Still being written ….. photos to be added ….
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Note: To make the text larger or smaller, do the following things: If you are right-handed, use the cursor in the following way:
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Note: I would like to share with you through these few words, photographs and hyperlinked websites, a 3 Dimensional experience as though you were actually there with us. Click on any photograph and it should enlarge to different size ….. at least half screen or size full screen. It will be clearer in detail than the photo on the post. It will be as if you were really there looking at the actual scene. You are an arm chair traveller with us.
If you would also like to see the post in a larger or smaller size, I suggest you follow this procedure: If you right-handed, with your left hand, press down continuously on the Control Function Key with your left hand and with your right hand, move the little cursor wheel either forwards or backwards to make the text in the post larger or smaller.
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Design & Construction in 1990 ….. Over a three month period
Private Residential Garden consisting of the following aspects in the design brief and final sequence:
- Design a garden for a young couple who only had then one small child ….. both of the couple were very busy people working in their business …. Both loved rainforest areas ….. the design in qualities and implementation had to be flexible: Strategy: done by initial, site survey with levels taken from the architects plan, concept drawings then confirmed with sketch plans implementing with a design and project management approach …. Many quick and decisive onsite meetings with client’s wife (who was excellent with $$ being added in her head), being paid weekly for all outstanding labour and design fees, the client paying on the spot of all machinery , all plants and raw materials …. Resulted in up to three bobcats running at a time, fifteen men working at peak times, truckloads of plants arriving onsite, two assistant designers providing supervision.
- Design and implement a rainforest garden down a steep north facing slope: the existing stands of tall eucalypt trees and occasional dry rainforest trees provided an instant screening canopy for the new rainforest plantings … this was then complemented by an inground irrigation system which used raised canopy sprays for spraying over large areas … a dry creek system in a small eastern gully was planted in dense groves of Bangalow palms …. Excess drainage from the site drained into this dry creek system then into the lower creek.
- Provide a visual link to the creek at the bottom of the land from the north facing verandah: trees here were planted as dry land native plants ….. as they only grow a few metres high, this wouldn’t obstruct the visual view of the creek.
- Siteworks: setout all levels of pool, paths, set terraces and driveway levels ….. have bobcats cleanup all areas., remove rubbish.
- Provide easy access around the steep slope of the garden: done by designing and constructing a series of descending stone steps done from a source of naturally split sandstone slabs … Bobcat to get them initially clear the site then putting them in with a small excavator.
- Timber Bridge: design and finally built by the house builder as we were constructing the landscape work. ….. measure out the final position of the bridge with the carpenter
- Front Pond: design and supervise a five metre long pond at the base of a steep embankment at the front boundary …. Allow this pond to overflow into the eastern dry creek.
- Paths: design and build a simple system of gravel paths done with decomposed granite ….. meets with mulch and sandstone steps in an informal manner.
- Swimming pool: Provide initial design for:
- a twelve metre natural pool size
- sleeper decking design
- natural boulders ledges design so boulders form a natural water outline in sections of the pool alternating with sleeper decking
Then supervise the pool layout through out with regard to levels in relationship to planned paths and existing Bio-Cycle lawn area level: …. Provide boulders, position in pool, grout all the pool / boulder spaces, coat grout with black oxide render ….. supervise the black render on the pool interior for a blue / black denim look to the pool water.
- Heavy 20 ++ metre natural log retaining: use natural logs carefully placed by mobile crane on the site to retain earth banks adjacent to pathways descending from the house level to the pool ..… supervise a mobile crane and semitrailer to gather logs along forested mountain roads on the road to Mt. Nebo …. north of Brisbane ….. alternate log placement with naturally split sandstone boulders which graded into split sandstone slab steps.
- Creek relocation: discuss with the Brisbane City Council representative the bylaws on creek disturbance in the Brisbane area …. Supervise a large excavator to come in clean out a large pool for future irrigation of the garden.
- Formal Front Gates: discuss with client and the interior designer the style of front double traffic gates and an adjacent pedestrian gate plus sandstone pillars to hang the gates from ….. organise casual labour who only had trade experience in blockwork, tiling and brick laying to physically build in a fine style, all the stone work ….. one of my assistant designer / project managers to supervise the actual by working physical with men.
- Administration: provide weekly invoices to client on all labour and consulting fee for the entire week plus provide daily machine and material invoices to be paid by the client on the spot …. Pay weekly all individual labours with individual pay-packets (up to fifteen at a time).
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