We also, as pensioners, moved into a new-build where the builders said they would lay topsoil. I would take that with a pinch of salt!! Our garden was solid compacted clay, full of builders' rubble. We had to employ people to make it workable, but every time we tried to dig a hole to plant something, we were faced with digging out very large stones, and in some cases, boulders. I wish you luck, perhaps your builders will be better than ours! I think Fairygirl is right - you have to wait and see what you've got once the house built.
Thanks for your post. Yes we must be TRULY mad to be taking on another new build having just had two moves in the last 10 years to new builds with gardens that were sheer hard work. As you say solid compacted clay and full of builders' rubble! At least the other two were only small gardens now I have the challenge of an enormous (in comparison) new build garden! MADNESS! And I am getting too old now really to keep facing these challenges! Just wish the house was on a nice flat bit of ground instead of banks everywhere. Trust you now have a garden you are happy with .
Another thought that occurred to me, I went on a tour and talk about the new planting at Chatsworth. Vast numbers of perennials had been planted on awful basic shale soil that is probably as bad if not worse than the average building site. Their solution was to lay 200mm of composted green waste directly on top of that soil (no digging) and plant directly into it. If you plant shrubs you will still have to dig pits and break up the soil where you want to plant, but it shows what you can do with a bit of lateral thinking (and access to lots of green waste).
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
On that bank I would think about using soil retaining mesh or similar to hold the topsoil in place, depending how steep it is.
It is used for retaining motorway embankments, and if you look at about 37 minutes in this very early 4th ever episode of Grand Designs it shows Kevin McCloud being educated about it on a screening bank with clay soil. You can see him transforming on screen from his previous career as a house decorator into an architectural buff. The episode is interesting, with my favourite background music of any of them - it has the feel of Herb Alpert on the original version of Casino Royale. It is the first one with the water tower.
Will require some small investment, but I have sometimes seen sections of it on Ebay. Other similar products are available.
Personally I might choose to save some money on something inside the house to update in a few years to allow me to put a firmer foundation in for the garden.
Ferdinand
“Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
I have to ask, why are you buying this house when it seems you really really don't want this garden? Surely there are other options that are more suited to what you want and need?
I have to ask, why are you buying this house when it seems you really really don't want this garden? Surely there are other options that are more suited to what you want and need? ................................................................................
I think it must be my PC because I just can't seem to reply out of the grey area! An equally valid Q would be "how come you have moved into newbuilds with challenging gardens 3 times in 10 years"! And in answering that Q (which I wont bore you with) you would start to understand why we are now about to move into the property we are in the process of having built. We want new, we want detached, we want parking , we want a bit of space between neighbours, we don't want a vast housing estate and we are on an extremely limited budget. Believe me (and I am someone how has been on Rightmove for a year) such houses are almost non-existent under £300,000 let alone under £220,000 . The garden of this house doesn't make sense at our age but my aim is to make it as manageable as I can with a limited budget.
Another thought that occurred to me, I went on a tour and talk about the new planting at Chatsworth. Vast numbers of perennials had been planted on awful basic shale soil that is probably as bad if not worse than the average building site. Their solution was to lay 200mm of composted green waste directly on top of that soil (no digging) and plant directly into it. If you plant shrubs you will still have to dig pits and break up the soil where you want to plant, but it shows what you can do with a bit of lateral thinking (and access to lots of green waste).
How interesting I will do a bit of research. Oh to be in my 30's again or even 40's or 50's !
On that bank I would think about using soil retaining mesh or similar to hold the topsoil in place, depending how steep it is.
It is used for retaining motorway embankments, and if you look at about 37 minutes in this very early 4th ever episode of Grand Designs it shows Kevin McCloud being educated about it on a screening bank with clay soil. You can see him transforming on screen from his previous career as a house decorator into an architectural buff. The episode is interesting, with my favourite background music of any of them - it has the feel of Herb Alpert on the original version of Casino Royale. It is the first one with the water tower.
Will require some small investment, but I have sometimes seen sections of it on Ebay. Other similar products are available.
Personally I might choose to save some money on something inside the house to update in a few years to allow me to put a firmer foundation in for the garden.
Ferdinand
Hi - It sounds interesting I will have a watch (maybe over Christmas) when I am somewhere with internet (currently using mobile data as a hotspot so can't be on long.) Sadly at our age there will be no more money in a few years for things inside the house or out as we are living on basic state pensions! Wow Herb Alpert it's a long time since I heard that name !
Sorry but Ihave the feeling that your house won't be ready in March, always double a builders time frame. Work is good whatever age but will you end up not enjoying it because you can't afford to do what you want or have the ability and stamina either. The suggestion of a wild flower meadow was a good one at least for the first year while you sort the house out, it might be new but there is still an amount of work to get it homely. I remember in our first new build my husband spent the first week putting up shelves, hooks, toilet roll holder and towels rails! I hope you have a family willing to help out.
Another thought that occurred to me, I went on a tour and talk about the new planting at Chatsworth. Vast numbers of perennials had been planted on awful basic shale soil that is probably as bad if not worse than the average building site. Their solution was to lay 200mm of composted green waste directly on top of that soil (no digging) and plant directly into it. If you plant shrubs you will still have to dig pits and break up the soil where you want to plant, but it shows what you can do with a bit of lateral thinking (and access to lots of green waste).
That interests me. What does 200mm of green waste mean here? Is it essentially a layer of stuff as strong as topsoil in weight / texture ie well digested, or is it light stuff that will reduce by three quarters?
I guess we all put 3" of green waste down when we mulch well, but that will not add 3 inches to the soil depth.
Sounds really interesting.
F
“Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
On that bank I would think about using soil retaining mesh or similar to hold the topsoil in place, depending how steep it is.
It is used for retaining motorway embankments, and if you look at about 37 minutes in this very early 4th ever episode of Grand Designs it shows Kevin McCloud being educated about it on a screening bank with clay soil. You can see him transforming on screen from his previous career as a house decorator into an architectural buff. The episode is interesting, with my favourite background music of any of them - it has the feel of Herb Alpert on the original version of Casino Royale. It is the first one with the water tower.
Will require some small investment, but I have sometimes seen sections of it on Ebay. Other similar products are available.
Personally I might choose to save some money on something inside the house to update in a few years to allow me to put a firmer foundation in for the garden.
Ferdinand
Hi - It sounds interesting I will have a watch (maybe over Christmas) when I am somewhere with internet (currently using mobile data as a hotspot so can't be on long.) Sadly at our age there will be no more money in a few years for things inside the house or out as we are living on basic state pensions! Wow Herb Alpert it's a long time since I heard that name !
On topic: If it is such a small build (one house? or one of a few?) can you persuade the developer to do what you want a bit more? It depends perhaps on who is the protagonist taking the risk I guess. All the best, anyway.
It's a fun Grand Designs episode, with people who knew exactly what they were doing - and the first one I saw where KM ran into real commercial architectural techniques on a domestic build, from curtain walling, to this stuff.
On-topic ish.
Perhaps avoid the 1967 Casino Royale - very 1960s and parody Bond ("Miss Goodthighs") with Peter Sellars. Here are the titles, which is the nice boppy Herb Alpert number.
Posts
It is used for retaining motorway embankments, and if you look at about 37 minutes in this very early 4th ever episode of Grand Designs it shows Kevin McCloud being educated about it on a screening bank with clay soil. You can see him transforming on screen from his previous career as a house decorator into an architectural buff. The episode is interesting, with my favourite background music of any of them - it has the feel of Herb Alpert on the original version of Casino Royale. It is the first one with the water tower.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6d47ts
Will require some small investment, but I have sometimes seen sections of it on Ebay. Other similar products are available.
Personally I might choose to save some money on something inside the house to update in a few years to allow me to put a firmer foundation in for the garden.
Ferdinand
Work is good whatever age but will you end up not enjoying it because you can't afford to do what you want or have the ability and stamina either.
The suggestion of a wild flower meadow was a good one at least for the first year while you sort the house out, it might be new but there is still an amount of work to get it homely. I remember in our first new build my husband spent the first week putting up shelves, hooks, toilet roll holder and towels rails!
I hope you have a family willing to help out.
I guess we all put 3" of green waste down when we mulch well, but that will not add 3 inches to the soil depth.
Sounds really interesting.
F
On topic:
If it is such a small build (one house? or one of a few?) can you persuade the developer to do what you want a bit more? It depends perhaps on who is the protagonist taking the risk I guess. All the best, anyway.
It's a fun Grand Designs episode, with people who knew exactly what they were doing - and the first one I saw where KM ran into real commercial architectural techniques on a domestic build, from curtain walling, to this stuff.
On-topic ish.
Perhaps avoid the 1967 Casino Royale - very 1960s and parody Bond ("Miss Goodthighs") with Peter Sellars. Here are the titles, which is the nice boppy Herb Alpert number.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSEmKXzpQMQ