A dry stone wall in Whitchurch
Problem: what to do about a crumbling flint wall in a cottage garden
Solution: replace it with a new dry stone wall of Pennine stone
A dry stone wall provided the perfect solution in our most recent design & build project, a garden in Whitchurch, where we needed to replace an existing old flint wall.
It is not often that I am asked to build a dry stone wall, which is a shame as it provides an attractive feature in a garden and it is a pleasure to build – something like completing a giant jigsaw puzzle!
The pre-existing wall, made up of old flint and imitation stone boulders, was crumbling away and the area beneath and around it needed attention. The first job was to knock the wall down, remove an old water feature and clear the area beneath the wall to create a large flower bed complete with soil ready for planting.
The new wall took three days to construct and proved to be a satisfying process, selecting the right stone in size and shape to fit each section along the wall. Our client considered several options when it came to the choice of stone to be used, including Purbeck stone, but in the end settled on using Pennine stone. It is a gorgeous natural looking stone with grey green tones which compliment the client’s period property and traditional cottage garden. The wall will provide an effective backdrop to the plants and shrubs yet to be planted and as a dry stone wall will allow for natural drainage to occur.
Brick pathways & low lying walls
Our brick laying skills were also put to the test again in this garden, when constructing pathways and low lying walls using new bricks which have been made to look like period ones. These red bricks add to the character of this traditional garden and as they are new, it means we can cut down on the wastage during the construction process. They also mean we’ve been able to build our client pathways and walls which will stand the test of time.
