Highgate Hill G

This site posed the biggest challenge I have ever faced. The site on the river has a gradient of 1: 2 (incredibly steep). The gardens were designed by me and built by the owner and willing helpers. We had to design and build access from the house at the top to the boat house and river at the bottom. Specialist hardwood stairs criss-cross the site, and many low timber retaining walls act as little raised walkways for maintenance access. The site was cleared of dense weeds by an intrepid dozer driver, then erosion matting rolled out, then hundreds of tubestock native grasses, shrubs and trees were fearlessly planted and each given their own irrigation dripper. The native plants chosen for the south facing site needed to have dense root systems to hold the soil, include trees for summer shade, habitat for local wildlife, and flowers for the beehive. 3 years later some of the trees are already 6 m tall and the bare bank is now brimming with plants.