Tom's Garden Project

[Tom_the_great]

Hey guys and girls, MORE PHOTOS UPLOADED 03/08/2012

Most of you know i started landscaping my garden last year as it was boring and not a very usefull, well finally after months on and off, planning and sourcing verious bits it is comming together and ive started sorting the photos out.

The garden is not finished but fingeres crossed it will be before the end of the month (weather permitting).

A BIG! thanks goes out to Owenski, Amanda(Our lass), YC, Paul the 6th and everyone else who has helped.

link to dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bt5cpiaxrd0nmkw/nFd01B-wqe#/

on a personal note, i think doing it DIY style has saved me 5k+ easily i am very proud but i am so fed up of carrying house hold buckets through the house to put in the skip (of which i have filled a 4 yard and most of an 8 yard) by this way :( next time im hiring a crane and digger :D

there will be an org BBQ invite when its done.

Regard tom.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bt5cpiaxrd0nmkw/9Jq6esWdaq/IMG_0652.JPG

[Paul the 6th]

Pic 46/47 - 'Turbo' the greatest dog that ever was!

Shame no one got a pic of me with the pick axe. Like giving a toddler a kitchen knife to play with...

[Owenski]

Glad to see these pics up pal, the transformation is astonishing, better than I think either of us even thought it would be.
Can't wait to get it finished and see the full thing - good times!

[tactcom7]

Ey up Tom just seen the pics, looks really good so far, massive transformation. Hurry up and get it finished so I can get some inspiration :)

[Tom_the_great]

Cheers mate, your welcome to come help... i mean see it for your self and gather live inspiration!!

im off wed so hoping to get alot done after a slow wet weekend !

[Owenski]

Cheers mate, your welcome to come help... i mean see it for your self and gather live inspiration!!

im off wed so hoping to get alot done after a slow wet weekend !

Does that mean its exactly as I saw it on Thursday?

[Tom_the_great]

Depends if your stopping by before I next do some yes if not nooo I've done loads :)

[tactcom7]

Cheers mate, your welcome to come help... i mean see it for your self and gather live inspiration!!

im off wed so hoping to get alot done after a slow wet weekend !

Aye will do pal, not sure where i am wednesday yet but if i am free i'll pop over :)

[phil24_7]

Fancy helping with my garden. Tis about 100'x50' and seems to eat up every spare weekend I can find!

P.S. Looks good, and some nice ideas I may well pinch.

[Tom_the_great]

What you got going in Phil ? Any photos ? And I would help but your about 5-6 hours away so can't just nip down lol

[missyburd]

Wowee it's really coming on! Although to say I am somewhat disappointed there is no evidence of the amazing garden table is an understatement :-P

[phil24_7]

What you got going in Phil ? Any photos ? And I would help but your about 5-6 hours away so can't just nip down lol

My garden is on a slope so I am raising the bottom of the garden to level it (needed a 5ft wall to level about 40ft of garden). I ripped out countless bushes and trees to create a blank landscape, have built new steps from my raised patio, dug a hole for a new pond.

All I really need to do now is create a new path, finish levelling the bottom of the garden (need to dig out for the extension, loose all rubble down the bottom then bring in 50-100 tonne of top soil), build a new patch, build another set of steps with a pond in the middle of the 2 sets of steps, build up a natural stone wall, deck over the patio, plant bushes along side 50ft of path and turk over the entire lawn!!!!!! :smt119

Should get the majority of it done this summer with the builder who does the extension finishing it off, then it's just a complete remodel on the inside of the house! LOL

[phil24_7]

This is the garden before we bought it:

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/House/MUT090423_05.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/House/MUT090423_03.jpg

[phil24_7]

It looked lovely but hadn't been touched for that long that it was completely overgrown and needed more than just trimming back. There were nettles and brambles everywhere so rather than pi$$ about, we gutted the place!

[phil24_7]

These were taken after the cellar was dug out and all the rubble was dumped at the bottom of the garden:

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/House/Pond/IMAG0302-1.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/House/Pond/IMAG0332-1.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/House/Pond/IMAG0341.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/House/Pond/IMAG0290.jpg

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/House/Pond/IMAG0302.jpg

[phil24_7]

This is after the bottom was gutted and a shed put in.

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z282/phil24_7/House/Shed/IMAG0452.jpg

[Owenski]

I love landscaping, its not like decorating. Decorating gets re-done 5-10years down the line and its forgotten about. But Landscaping more often than not will out live the person who built it so in a sense by landscaping you're increasing the effect your presence has on the world. You're leaving a legacy even if only for a blip in the life time of our species its still a blip more than others achieve.

[phil24_7]

I have completely destroyed the last family's presence...thank fook...they were complete idiots!

[Tom_the_great]

that sounds like a mega project phil! be able to get a few organs in there for a bbq ;)

loving the pond/deck...

i think there is a massive self satisfaction with doing your own garden.

[Dave20046]

that sounds like a mega project phil! be able to get a few organs in there for a bbq ;)

loving the pond/deck...

i think there is a massive self satisfaction with doing your own garden.

Fine, decided to give mine ago. If I hate myself for doing it - I'm blaming you.

[Tom_the_great]

Good lad Dave, what's the plan any photos. If you need owt give us a shout.

[Dave20046]

It's gonna have to be next spring/summer tbh...well for the interesting bit*. But I've decided it will get done. No plan yet but it'll involve correcting the current batcave so it can home a motorised bicycle and probably giving it a green roof.


*Phase one will be this summer which is sorting out a collapsing retaining wall at the top

[Owenski]

Need any help with the retaining wall inspection dude give me a shout and I'll come spec it up. It'll cost you a butty and a brew mind.

[Dave20046]

Need any help with the retaining wall inspection dude give me a shout and I'll come spec it up. It'll cost you a butty and a brew mind.

Mate I've been quoted thousands. you can have 50 buttys and brews!
Wasn't going to attempt that bit myself for time/help constraints.

[Owenski]

I can spec, it price, it and if you want give you contractors who'll do the work the end result is always the same though if you don't do it yourself it'll cost you a **** load.
Despite the impression you may have of it, building a wall is a piece of ****. Working with masonry and mortar is about as simple as it gets. I know you enough to know your more than capable of finishing the job with a little guidance at the start.

If you're not in a proper rush I'll let you know when I'm next heading down to longstone and we'll arrange me calling in.

[Tom_the_great]

as above mate after working with owenski MBE ;) confidence has sky rocketed and i would deff suggest using your own time an labour saves a fortune and if you get a few mates round cheap labour makes light work of most things ;)

[Paul the 6th]

I'm ace with a pick axe.... " beast mode!! "

[Tom_the_great]

I'm ace with a pick axe.... " beast mode!! "

Just make sure you point him away from pipes as they mean nothing :p

[Owenski]

And dogs, keep him away from dogs.

[Dave20046]

I can spec, it price, it and if you want give you contractors who'll do the work the end result is always the same though if you don't do it yourself it'll cost you a **** load.
Despite the impression you may have of it, building a wall is a piece of ****. Working with masonry and mortar is about as simple as it gets. I know you enough to know your more than capable of finishing the job with a little guidance at the start.

If you're not in a proper rush I'll let you know when I'm next heading down to longstone and we'll arrange me calling in.
Cheers mate, tommyh and specialone have seen pics and given me a good idea of what to do (though I'd probably still balls it up) I'm loathed to do it myself tbh because a neighbour owns the majority and I get 0 free time ... I know it's selfish but **** it, he moaned last time I attempted to help him out
Then again I'm skint as fook so still undecided.

It's really really appreciated though! If you do happen to be coming past I'd be grateful for your point of view on it

[Dave20046]

Cheers org.
*big gay group hug smiley*

[Owenski]

You got the pics you sent phil and Tommy? Let me know what we're up against at least?

Is this retaining a boundary? if so the party wall act comes into play and you've got to get certain things in writing before you do anything.

[Dave20046]

Yep and it retains the gardens above. Pain in the ass. Sure I've got them in a sent box somewhere will have a looksy now

[phil24_7]

that sounds like a mega project phil! be able to get a few organs in there for a bbq ;)

loving the pond/deck...

i think there is a massive self satisfaction with doing your own garden.

The Pond/Decking was nice but was ancient. Got fed up with fixing the pond every month or two so completely gutted it and have planned a new concrete pond once I have sorted my patio area. Will post a "now" pick up when I get a chance!

[Tom_the_great]

Gardens cause so much hassle Haha, when I buy my next house I'm so making sure the garde is already how I want it

[Owenski]

never happens dude.
<-- case and point!

[Paul the 6th]

apart from decking my garden was pretty sweet when I bought the house :razz:

mind you I should be in negative equity but am still up. Skipping through life dodging the bombs and bullets... most of the time.

[Tom_the_great]

Well i have finally got my lazy ar$e in gear and uploaded some of the final photos they are not in order but been so busy just never get chance please take a look :)

grass is growing lovly once cut will get the final shabang :)

[Paul the 6th]

were there meant to be any pics in that last post tom?

[phil24_7]

They've been added to the link in the first post.

[missyburd]

Looks superduper Tom, a smashing job. Like the pic of you sowing seed, a regular Farmer Giles :-P

[Owenski]

From This:
https://photos-1.dropbox.com/si/tbd/0wttx4moWLIK6uvEEDneniy2JhlVi39zbT1Raz3RNjc/85745371/1344330000/d84c3f4/IMG_0652.JPG?size=1280x960

To This:
https://photos-2.dropbox.com/si/tbd/URrqqrigxFks_juHoFguAPaCZnqqW6p7vC9NaKUjO8w/85745371/1344330000/dd844db/20120719_145254.jpg?size=1280x960