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[Synistor 303]

Oh wow!

[Cora Courcelle]

Wow, very impressive! Rather puts playing with Lego into the shade. I hope at some point you can post piccys of the finished build (although it seems off to call it that considering it's supposed to look like a ruin.)

Yours,
Miranda.

P.S. we don't need one of these in our garden as, since nobody in the family has the faintest idea about gardening and even less time to do it, the whole garden is a folly...

My dear Miranda
I think you'll find the correct term for this is an 'eco garden'.  I am considering making a sign to put at the front of the house indicating this fact, thus making a virtue out of the fact that we don't mow the grass as often as others in the road.  (Particularly the rather sanctimonious 'village in bloom' residents  )

I love the idea of a folly though and this one looks as if it is going to be gorgeously whimsical.

[SeVeNeVeS]

I haven't been idle on this,  its turned into a major re-vamp of the whole garden.

So far I have half drained the pond and added a few more plants, its only there as a water feature and for my newts / wildlife to breed in, no fish.

Emptied the plant pots and redistributed to different areas.(not the best time of year so some looking a little stressed)

Drilled some holes in patio slabs to accept said plants.

So, I'm working on the foreground and background as I look out of the conservatory at the moment, before the folly is built, which I do actually have a final plan for, make it up as I go along is the general idea.......... I do a lot of free-flow and it usually looks OK.

I'm going for a natural, general ruin feel with Steampunk elements to enhance the look for the whole postage stamp of a garden. The thing is I hate gardening, but this has started to get me into it......... I'm getting old

[SeVeNeVeS]

So I have been doing a little but it is so hot, my back is burnt after 2 days and the pug is going off so quick I am seriously struggling, broke 2 bits of the puzzle already..........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls5Gj0reUJw

It's hot down south...........

[James Harrison]

How did two of the bits get broken?- does that suggest the parts are especially fragile?

[SeVeNeVeS]

How did two of the bits get broken?- does that suggest the parts are especially fragile?

A combination of cement too dry and me being heavy handed. as I tapped one end to level it cracked down the middle. Not too worried as it is a ruin after all, I'm thinking of chipping some brick edges to age the final look. Everything looks far too new and crispy clean atm.

[Miranda.T]

That is really brave for doing any of this work in the heat of the last few days! Hopefully the current return to more usual UK conditions (i.e. damp and a bit chilly) will make the work a little more comfortable.

Yours,
Miranda.

[SeVeNeVeS]

Just a quick update on where I'm at.

The pond is pretty much done, Iv'e actually started building the folly, it could take alot longer than I thought and my mate dropped off a dragon roof feature that I'm sure could be incorperated somewhere.

[mizzarrogh]

Beautiful!

[James Harrison]

Oh Wow!

[Sir Henry]

After grief, sweat and blood spilled, not to mention damage to walls and fingers, got the latest of project Lead Light on the wall in my stairwell. Real stained glass, triple glazed and weighs a ton.

Started out as a stained glass unit from a door panel I removed, something like this.....



Off cuts of wood salvaged and laying about the house, it now looks like this......




Didn't use a mirror as a backing this time, I used good old aluminum kitchen foil and a good slosh of PVA

That one was physical challenge, both in access (a plank perched on a ladder to the top step of the landing) and the pure weight of the thing, I could barely lift it off the ground, let alone man handle it over the plank, position it on the wall, get it level and fix it, needless to say much swearing and foul language  was involved, I will not be doing that again any time soon.

Still some finishing touches to do and paint the filled digs in the wall, but it's there......only another 8 or so to go.

I hope you don't mind if I steal this idea (and thanks for the implied warnings on placement), but with one slight addition. Our new house has a hallway with very little natural light, so I hope to put an LED panel behind the stained glass and connect it to a light sensor outside which will match the brightness of the window to the brightness outside. With the added benefit of being rather disorientating as it will be on an internal wall. 

[SeVeNeVeS]

I hope you don't mind if I steal this idea (and thanks for the implied warnings on placement), but with one slight addition. Our new house has a hallway with very little natural light, so I hope to put an LED panel behind the stained glass and connect it to a light sensor outside which will match the brightness of the window to the brightness outside. With the added benefit of being rather disorientating as it will be on an internal wall. 

You steal away my friend, the only reason mine was hassle is it was tripple glazed and very heavy, I like the idea of LED lights incorporating the outside light conditions, I think that is the idea of Tactile, we show what we have done and that allows others to develop and enhance that idea to personal requirements and taste.

Please do post piccies both of the build and the finished product, we do like piccies good sir......

[SeVeNeVeS]

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[James Harrison]

Phew indeed!  I believe however that the planning regulations were relaxed a few years ago, I'm not 100% on the specifics but it is something along the lines of so long as you're 1 metre from your boundary, under 3 metres in height and taking up < 50% of the garden, anything goes (though obviously your local council may have different criteria). 

[Sir Henry]

Phew indeed!  I believe however that the planning regulations were relaxed a few years ago, I'm not 100% on the specifics but it is something along the lines of so long as you're 1 metre from your boundary, under 3 metres in height and taking up < 50% of the garden, anything goes (though obviously your local council may have different criteria).

From those photos, the '1 metre from your boundary' part might be a bit of a problem...

[SeVeNeVeS]

From those photos, the '1 metre from your boundary' part might be a bit of a problem...

Exactly. The thing is I put the fence up last year to test the water as it were to see if any one moaned and nothing was said about height, design etc.
I'm just going to carry on regardless and see what happens, if it has to be eventually torn down so be it.
The general rule around here is if no one complains do what you want in the garden, there are so many additions that are questionable along my road it is unbelievable, as long as my neighbour is happy onwards we go............with fingers crossed......it IS going to be built.

The Dragon will have to go elsewhere than planned methinks, but no biggy

EDIT.......We are confirmed all good to go at last with the neighbours happy. you don't mention mine and I won't metion yours and  a slight hint of blackmail seemed to work

On to the re-design...................

[SeVeNeVeS]

I managed to spend the weekend purchasing some supplies and chipped/ cleaned the 200 year old half round bricks ready for when I need them.

I have a few days booked off for a holiday so might manage to get a little further ahead.

I think I have most of all I need and have been totting up cost.......... All the materials are coming in just short of £2300 add possible extra sand and cement. The labour is of course free as I am botching it together myself. More than I intended but I am happy with that. I was hoping to do it for 2K but it could cost 2.5K. The dragon was an unexpected extra.

[James Harrison]

That sounds like a marathon effort considering how warm it was yesterday/ Saturday.

Looking forward to seeing this progress. 

[SeVeNeVeS]

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[James Harrison]

Oh wow!  That looks really good. 

[SeVeNeVeS]

I am reasonably happy with it, if I did it again there would be a few things I would change.

After the clear up, I'm not sure if I should point everything ( left on purpose) and some plants to break up the hard lines and newness look of what should be a ruin, maybe some evergreens/ climbers and some metal work here and there, anyway not a quick project so time to think on it methinks.

Any suggestions are more than welcome, I am niether a bricklayer (as it shows) nor a gardener..........

[James Harrison]

Personally I would shy away from climbing plants.  Their tendrils work into the masonry and damage the mortar.  That allows water into the wall and that does not do much good for the bricks or stone.  Yes it looks very pretty but the damage it does behind the scenes is not easy to put right. 

[Sir Henry]

Yes, trailing plants are much less damaging. We're planning on having several trailing fuchsias waterfalling over our front wall, in as wide a range of colours as we can find.

In your case, mounting planters on the back of the wall, just below the top, would allow you to trail them down the front. If you grew those variegated ivies on the wall behind or similar and only pruned them when they reach the ground, it could well look as if they're growing up rather than down.

[SeVeNeVeS]

Yes, trailing plants are much less damaging. We're planning on having several trailing fuchsias waterfalling over our front wall, in as wide a range of colours as we can find.

In your case, mounting planters on the back of the wall, just below the top, would allow you to trail them down the front. If you grew those variegated ivies on the wall behind or similar and only pruned them when they reach the ground, it could well look as if they're growing up rather than down.

Personally I would shy away from climbing plants.  Their tendrils work into the masonry and damage the mortar.  That allows water into the wall and that does not do much good for the bricks or stone.  Yes it looks very pretty but the damage it does behind the scenes is not easy to put right.

Cheers for the replies Gents, I must admit that Ivy root has done some damage to walls as in forced them out and is about 60mm thick.
Hidden planters and trailers, never thought of that one, hmmm....... could work with that, my only thing is drought tolerant in summer, me both being a lazy gardener, access for watering and hosepipe bans. With out doubt something to ponder upon thank you.

[SeVeNeVeS]

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