What Is A Castaway Island Garden...

This garden pattern was inspired by the famous Robison Crusoe - who got stranded on an island and built himself a small shelter. The pattern is a simple hut with a small fence surrounding it. The island garden has tropical plants, a beach running down to the sea, sand, rope and shells. The hut would look lovely if you thatch it and add bunk beds and chairs. The castaway island garden pattern is ideal for children.

When building a castaway island garden you either build the design with a beach-type pool in front of it, or you can have the hut with a pool and stream around it. You can have any type of designs as long as you have the essential elements of the pattern. These are:

  • the hut
  • water
  • beach

Should I have this design?

It is essential to cover the slope down to the shallow pool with sand and small rocks without any plants or mud. The cleanness of the water is determined by the size of the pump and the filter system. The bigger the pump, and the more efficient the filtration system is better.

You can enhance the castaway island garden by adding a large padding pool with a large beach. These are common in seaside theme parks.

Creating A Castaway Garden

NB: This water garden pattern would be ideal if you have a medium-sized garden to throw if you are to recreate the perfect scene from Robinson Crusoe.

  1. Draw up a sketch of the design - then make a detailed diagram taking into consideration the house, boundaries, structures and large trees. Drains also need to be noted.
  2. Get rid of all unwanted plants - give them to your friends if you do not want to destroy them.
  3. Enclose the space with a palisade-type fence of rustic poles or bamboo, and high wooden panels if you need to block out neighboring houses
  4. Build a large, shallow pond with a flexible liner, with the edges of the liner hidden from view
  5. Run a stream around, so that it partially encircles the cabin
  6. Sculpt the whole area with fine shingle, pea gravel and washed sand
  7. Install a pump and filter so that the water is pumped from a sump at the end of the stream up to the pool
  8. Build the cabin on a mould that overlooks the pond, or raise the cabin short legs
  9. Plant small areas of scrubby grass around the cabin
  10. Plant exotic plants such as Bamboos and Chusan palm

The plants that are sensitive to frost need to be over wintered and add sand and shingle to the area around the chalet. Clean the hut and fence with latex white paint so that they look sun-bleached and weather-worn.