nwl jobs 2009

2009

Another wet summer, I guess we have to pay for the early warm spring!

It's getting expensive!

But we have no choice.

Après une belle printemps on a rendue dans un ete tres moux.

I'll keep my vacation background because of the wet summer, also because I like it .

waterfall above was one I did in 2002, picture taken in 2008.

My travels

March / Mars

Just back from the Netherlands with new inspirations;

Je suis justement rentré des Pays-Bas avec quelques nouvelles idées;

For some wonderful spring colour check out this site http://www.keukenhof.com/

February / Fevier

Back in February I visited Trinidad , Cuba a wonderful heritage city. Une Ville avec beaucoup d'histoire et beauté.

Below: Rudy under waterfall in Cuba near the magnificent city of Trinidad;

Ici en-dessous: je suis en-dessous d'un cascade a Cuba;

With a cave behind me and the overhanging rock, big as a house!

mais vous ne pouvez pas le voir le groto dans cette photo mais c'est incroyable.

January/Janvier

Panama

Dans la jungle chaude. Lots of widlife.

Jobs 2009

It has been a very busy spring and summer so far, I had a couple of retrofits, adding filter systems to existing ponds,

Like;

Next is a rebuild of a waterfall into a pool done by another that was leaking, so I had to rebuild it. The red/brown cast is from the original fall which was made with "iron pot" and rusting, I changed it for plastic but the customer wanted to keep the rust colour.

after....

Next,

"Relining" a fountain that was also leaking, We Had to make a customized liner to fit in the fountain and the recap that with natural stone!

Next, started May!,

I had to rebuild both front and sidedoor steps, so first tear them apart and then pour a new bases. Waited for the concrete to cure 3+ weeks, Then we cemented the cleaned slate back down.

Now Retreading steps with slate....

And building 2 Gazebos...

built on concrete pillars because to prevent heaving, the walls had to have a solid base since they held glass windows.

Gazebo #1

Gazebo#2

My first plan was to build a waterfall into the pool. That would have conflicted with the view of the lake, when you are in the pool. So it was changed for a pond with a stream and waterfall on the side!

pond

next the stream and waterfall

Tricky building this because of all the rain the water table was very high so we had a lot of seepage in the deep part, so we had to rebuild the shelves, quickly stabilize them and refill the water to balance the hydraulic pressure .

testing; even with the murky water it looks good.

next is the stream, bridge and pathways, also rearranging some planting beds.

Transplanting and planting, luckily the weather has been great for this, with all the rain.

last thing is a Trompe d'oeil trellis, all mirror even where the gate goes, it even reflects one of the gazebos;

Next jobs: a Zen garden in Beaconsfield,

I built a waterfall and pond a couple of years ago, but never really finished the job. I was looking for an inspiration to integrate all the areas.

This spring I built a Trompe d'oeil (above) but never got to complete the area. This September we finally finish it!

We move the gate and remove part of the deck (the planting box, which was rotten) to give us a bigger area to work with and add a screen and walkway allowing us to have a stone and statue garden.

The walkway at the gate is in the same stone as used elseware in the garden. The main walking stones are made of exposed aggregate pavers created on site!

before;

during making "pas chinois" path way almost finished

Finished;

Rock garden window wells and stone walls in Alexandria,

There is lots of stone on this property so we are working with materials on site. We are creating rock walls and, because the basement is finished, rock-garden window wells so that the basement looks less like a basement from inside!

before;