted to make this space [firstly] into a garden and then to make it look like it had been there for years, yet really very well maintained. That aside the second role was to make one want to spend time outside and whether it be the largest budget in the world or not, that, here has definitely been achieved within this now great[er] outdoors.
Do consider if you will, that the garden is not even hours old when I recorded the video below and also that this is how the garden will look in its [now] over-wintering state. That aside, I loved making this one and I cannot wait to see this space come the summer time.
Any Q’s or thoughts [?] leave a comment below or drop me a line.
Peter Donegan:
- email: info@doneganlandscaping.com
- phone: +353(87)6594688
- twitter: @DoneganGardens
- facebook: DoneganLandscaping
