We are nearly there the planting i sgoining great gun the garden is realy some thing quite magical. it will be featured on monday night on the BBc.

Its been fantastic being here and learning to landscape this way what with all the smoke and mirrrors of it all.

Amanda is one clever designer The garden has some cleaver ideas you'll be suprised as we were at how some of the elements work and we built it .

More soon pic later.

Alex

Here we are the end of day three all very tired we spent nearly an hour unloading the beach hedge 36 x 12ft and other trees managed to borrow a tree trolley that made things easier.

so lots of geen thing on site now, lots of planting tomorrow.

Our designer Amanda Patton was on site to dayshe said she was very pleased and exited with the progress so far.

Finished on site at 7.30

Went for dinner at the Bell inn at Hampton the steak was good.

Concerned about the weather due on wednesday but we should get all of the hard landscaping finished tuesday.

seem to be having problems down loading photos on the hotel web link, i will keep trying but will do so when we return home at the weekend.

More soon Alex

The Site is getting to be realy busy Lots of the tents for the traders have been erected, so space is begining to get tight.

We managed to get some green things in the ground today,more tomorrow.

All feeling a little tiered after four long days.

All is going well there are bits that are ready for planting out and the paving will be finished in a day or two.

Every one still friendly and willing to share bits and pieces, we have arranged to borrow a small digger toworrow to dig tree pits.

More soon Alex

Day Three -

We have managed to over come the challenge of re-engineering part of the main construction components of the garden, hard work but most rewarding.

There is a great feeling of commerardary amongt the other construction teams, so far we have borrowed  a diggers , fork lift wheel barrows etc.

The standard of workmanship is high as one would expect and we can all look forward to a wonderful show.

We are working 10-12 hr days thre old joints are waring not so well but sleeping like a baby.

More later in the week.

Alex

We managed to load the trucks with what we think is every thing that we will need ?

Good drive up No real problems, just one heck of a way to commute to work.

Found our plot and met the team from Hambrooks who are building phase one.

Found Hotel.... and we are now off out for dinner.

More tommorow With pics all being well.

Alex

THE COMMON LAW OF BUSINESS

"It’s unwise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay too little. When you pay too much you lose a little money – that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the things it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It can’t be done if you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better"

John Ruskin 1819-1906

There are an awful lot of new or garden beginers now joining garden network all looking for help so how a bout a new groupe where us pros can assist new gardeners to either sort out there own plot or to help people start a new business or get a foot hold in the industry so what are your thoughts ?

Alex

Just started a new group the reading list you might want to check it out.

Any one can join

ADW

Here is a thought it seems that there are now members from all over the place now on garden network.

And we have seen pics of each others work etc

But what about where we work from?

So could it be possible to show photos of the view from our office?

Has any one heard about the proposed legislation that when you construct any non permeable surface {drive terrace or patio }

That as of this autumn planning permission will have to be applied for.

Is seems that it is connection with the paving over of front gardens and the issue of drainage.

Its looks like that they are recommending the use of Suds systems {Sustainable Drainge systems}

I awit your resonse.

ADW

Well a nother week over time spent in the delicate act of balancing staff,clients suppliers,paying bills and hpofully getting paid.

Driving home this evening along the embankment spotted a clent walking with his family they are down for the weekend.

pleasantries exchanged congrats from the on our most recent award{for there garden} thanks to them for ther patronage.

They then expressed how pleased they are with the finished jo and what pleasuer the have in spending time in it .

It then struck me that we are not in the landscape inustry or garden design but the industry of making people Happy .

Have a good weekend all

ADW

Just to let you all know that the tree and the man are no longer.

Sorry i will rephrase that ---- the tree is no longer there and the man has returned to his home - I think.

This now ends the episode and the pic on my profile will remaine fo one more week [ see man in tree- House holders beware]

ADW

Home owners beware, should you think that the quote you received for that Patio,tree work or the design for a new garden was to expensive

And then thought well it cant be that difficult !

Remember these people do this for a living they are qualified trained and experianced

Check out the photos of man in tree on my profile. Apparently this was day 5.

Take heed.

To day i had reason to visit one of the local villages and was amazed at what i found,

In a little side street was a man lodged in a tree. He was in the process of trying to prune the ash tree ,quite a common site im sure but when i said he was lodged i mean lodged.

It appeared he had nailed bits of timber to the tree and formed an array of ropes to tieto the tree and lower it bit by bit.

It seem from talking to one of his nieghbours he had been at the task for four days. The main reason being he was using a bow saw strapped to a garden hoe and bits kept on getting stuck.

I observed another nieghbour lurking in an ajoining garden looking most worried, probably because there where three cars parked near the said tree.

I intend to return tomorrow with my camera to capture the action. Watch this space.

Help

I have a client that wishes us to render a wall using a render that will set with a white finish?

We have used snowcrete in the past to get a softer tone as appossed to grey .But we are a bit stumped????

Ant ideas?

ADW

Im looking out the window at the river Dart the all looks so peaceful and it is hard to belive that the shipping forcast has just forcast  winds 8-10 possible violent storm force 11, chainsaws have been sharpened and chipper at the ready . so we shall see what faces us tomorrow .

ADW