Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Hi I am Rachel Mathews from Origin Garden Design which is the first of a set of video tutorials
filmed for Successful Garden Design, the online garden design school for homeowners. In this
first video, you will see a survey of a small courtyard garden. When it comes to survey
your own garden, it's really important to keep the tape measure flat. If you can't
have it at ground level, like we couldn't in this video, make sure that it is taut at
all times otherwise the measurement will be distorted. But you'll see what I mean when
you come to see the video.
Before you begin to survey, do a sketch of the outline shape
of the garden. marking on relevant information like access points and existing plants, etc.
Start by securing the tape in one corner, I usually use a metal peg that secures the
tape, but here there were solid rocks, so I am going to attach the tape to the irrigation
pipe. You'll see an x in the top left corner and this is where the tape measure was positioned.
Without moving from this one position, four measurements were taken; across the top, where
the wall angles, and the diagonal corner and to the opposite corner.
You'll see I've
taken several diagonal measurements across the garden, these are important cause they
help pinpoint the exact location of boundary by measuring one corner from two different
locations it's more accurate. It does look like a bizarre spider's web, but it really
is important to measure each corner diagonally across the garden to accurately plot it on
paper. It's a good idea to do this even if think your garden is perfectly square because
they very rarely are. And the more accurately you can measure and draw up the survey plan,
which I'll show you how to do in the next segment. Better it'll be for your design,
and of course the building stage. So apart from clambering over builders' rubble, this
has been a very basic survey to do. In the future videos, we'll cover more complex
surveys. And also include a section on how to tackle levels. If you'd like more information
on garden design, please visit the website, SuccessfulGardenDesign.Com. And you can download
your free report on the five biggest garden design errors to avoid. I look forward to
seeing you there.