Before I started using a computer or even drawing out plans for the garden, I did this - took a photograph of the area(s) that I wished to do something with, enlarged it (photograph/photocopy) placed the larger image on a board, put tracing paper over the top, and this way, even with limited drawing skills, you can get an idea of what it would look like, by sketching in items being considered. For example - an area of 30' x 20' was giving me problems on what to do with it, finally considering a bird bath on a plinth made of 4 slabs in a square. When I sketched this idea onto the tracing paper, I realised the bird bath would be sort of isolated. Therefore, I made a frame 8' x 8' out of 4" x 4" posts, centred it in the area, filled it with quartz stones, raising the bird bath base up to the level of the stones, by placing the slabs on a plinth in the middle of the frame. The bird bath area can now be seen very clearly from any point in the garden. C.J.
Interesting CJ - would love to see a photograph of the bird bath area you've completed. What else will you be ding with the 30' x 20' area? Will it be grassed, flower beds, formal, informal?
That's a fantastic idea C.J. You're full of them! I can imagine there would be a lot of folks with limited drawing skills as you mention so this tip would be invaluable.
The rest of the 30' x 20' area is grass, bordered by various structures, or other garden sections. I'd like to keep an even width of grass around the bird bath area, as I want it to be the main centrepiece in this section. C.J.
