First colours of spring arrive in The Enchanted Forest, A Garden By David Keegan Garden Design

"Further Tales From The Enchanted Forest" 

Pictures from The Forest Garden, (Post 3) May 21st 2015

  

  

"The Enchanted Forest" 

Second colours of spring arrive, (Post 2) May 1st 2015

Reflections of Enchantment
A picture of the forest garden taken by Alan as mirrored in his kitchen counter.

A poem borrowed from EE Cummings

[in Just-]

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

in Just-

spring          when the world is mud-

luscious the little

lame balloonman

whistles          far          and wee

and eddieandbill come

running from marbles and

piracies and it's

spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer

old balloonman whistles

far          and             wee

and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's

spring

and

         the

                  goat-footed

balloonMan          whistles

far

and

wee

Cherry blossom abounds 

Drooping pale pink and arching tree fern fronds,
 like some delicious ripple,
 a sunburst, a lightness,
a touch and call to summer,
i cannot but be enchanted.

Fresh fern fronds dangle and dance in the light, 

redolent of some mythical sea creatures.

Who believes in Hobbits and dinosaurs

 things past,

in simple things ,

 magic and spells cast,

 stories and poems,

  glances and suggestion,

Sit a while to ponder.

An unfurling tongue

Name it, but where the beauty then, in such perfect simplicity?

Dangling hearts of purest white.

The Enchanted Forest (Post 1) 8th April 2015

First of a new series of posts from a garden i completed a couple of years back. This is only one part of a very large project, but one of my favorites. My plan for what was a small disused rear garden area, to try and create a space that would eventually feel like a somewhat enchanting place in defiance of its location in the midst of a densely populated urban conurbation, albeit on its own plot and behind high walls and fences. Now, almost 4 years on plants are starting to look established and the tree ferns, which all  cautioned against using, have done better here than any i have seen outside of Devon or Cornwall thanks to a wonderful localised micro climate.The place has been tweaked over the 4 years with additional elements and plants added over the time in what is an organic approach in an attempt to reach a point of harmony, it continues. The aim to follow its progress using mainly pictures from this first spring awakening through to winters rest.

Special thanks to a wonderful client Alan for for keeping the faith and being prepared to continue to invest both time money and patience in the pursuit of an ideal.

                                                                  

  The enchanted forest today

The area as it first appeared

 Times gone by the upper area was little more than a waste ground.

The Enchanted Forest Spring Awakening

 One of the most graceful of ferns Lophosoria quadripinnata  arches above moss covered limestone outcrop, below the first signs of what will be a mass of bluebells.

A truly marvelous and rare Trillium, a somewhat Jurrasic looking plant and flower

 Heavenly Camellia inflorescence creates a colorful backdrop to the forest boundary.

 Spectacular Hellebore's

 The surreal unfurling of Podophyllum pleianthum flower pods and leaves.

Wonderful deep greens of  Polystichmun munitum keeps the interest going year round.

 Arching fronds of Dicksonia Antarctica  add volume and an airy magic to the forest canopy

Nearer The The Forest Floor
The haunting and other worldly beauty of ferns

Dwarf narcissus add colour and cheer to the canopy floor

Unfurling foliage of Dicentra 'King Of Hearts'

Last of the summer sun, a visit to Biddulph Grange Gardens cared for by the National Trust UK, By David Keegan Garden Design

Picture diary of a visit to National Trust Biddulph Grange Gardens Staffordshire

I have visited Biddulph gardens a couple of times now over the past year and it remains one of my favorite and inspiring gardens in the UK. One can only wonder at the the adventurous, daring, ingenuity of James Bateman in imaging the construct of this complex arrangement of rooms and expressions in landscape, all the more so give that the gardens are not merely confined to those contained, but venture far beyond into imagined Himalayan walkways, a boating lake, caves, tunnels, bridges and rivers. Playful, yet serious in execution, surely the most ambitious and accomplished of its kind anywhere in the world.

New Garden Design Project in Sandbach, Cheshire East, by David Keegan Garden Design

Update (2)  May 1st  Hard landscaping now almost complete.

This project on the verge of completion is really coming together and starting to take shape. Although i planted the larger trees and shrubs a few weeks ago the garden is now almost ready for final planting. Details on this particular project include a Sedum green roof to the structure over the western red cedar hot tub. All decking is in locally sourced Oak with the main deck featuring an Acer Griseum Avenue as seen in picture. These should add real drama leaf colour changes with the seasons. 

But the real star of the show here will be the outdoor aquarium constructed to contain to rectangular laminated glass viewing ports which will be lit with underwater lighting and should be quite a spectacle. Planting is scheduled for completion mid May and this blog post will be updated again at this point with up to date pictures.

View from above split hazel hurdle fence in foreground newly planted Acres beyond and hot tub enclosure with Sedum roof.

Oak deck avenue leading from aquarium terrace to mid point raised viewing platform and on to hot tub enclosure.

Hot tub enclosure

Split hazel hurdle fence with planting bed to fore

Update(1) The build gets underway March 3rd 2015

The first posting from this project in Sandbach in Cheshire and the build team are making very good progress. The really interesting element on this i designed a fish pond with inset viewing ports a first for me and a true challenge for the builder. I am delighted to say he has risen to the challenge and i personally find the engineering solutions he has come up with intriguing. Framework can be viewed in pictures below. Aside from that the York stone terrace is  down and have to say the quality of the stone from a quarry in Huddersfield is first rate. In other pictures framework for the main deck is now in and raised platform now under construction and this area will enjoy wonderful views to the Farms and landscape beyond.  Next phase will see the further reaches of the plot excavated to take the sunken Western Red Cedar hot tub and the green roof housing that will be built over.

View across new terrace to outdoor aquarium

Details of galvanized steel frame that will house viewing glass panel.

Small dividing brick wall seaperates garden spaces also frame for deck platform which will have trees interpenetrated for volume and dimension.

Team work on construction of raised platform with pretty decent views beyond

Split hazel hurdle panels which will be used to create new fence and gate to afford greater privacyt and intimacy to rear garden areas.

A view from where hot tub will eventually be located and frame for boardwalk that will connect the spaces

A view!

New project in Sandbach for David Keegan Garden Design in Cheshire East, North West UK.

Another very interesting, and challenging, project for David Keegan garden design in what is fast turning out to be our busiest year ever. Again this property is fortunate enough to have unbroken views to farmland and mountains in the distance. The project will involve a quite tricky, and challenging  but exciting, task of installing a large fish pond with a glass wall, visible both from within the house and a sunken style dining terrace.  The client would also like a hot tub so we will be looking to install and incorporate a western red cedar tub sunken to just above ground level. Watch this post to follow how this project progresses over the next year or so!

 Overview of new landscape plans

 3D image of what will be new western red cedar hot tub and enclosure

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