Nobel and Brick Barns, (Before and After)
The work we carried out on this award winning property is our most detailed landscaping project to date. D.H.Bond worked closely with the clients and the landscape designer, Peter Williams, to achieve the transformation captured in the above photographs.
Firstly we had to create new entrances to both barns, so that the clients could access Brick Barn, which they were inhabiting, and the work outside could continue. A long track was formed from the top end of the property down towards the barn and temporarily linked to the existing parking area at the front. Work to the new driveway of Nobel Barn began by removing existing trees and shrubs, adjacent to the road, to create the bell mouth and entrance. This new access was used to service the work to the driveway, which consisted of excavation, compacted MOT sub-base, metal edging and surface dressing with selected chippings, contained within a plastic grid system. The entrance was then prepared and edged accordingly before D.H.Bond laid and pointed reclaimed cobbles out to meet the road.
All excavation and preparation of the soft landscaping and planting on either side of the driveway was then carried out using our 11 tonne excavator. A large quantity of quality planting soil was then imported, and a forklift used to assist in planting trees, bushes and shrubs to line the driveway and form the entrance. We then sourced a range of different sized aggregate to create the arrangement around the larger trees between the drive and the building. The work around the barn itself consisted of laying pre-cast concrete slabs that were spaced equally and filled with a selected aggregate, with the exception of the patio area where the slabs were butted together. The same slabs were also used to form the stepped path from the barn down towards the 'Rotunda Lawn'. D.H.Bond carried out all the excavation, preparation, planting and turfing to achieve this attractive, circular lawn enclosure. The entrance and parking area to the rear of Nobel Barn was formed using the same method and materials as the front.
The Brick Barn driveway was also contained by a metal edge and built up in layers of compacted MOT type 1. A fine grit was then screeded off over the entire area, in order for the plastic grid system to be laid to contain the specially selected chippings. The driveway was then lined by excavating trenches and planting more shrubs. Subsequent planting of larger trees and small shrubs over the entire property was then carried out in conjunction with shaping, topsoiling and preparing large areas for seeding. The surfacing of the track up to the road, plus the paths leading to the pond will take place this spring.
