Garden photos
Obviously Dave is usually just cracking on working in gardens rather than taking photos. But here are just a few pics of the many gardens in the Keswick and Cockermouth area that he has worked on.
Dave now specialises in garden tidy-ups but will also happily quote for small landscaping projects, such as the ones below.
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Farm garden near Cockermouth
All of the work here was done entirely by Dave.
The old fence and concrete plinth are removed, fence line moved back and a new more secure fence and gate created. The shabby corner is tidied up with an attractive corner bed and planting. A much more appealing garden entrance.
A really scruffy part of the garden is smartened up with steps made from old sandstone, lawn edging removed and reinstalled properly and some attractive trellis and planting to tie in to the new polytunnel.
Over 2 tons of rubble and rocks were dug out of the soil in this area to create a new kitchen garden and fruit beds.
This conifer was only going to get bigger – much bigger! The tree was topped, ‘snedded’ and dropped.
Once the tree waste was removed the rustic trellis was extended and the stump turned into a bird bath with an old sandstone top. A willow branch makes the bird feeder ‘tree’ and new texture added with materials found around the farm yard. Now it’s a pretty seating area with amazing views.
Landscaping
Dave usually works on his own on smaller projects but, in the below Landscaping examples, he worked as a sub-contractor to a larger local design and landscaping firm as their patio layer and fencer.
A family garden in Cockermouth
Here Dave has built the fence and laid the patio in this Cockermouth garden.
He also created the raised beds. A huge improvement in this small family garden.
5* holiday cottage woodland garden in Keswick
Again sub contracting, Dave has laid the stone path edgings, paved the patio and steps and done much of the planting.
Garden Evolution
Amazingly this garden near Cockermouth is only two years old. The first pic shows the empty lawned garden, now divided into three areas. Dave has built the fence, arches, rustic trellis and – well – pretty much everything. The work has been done in stages over the two years and is still ongoing.
The winding path is created from old local sandstone slates and antique bricks and leads to a generous sandstone patio under a timber pergola. Every slab for the path had to be cut by hand to exact angles. The white metal bench is set on a second small sunken ‘morning coffee’ patio which matches the larger main patio.
Moving from the first area through the kitchen garden area in the centre of the garden. The previous autumn Dave worked on improving the soil and you can see the results. See ‘Elements’ below for the raised bed structures which are here hidden by the luxuriant growth.
Dave built this pretty rustic arch which leads through from the kitchen garden to a circular gravel patio with a central fire pit. This is where you’ll find our editor in her hammock on a sunny evening.
Cockermouth & Keswick patios
Dave laid all the patios below. Some as a sub contractor and some in garden evolution projects.
Indian sandstone patios in two Cockermouth gardens
Indian sandstone patios in The Parklands, Cockermouth
Reclaimed sandstone paving near Cockermouth
The client wanted local material and for the patio to look as though it had always been there. The thick sandstone ‘slates’ were reclaimed from a barn roof near Dalston. Dave has cut and dressed each slab by hand before laying the patio.
Spring’s Road, Keswick
Again, Indian sandstone. Just very nice, tidy and professional workmanship.
Blinkcrake large family garden
Two different paving materials and styles on two different levels in this very large family garden near Cockermouth.
A Keswick garden in Lonsties
Garden elements
Just a snapshot of many, many garden elements, all built by hand by Dave
Rustic arches
Two very pretty rustic arches build by hand by Dave. The first is in Bassenthwaite village near Keswick (with Dave’s rustic trellis wall topping) and the second in Gilcrux near Cockermouth.
Supporting arch in Keswick
An old arch was rotted and collapsing under the weight of the ancient wisteria. The huge wisteria had to be supported while the arch was built underneath it, making the job more complicated. An excellent end result and the wisteria was completely unharmed.
Raised beds and fencing
The client wanted the vegetable beds slightly raised and contained to keep the paths clean. The gravel path has been laid with a solid but free draining sub base and used reclaimed old flags in pea gravel. The raised beds are made from treated scaffold boards and the fence is constructed with hand built timber uprights (each varying in length as the ground slopes) and topped with pre-made trellis panels from a local supplier.
Mixed beds and pots
A pleasing combination of corner beds and mixed pots planted with perennials
A gardener at home
A truly green fingered gardener will grow anywhere. It’s amazing what can be grown even on concrete. Here’s just a few pics of Dave’s own gardening at his home, hopefully they give you an idea of the man and his love of all things green.
Sunflowers are optional!
Contact
- Mobile: 07982 849986
- Email:[email protected]
