Garden construction

Ground levelling, ground modelling

Ground works are the largest, most time-consuming and most expensive parts of garden construction. The necessary soil changes, planting holes, construction of knolls, the laying of public utilities and irrigation systems, the lighting, the placing of garden rocks, determine the future appearance of the whole garden. These are the less spectacular parts of garden construction, but in the long term they have a huge influence on the appearance of the garden. The position of plants, shrubs or trees can be changed later on, but badly prepared soil and groundworks cannot be corrected, so they remain unfavourable for the life of the garden. During construction it is therefore worth paying attention to these. The ground modelling, creating interesting contours and spaces that embrace you are key elements in determining the feel of the finished garden.

Garden furnishings, garden structures

We can design and/or supply all of the following: Garden furnishings, benches, garden furniture, fire places, grill and barbecue places, sculptures, tubs, flower boxes, paving, fencing, bird feeders, lamps, litter-bins, birdbaths. Garden structures: retaining walls, steps, pergolas, flower trellises, summer houses, arbours, garden paths, pavements, terraces, flagpoles.

Water architecture (ponds, creeks, waterfalls, watercourses)

Our mystic sympathy for water possibly originates from times before birth, from the mother womb. The unconscious, submerged security experienced during the nine months spent floating in the womb, gave safety, protection, comfort and love. Later, we can experience this again - when swimming or bathing - and feel that same rest and peacefulness. The need for this feeling of security is true not only physically but also mentally and spiritually. When we are listening to a symphonic orchestra or engrossed in reading a book, we are immersed in it mentally. It is an experience such as this that we would like to create for you with water in our gardens.

Rock gardens, stone gardens

Rock gardens and stone gardens with ground modelling around the rocks, along with water architecture, are among the most dramatic and nicest parts of the garden. Japanese people consider stones as living elements of the garden, just like we do with plants. Looking at stones and rocks weighing several tons, carrying the history of 200 million years, it is not a strange thought at all. In the stone quarries we choose lime stone full of fossil remains piece by piece, by hand, and pick only the stone which is undamaged and without cracks. Once positioned, the dug-in stones give dignity to the garden, which is enhanced by lively alpine plants. The water in the rock garden - in the form of a stream or a little pond - adds a new dimension to the garden by its sound and its soft appearance. It is hard to find a more satisfying garden music than the gurgle of water, and a nicer scene than that of birds coming to the stream to drink and bathe.

Plants

1. Trees
   Trees make trellis works between the garden and the environment. With their shade, winter form, fine foliage, colour, fruits, flowers and imposing sizes they have stood close to our heart for a long time. Maybe that is the reason they are said to have souls, which lift their branches high and form a connection between sky and land. Trees are by far the most dominant vertical elements of space, so it matters what kind we choose and how we plant them. Our advice is generally to plant mature trees, which give atmosphere to the garden with their outstanding ornamental value. With professional planting and staking, trees can quickly become dominant elements of the garden.
2. Shrubs (or bushes)
   Shrubs and bushes are the group of plants, which in terms of size fit between trees and ground covering plants. Shrubs give form to the garden, separate spaces, edge the paths, and create hidden garden enclosures. They make embracing spaces and soften the appearance of sculptures, garden rocks and buildings. In the Japanese gardens the plasticity of shrubs with their waving, dense, hedge-like appearance give the impression of miniature nature. We can categorize shrubs in many ways according to their bloom, shape, foliage, colour, size, soil and sun demand etc. But instead of that we would like to clarify the categories of deciduous and evergreen. Deciduous plants lose their leaves and become bold in winter (like Kojac) while evergreens do not do that. They are covered with leaves in winter and summer too. But the category of evergreens covers not only conifers (miniature pines, yews, junipers, thujas, false cypresses) but also broad-leaved ones, like bay-cherries, barberries (Mahonias) and boxwoods. We also distinguish the so-called winter green plants, which stay green in wintertime and lose their foliage only in very cold winters, but recover in spring.
3. Perennials and bulbs
   This plant group, which may seem insignificant when first planted, are the closest to our heart. The filigree-leaved flowering perennials soften the habit and stiff branches of trees and shrubs. The ever-changing perennials give splashes of colour to the garden when the main bloom of shrubs is over. Bulbs are the first harbingers of spring, and as the first ones always hold the highest respect.
4. Annuals and biennials
   The garden is like a rolling, ever-changing and pulsating abundance of flowers, but the main flowering time is in spring, early summer and autumn. At key points in the garden and around the house we need plants, which bloom right round the year. We call them annuals and biennials. Annuals are decorative from May until the first frosts, biennials bloom from October to early summer. It is impossible to list all the annuals: marigolds, petunias, begonias, impatiens and salvias are some of the favourite summer plants in our gardens. Pansies, forget-me-nots and daisies are biennials, decorative in autumn, winter and spring.
5. Garden lawn and turf
   In everyday use we do not distinguish between lawn and turf. In garden construction these two terms mean different qualities:
   • Turf: consists of coarse-leafed grass species, which make a looser mass. This is a less demanding green area. We mow it less frequently and it needs less maintenance.
   • Lawn: consists of exclusively fine-leafed, lawn-grass species, creating a thicker mass, which should be regularly cut short and carefully maintained. The aesthetic aspect is primary and it needs intensive maintenance.
   
   

   The carpet-like grass surfaces - consisting of fine-leafed lawn grass species - are basic for all gardens. The lawn provides rest for the eyes after the lively vertical diversity of the other plants. The quality of the lawn determines the quality of the whole garden. With our machinery we can put larger areas under grass either by sowing or by laying sod-rolls. Both of them give the same result as far as quality, but sod-rolls give an instant, useable surface, while with sowing the minimum of 6-8 cuts are necessary before you can start to use the lawn intensively. As far as soil preparation and maintenance are concerned, both technologies are similar. We use different kinds of grass seed mixtures for sowing to produced lawns suitable for different purposes. We hand over the lawns after two mowings. Until then we take all the risks (thunder storm, mole damage, wind storm etc.)
    

Planting

It is said that anybody can plant and all you need is a spade. We do plant with spades, but technical expertise makes a huge difference. To plant expensive plants under guarantee a wide range of knowledge is needed, which covers soil science, plant nutrients, water management, plant protection and other areas too. Usually we plant in planting holes supplied with powdered cow manure and Osmocote Plus complex fertiliser effective for 12-14 months. If necessary, the planting medium is improved with other materials (alginit, compost etc.). If you ask us to take care of the irrigation and supply the plants, we provide a one year guarantee for our planting and the plants.