Garden Planning and Landscape Design

GARDEN PLANNING AND BUILDING

GARDEN PLANNING AND BUILDING Next strip the topsoil from all areas where there will have to be a cut or a fill more than the depth of topsoil that particular area is to have, and place it in a heap somewhere out of the way for future use. The middle of the front lawn is a good place. If the soil is very acid and is to be used for lawns and flower beds, a little lime is sprinkled in as it is being piled up. Next stake out accurately the new finished grades, that is, the levels to which the various areas are finally to be brought. Don't do this at first because the scoop used for stripping topsoil is sure to knock down all stakes, and they will have to be done over anyway.

Preliminary rough staking will tell in a general way where stripping is necessary. After all, it isn't essential to save every grain of topsoil. Now the rough fill, or subsoil, is placed. If you have designed the job well and accurately there ought to be just enough material from the cellar hole, and necessary cuts, to make all the fills, except in cases where the house is built in a hole and the entire yard has to be brought up to grade. Landscape architects take great pride in figuring a job so that there is a nearly perfect "balance between cut and fill." If this is achieved no new fill has to be brought onto the job and no surplus material taken away. This fill should be placed carefully and graded accurately to the "subgrade". This is the level of the bottom of the topsoil, or the driveway and path constructions. It will vary, of course, according to what is to go on top, and with the finished contour of the whole property.

Under lawns space should be left for not less than 4 inches of topsoil. Six inches is better, but more than this is wasteful. Under shrubs and perennials 18 inches should be allowed, though r2 will do if the subsoil is fairly good. Roses or peonies require a greater depth. Trees ought to have 2 feet or so of good soil under them, and all around outside their roots. This means that to make a tree hole properly you must know what size tree you are going to plant. Under macadam driveways keep the subgrade about afoot below the finish. If the driveway is to be concrete or Belgian block, 6 or 8 inches will do where the soil is sandy, or more if a layer of gravel or cinders is needed to provide drainage. Gravel drives need a depth of about 8 inches. Paths require from 4 to 8 inches, depending on the material used. next page...