So, Lets Build A Garden Turf Landscaping & Project Management. After an audit, a plan, a design and construction plan its now all about the structure of the garden. The hard landscaping to be done first.
Skills
So, what you can do yourself and where would some help would be a good idea? Firstly, think about the your skills and your experience. Then consider the time it will take you to complete the tasks you have planned. Moreover, think about the skills you don’t have and will need to buy in.
Project Management
Project Management should not be underestimated. There are plenty of software options although – https://project-management.com/top-10-project-management-software/ but something simpler like Microsoft Project – https://products.office.com/en-gb/project/project-management-software or even Excel – which is primarily a spreadsheet package – can be adopted as a simple project management tool.
Timing
However, we all know building projects can take longer than expected and cost more than forecast. Moreover, costs for groundwork can easily escalate. Of course, there is also no telling what might be found once you break ground. Hence, the audit at the beginning of this project. That looked at drainage, pipes, cables and soil type. Then we thought about boundaries and responsibilities. But even then you can never be sure what will be found – so plan for a contingency.
Sustainability
Today, there is a growing emphasis on the sustainability and environmental impacts of garden planning. So much of the challenge within garden projects can be the balance between customer expectation and the broader environmental concerns. On the one hand consider water absorption and water run-off. On the other hand, pollinators, energy reduction and recycling are all becoming more important
Hard Landscaping
So, hard landscaping will provide the structure for the garden. Furthermore, it will become the bones that support the different levels of planting. In addition, it will also create the divisions between different uses within the garden and the colour changes across the garden. Moreover, the structure also will help define the differences between water use, water absorption, and water run-off. There are water gardens, wildflower gardens, wildlife gardens, entertaining gardens and everything in between.
Resources
Thankfully, The University of Reading and the Masonry Society provide a couple of checklists. These show the real difference between enthusiastic amateurs and a fully-paid up professional approach. But better to understand your limitations before you start building rather than halfway through. As ever BALI has a national directory of landscapers who can help.
https://www.bali.org.uk/members/directory/
https://www.reading.ac.uk/web/files/fmd/Landscaping_Checklist.pdf
https://register.extension.iastate.edu/images/events/Becx/BECx-Masonry_Inspection_Checklist.pdf
Garden Structure
But, structural elements are not limited to the obvious choices of bricks, concrete and sleepers; gravel, slabs and fencing. On the contrary, they can embrace garden buildings, garden heritage objects – junk, bric-a-brac or architectural salvage.
https://www.englishsalvage.co.uk/
Carbon Footprint
As ever the carbon footprint of any development can help define any garden. For instance, this can include the materials used and the distances involved in their transport. In addition, the use and adoption of recycled materials as well as the level of recyclability and impact of the individual garden components.
Of course, bark and turf can work as structural components. Moreover, the re-use of existing materials rather than the creation of new can help bring an instant maturity to a “new” garden.
As ever – asbestos, lead and other contaminants demand respect so please make sure you have all the information you need.
https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/managing/placeschecklist.htm
Hard Landscaping – How to pour concrete
Hard Landscaping – How to make cement
Hard Landscaping – Bricklaying for beginners
Hard Landscaping –
Decking
Hard Landscaping –
Raised beds
Decking can be pressure-treated timber or composite. Both have their advantages although there has been some concern over the green credentials of composite decking so please do your homework.
Alternatives to hard landscaping
Bark – https://www.turfonline.co.uk/using-bark-alternative-hard-landscaping/
Ground covering plants – https://www.turfonline.co.uk/why-ground-cover-plants-are-better-than-paving/
Alternatives to lawns
https://www.turfonline.co.uk/alternative-lawns-instead-of-grass/
Planting
How to create a wildflower garden
Planting for pollinators
Let’s build a garden -planting 
Let’s Build A Garden – What You Need 
Lets Build A Garden – Your Inspiration 
