[Squizzy Taylor]

Thanks for the comments. I should post some more but we have been extra busy latley.

[Fine Edge]

That is nice work, something we're not used to seeing around my neck of the woods.
I take it the limestone is pretty much one color, can it be stained or color altered if needed?

[Squizzy Taylor]

Originally posted by Fine Edge
That is nice work, something we're not used to seeing around my neck of the woods.
I take it the limestone is pretty much one color, can it be stained or color altered if needed?

It varies somewhat with the quarries and where they are cutting at the time. We get a bit more colour in the "2nd's" grade stuff. Mostly its all quarry cut so the size varies a lot, which can make things challenging. Sometimes we rub yoghurt into the wall to accelerate the aging process. Generally speaking a mortared wall is more expensive, time consuming and messy than a manufactured block wall. Keystone becomes more economical at about 6' high.

[waterfall larry]

Squizzy,

Thanks for sharing with us. It is nice to network with people and see how different people do things. I personally would like to learn more about what landscapers in different countries and different climates do. So maybe you could say a bit about what plants you all use. What is landscaping like over there?

thanks mate

[Squizzy Taylor]

Originally posted by waterfall larry
Squizzy,

Thanks for sharing with us. It is nice to network with people and see how different people do things. I personally would like to learn more about what landscapers in different countries and different climates do. So maybe you could say a bit about what plants you all use. What is landscaping like over there?

thanks mate

Larry, I have always maintained an interest in Australian native plants...and thats about as far as I have got...save for my frontyard. I'm am just about to employee a new guy who has lots of softscape experience but up until now we have stuck with the hardscape side of things...I think I'm missing out in that regard...well...we do spread a bit of mulch now and then

As for the general scene here we have sand sand, lots of limestone...and more sand. To say our coastal soil is gutless is an understatement. If you have been to California its like that only sandier and worse. I find the landscape design scene a bit frustrating here because people are afraid to use our native plants. We have some of the most spectacular and hardy plants on the planet and people go and plant fescue with box hedge and a few azaleas...all imports and all requiring water we don't have.

Tony, Mr Green, is a landscaper from Perth who can tell you more. When I do machine work for some of the bigger landscapers its generally cutting out all the rubbish sand and importing $$$ worth of quality topsoil.

[mrgreen_perth]

Thanks Squizzy. I'm actually in the same boat as you most of the time and focus on the hardscaping aspects (limestone & paving) along with irrigation and turf installs.

I do a lot of work in conjunction with a garden designer who does use a lot of native plants. As it mostly residential the trees used are small trees only and the most commonly used are small gum trees like Eucalyptus caesia "Silver Princess"and other natives including Hymenosporum flavum(Native Frangipani)), Agonis flexuosa "After Dark" (Weeping peppermint with purple leaves) and native Blueberry Ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus). Exotic trees used regularly include ornamental pears, plums etc.

A lot of native shrubs and groundcovers are used including lots of species (and named cultivars) of Grevillea, Westringia and Myoporum. Also native grasses/strappy leaves including Dianella and Liriope.

Smaller exotics include Convolvulus cneorum, Agapanthus sp, and Gardenia varieties.

We always need to do LOTS of soil improvement to deal with the gutless sand Squizzy mentioned which is everywhere....

There are a lot of West Australian natives that work really well in residential gardens but like Squizzy said above a lot of people are hesitant to use them for many reasons. There was a surge of "Australian Native Gardens" here many years ago and many people put plants in with no ongoing attention at all! "But they're drought resistant according to the tags"....

There was also very little pruning done so plants just went leggy and ugly. Properly maintained (and selected) a garden of local natives can provide magnificent flowers right through the year and bring native birds, lizards etc into the garden.

Some examples of my work can be seen on my website. This is pretty indicative of the kind of work regularly undertaken in Perth. Use of raised gardens and terracing to create interest through level changes. With (generally) small yards we find its a good way to get more from the space.
http://www.mrgreen.com.au/landscaping_1.htm

Cheers
Tony

[waterfall larry]

so i get that you all have soil problems. in my neck of the woods, in Atlanta Georgia in the south east we have red clay soil.

in some southern cities we have a lack of water during the summer and often have no watering or irrigating restrictions. so for southern people and some northerners we do a lot of irrigation systems.

do you all have a lack of water problem or do a lot of irrigation systems?
what about heat? would you say that landscaping for you is like us in the desert south west say arizona?

how big are waterfalls and ponds, do many people do them?
do you all have grass cutting all year long do you work doing hardscape and softscape work all year long?

in many parts of the country waterfalls and ponds are very much in demand. in souther states some people cut grass all year long. in the north, a lot of companies landscape up to november or so and then do snow plowing. some smaller northern companies shut down all together.

And finally i have to ask, have any of you been to The Australian Zoo and Seen Steve the croc hunter?

Let me know
Larry C. Davis
check out paradisegardens4u.com

[mrgreen_perth]

Originally posted by waterfall larry
so i get that you all have soil problems. in my neck of the woods, in Atlanta Georgia in the south east we have red clay soil.

in some southern cities we have a lack of water during the summer and often have no watering or irrigating restrictions. so for southern people and some northerners we do a lot of irrigation systems.

do you all have a lack of water problem or do a lot of irrigation systems?
what about heat? would you say that landscaping for you is like us in the desert south west say arizona?

In Perth in Western Australia 80% of homes have some sort of irrigation system (that is more than just a hose/sprinkler). Its a mediterranean climate so we have wet winters with temps of avg 5-16'C. Dry hot summers avg 15-35'C with many days greater than 35'C. We do have watering restrictions of two days per week but this is plenty if you use the right plants and mulch well.

how big are waterfalls and ponds, do many people do them?

Residentially not a lot in the way of waterfalls and ponds. Most water features tend to be water walls or just small ponds built into raised gardens with artistic style water features like copper spouts or urns or that kind of thing. Larger 'natural look' ponds and waterfalls lke I've seen on GTX are pretty rare.

do you all have grass cutting all year long do you work doing hardscape and softscape work all year long?

Grass cutting is all year round. Hardscape/Softscape/Irrigation installs never stop all year round. Slows a little in winter when its raining but just never stops...

in many parts of the country waterfalls and ponds are very much in demand. in souther states some people cut grass all year long. in the north, a lot of companies landscape up to november or so and then do snow plowing. some smaller northern companies shut down all together.

No snow in our part of Australia. There are skiing areas in the Eastern States but only small holiday towns so snow plowing even there would be pretty small scale.

And finally i have to ask, have any of you been to The Australian Zoo and Seen Steve the croc hunter?

Have only been to Australia Zoo about 20 years ago before Steve Irwin was involved with it. Only ever seen Steve on TV...

Cheers
Tony

[Squizzy Taylor]

Have only been to Australia Zoo about 20 years ago before Steve Irwin was involved with it. Only ever seen Steve on TV...

Cheers
Tony [/b]

We are hoping a croc will get him soon