Relaxed French Garden Installation
The owners of this beautiful space wanted a garden with a relaxed, French country feel and were very involved in the process from the beginning. They wanted a large table (since purchased) for entertaining under a grape arbor. We designed and fabricated a metal arbor and the grapes are on their way to covering. The planting color scheme is very controlled with predominantly purple, some lavendars, pinks and magentas. And there are several edibles including figs, kale, blueberries, apples and lemons. As a designer, I dislike having drains in the patio. Everything sheet drains to the patio edge where there is a French drain with ornamental gravel all the way to the top. The chocolate flagstone patio is a warm mauve brown that complements the color of the house. The gravel driveway has fabric, base rock and another layer of fabric with a mixture of fines and 1/4″ crushed gravel. This makes it functional and contributes to the French Mediterranean feel. This garden is growing in beautifully and we will add updated pictures as it matures.
Interconnecting pathway from driveway to front entry.
Putting final touches on masonry.
Beginning pour for front entry walkway, showing rebar and base rock.
Flagstone buffer between city sidewalk and gravel driveway.
Stone lining installed for driveway, gravel installed.
Stone for back rock walls, edging for driveway and front pathway.
Driveway formed. Fabric installed for under gravel.
All driveway concrete removed, driveway regraded.
Excavation for French drain at end of patio that all patio water sheet drains into.
Metal arbor anchored to concrete.
Begin fabricating metal arbor.
Flagstone installed in back patio and grouting.
Piping run into flow well cannister.
Flowwell installed. (All water goes back into water table on-site.)
Drainage pipe graded so there is a slight continual slope.
Downspout water picked in drainpipes so garden is not eroded.
Flagstone installed. All joints will be cut evenly.
Palettes of chocolate flagstone delivered.
Rebar installed and concrete poured.
Back garden formed, view from driveway entry.
New patio formed and base rock installed, ready for forming and rebar.
Back garden before, removing old pavers.
Trenching for beginning installation of drainage.