Garden Landscape: The Charm Style Garden Apr 2010

A favorite place to relax with a book and a cup of tea, you can’t go wrong with a charm style garden.

It radiates calmness and gentleness through its poetic and delicate touches, and provides ease and comfort to anyone who spends time in it.

With neutral shades that blend naturally with the greenery, the “Victoria” chat set fits in seamlessly. Its delicately curved base and decorative floral pillows give the garden a soothing vibe. The flower pot and fire columns add to the harmony of the outdoor space.

Climbing vines intertwine around obelisks and bring out the garden’s romantic and dream-like qualities. In candlelight, a charm style garden inevitably creates a romantic atmosphere. 

VICTORIA

CHAT SET

2 TIER FOUNTAIN

BOND

FIRE COLUMN

DRAGONFLY SOLAR GARDEN LIGHT

Make an obelisk trellis

This obelisk trellis is a charming and practical feature to add to your garden. Standing seven feet tall to the peak of its cap, it is a decorative, eye-catching way to show off climbing plants, which can be enjoyed from all sides. The obelisk is formed from two identical sides joined together with rails and cross braces. All the parts are nailed together. Level 1, less than 2 hours. To download the PDF plan of this project, you will need Acrobat Reader.

List of tools Mitre saw  Pneumatic nailer  Pencil  Measuring tape

List of materials 4 pine strips, 2" x 2" x 96"  7 pine strips, 1" x 2" x 96"  1 pine board, 1" x 12" x 12"  1 pine board, 2" x 10" x 10"  1 “Gothic” cedar post cap  1 flat cedar post cap  18-gauge 1 ½ " finishing nails for pneumatic nailer  Paint

Create a paving slabs and river stones patio Paving slabs and river stones create a unique border for this sunny patio, helping to define the space and elegantly tying it in with the surrounding lawn. This patio measures 10'x 11' and is surrounded by a 12" inner border of river stones and a 12" outer border of paving slabs, making a total surface area of 12'x 13'. Level 1, week-end project. NOTE ON PAVERS AND SLABS We strongly recommend you store a few replacement units outside so that they are exposed to the same conditions as the installed blocks. This will help ensure that the replacement unit blends seamlessly with the existing stones. List of tools Edge trimmer  Shovel  Rake  Wheelbarrow  Tow 1" diameter pipes  Straight plank  Measuring tapes  Pickets  Mallet  Cotton string  Vibrating plate  Broom List of materials 0 - ¾" crushed stone  Stone dust  River stone  Paving slabs  Polymeric sand  Plastic anchor and nails  Geotextile membrane Delineate the perimeter Verify if any conduits or wires are located in the area to be excavated. If so, contact the representatives of the companies concerned. If in doubt, contact your municipality.  With pickets and string, mark the boundaries of the area to be excavated. This area is the total surface area of the patio plus an additional 12" on all sides, i.e. 14f x 15f, to ensure the stability of the paving. Check that all the corners are square using the 3-4-5 rule: on one side of a corner, measure 3f (36") from the corner and make a mark; then on the opposite side of the corner, measure 4f (48") from the corner and make a mark. Next, measure diagonally between the two marks. If the distance is 5f (60"), the corner is square. Repeat this procedure for the three remaining corners and make adjustments if necessary. Remove the grass and excavate Cut out a 12" strip of turf all around the patio, following the string line. Roll up the turf and keep it aside. Remove the rest of the grass and excavate the entire surface. To ensure adequate drainage, excavate the soil to obtain a minimum incline of 2%, or ¼" per linear foot. Level the bottom or the excavation with a rake. If the soil is sandy or granular, compact it with a vibrating plate or roller. Do not pack clay soil at this stage. Lay a geotextile membrane between the natural soil and the foundation in order to prevent contamination of the foundation and to ensure greater stability. Note: For a sandy soil, the minimum excavation required is 8 7/8", and the minimum foundation thickness is 6" (0-3/4" crushed stone). For a clay soil, the minimum excavation required is 11", and the minimum foundation thickness 8". In both cases, the thickness of uncompacted installation bed (stone dust) should be between 5/8" and 1". Prepare the foundation and the installation bed Spread and compact the ¾" stone in 4" layers with a vibrating plate or roller. Lightly water the stone to make tamping easier. To ensure an adequate foundation, compact the stone several times. . Spread between 5/8" and 1" of concrete sand or stone dust on the foundation. Level using two 1" diameter pipes and a straight plank that will slide on both pipes. Any significant variation in bed thickness may cause irregularities in the paved surface. Do not compact the sand before laying the slabs. Fill in the empty space left by the pipes as you go. Lay the slabs Move the pickets and string inwards to mark the boundary of the inner patio area (10f x 11f), again checking that all four corners are square. Lay the slabs directly on the stone dust starting in an angle, row by row. Proceed by walking on the slabs. Verify the alignment of the slabs every five rows installed and adjust if necessary. Continue the installation until the complete interior surface is covered. Surround the paved surface with plastic anchor to maintain slabs straight and tight. Anchor the nails in the foundation. Count one nail per foot. Lay the outer border of 12" paving slabs around the inner patio area, using a template such as a square of plywood to ensure regular and even spacing. Install plastic edging around the outer edge of the paved border. Fill the joints and lay the gravel Spread polymeric sand over the slabs and work it into the joints by brushing in all directions. Remove the excess sand, and water. Fill the space between the patio and the paved border with river stones. Replace the strip of turf around the outside of the pavers, adding soil if necessary. Water the turf. This pretty border of river stones will enhance your patio to make it a unique and inviting outdoor living space.