How Do I Build A Seaside Garden?
Taking a stroll on the Cape Town Beach (I normally do that when I want to break away from the noisy city-life) will help you get ideas to help you build your water garden. The beach is a long stretch of sandy planes with nice brightly colored shells, driftwood, ropes and pieces of a broken boat. You imagination will be your only limitation here.
The seaside garden design was inspired by the 1950s seaside community. The design has the following components:
- a wooden hut
- a porch
- small area of decking
- sand
- a pebble beach
- grass
- water
The seaside water garden design pattern will be perfect if constructed on a large sloping garden which is exposed to the sun for most of the day. The wooden hut will be constructed on the high end of the slope of the water garden. The beach will extend out towards the water.
You can enhance the design a little bit more by building a large paddling pool with a beach -this creates a true beach side scenario. This water garden is perfect for children and they will thank you for it. Splash a bit of colorful toys and you won't hve to drive a 1000km just to go and spend time with your at the beach. There are numerous ideas that you can have for your water garden.... there are no limits.
Detailed steps to create a seaside garden...
This design will be suitable on a sloping site that is about 51 ft wide and 102 ft long
- Draw up a sketch of the design first - then make a detailed diagram taking into consideration the house, boundaries, structures and large trees. Note all drains in the area.
- Get rid of all unwanted plants
- Fence the space with high wooden weatherboard panels
- Build a large, shallow pond at the low end of the position.
- Add fine shingle, sand and pea gravel to the site
- Fit in a pump and filter to ensure that the water remains clear
- Construct the chalet on the rising ground so that it overlooks the pond.
- Add grass around the hut
- Plant coastal plants such as Rock Rose and Sea Kale
Care and maintenance
The seaside effect can only be achieved if and only if the water is clear - and thus the pump and filter need to be in perfect working condition at all times. You can also use salt to clear the water. Get rid of all dead leaves and debris. Do not enter the pool with muddy feet.
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.