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September 18, 2008

Garden of the Day: Starting with a North Slope Blank Canvas

This North Slope Gardener sent in a tale of clearing "enough rubble to fill a dump truck," to make this sleek patio. Send your Garden of the Day submissions here. Glass, wires, bricks, porcelain, stone, boulders and I swear a piece of a meteorite (the stone was so heavy for its moderate size) had to be unearthed and removed. First step was getting a few different estimates that ranged from $13K to $24K just to remove debris, level, and install bluestone over sand and bluestone dust and also create two raised beds 3' by 12' and 3' by 16' with bluestone caps and cultured stone facade over cinder block. I also installed pipes and snaked wires for accent lighting in both planters underneath the bluestone.

The total area is about 25' by 30'. The plantings were the second phase of this project which was supposed to be done in April/May. I picked out most of the plants with the help of a contractor and planted somewhat sparsely in order to use those areas for annuals and vegetables as I see fit next season.

The two trees are a Japanese Red Maple and Dogwood. I also have a Holly and Crape Myrtle along with some boxwoods, azaleas, and mums. (Of course some other shrubs whose names escape me.)

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Comments

I must say, that cultured stone is very cosmopolitan.

Posted by: dittoburg at September 18, 2008 11:13 AM

I think this is nice for what it is, but respectfully, this is not really a garden, just a patio with some raised planting beds. Nice though.

Posted by: 1842 at September 18, 2008 11:38 AM

Really lovely. Do you mind sharing your contractor's name and number?

Posted by: Cobblegirl at September 18, 2008 12:18 PM

It most certainly is a garden. Very nice one too...I'm jealous!

Posted by: GHB at September 18, 2008 12:19 PM

Love it.

Posted by: SnarkSlope at September 18, 2008 12:24 PM

Its a yard, not a garden.

Posted by: dittoburg at September 18, 2008 12:34 PM

The confines of the space constitute a "yard" dittoburg. It's a patio with planters which, by their definition, form small gardens.

Otherwise, all this crap aside, its very nice, very classy. I wish I had decided to make mine as sleek.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 18, 2008 12:39 PM

Wrong, a patio cannot take up the whole space as this apparently does. Thats why its a yard.

Posted by: dittoburg at September 18, 2008 12:41 PM

I agree with dittoburg. The hardscaping is elegant and well-done, but there's very little earth left for actual landscaping. It's very much more like a patio than a garden, lovely as it is.

Posted by: Park Sloper at September 18, 2008 1:10 PM

PotAYto PotAHto

It's still nice whatever you call it.

Posted by: TownhouseLady at September 18, 2008 1:13 PM

Paddy O'Grady.

Its a yard with a patio AND a garden. The latter contained in a combination of elegant stone raised beds and a secluded corner planting.

I could write that for a BSH real estate listing.

When this gets boring go over to yesterday's quote of the day for some lively politics.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 18, 2008 1:18 PM

The contractor was Rich Besso from Exterior Landscape and Design his number is 516-330-7828.

Thanks for all the positive feedback as well.

Whatever you call it, I am excited to have it....finally.

Posted by: bmfesq at September 18, 2008 1:27 PM

Patio versus garden? Wowie. Is there anything we won't argue about on this site?

Posted by: Biff Champion at September 18, 2008 1:43 PM

Yard Biff, Yard.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 18, 2008 1:48 PM

Dave, please see post #2. It started as Patio versus garden. Ok, now we're arguing about what the argument is!

Posted by: Biff Champion at September 18, 2008 1:54 PM

We haven't yet argued about verandah vs porch

Posted by: dittoburg at September 18, 2008 1:57 PM

nice garden/porch, although i'd prefer one with two toilets.

Posted by: z at September 18, 2008 2:00 PM

Wasn't Verandah a character on Sex In The City?

And bmfseq, despite all these snarky off topic comments, I don't think there's anyone on here who doesn't love your yard, patio & garden. I now wish I had done mu=ine with less garden and more hardscape patio. The newly planted everythings have jsu completely taken over.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at September 18, 2008 2:12 PM

I like it. Even I might find time to tend that garden. Not to many places weeds can grow.

May I ask what the total cost came out to be, bmfesq?

Posted by: FatLenny at September 18, 2008 2:45 PM

Yarden or porandah, i dig it either way. while i like greenery, the hardscape is where you 'live', i.e. hang out and entertain etc., so having enough of it is key. my garden is too much greenery and too little usable space. well done.

Posted by: goldie at September 18, 2008 2:47 PM

FatLenny, the construction costs were estimated at $13K and ended up being $15K. The plants costs $1400 plus $875 for delivery and labor.

The contractor had to go downstairs thru basement and up to backyard with 5 gallon buckets of sand, cement, mulch, soil and bluestone dust and other materials, including two pallets of cinderblocks.

Posted by: bmfesq at September 18, 2008 3:00 PM

Well, any way, who cares what the rest of you think! I was blessed to see the orginal space when it was just dirt, rocks, and rubble. I even got the chance to clean some of the rubble away before the Memorial Day Celebration. Kudos to Billy Bob,Spolly and the contractor! Great Job. Enjoy every freekin' inch of it!

Posted by: mommical at September 18, 2008 3:50 PM

OMG, this is fabulous. that patio/garden/yard can fit like a gazillion people. when's the party? p.s. where the hell is north slope?

Posted by: evalicea at September 18, 2008 5:28 PM

very nice, whatever you call it :)

Posted by: raphael9 at September 18, 2008 6:19 PM

« Zoinks! The Clermont Going Rental Inside Third & Bond: Week 54 »

September 18, 2008

Garden of the Day: Starting with a North Slope Blank Canvas

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