Thai Garden Design were asked by a client in Pattaya to originate ideas for refreshing his garden. The area had a number of issues, notably a patchy lawn and badly located trees and shrubs.
Due to the extreme climatic conditions lawns are notoriously difficult to cultivate evenly in Thai gardens. Shade trees and the shadows from buildings tend to create “dead” patches of soil were grass struggles to survive. Alternatively open areas can suffer in fierce sunlight during the dry season. It is extremely important to make sure your grass is kept well watered during these months.
It is also critical to choose the correct grass for your garden. Many Western expats automatically expect lawn grass which they are accustomed to in their countries of origin. However, these tend to do badly if not in the most favorable or well-cared for conditions and tend to be displaced naturally by broad-leaved Malay grass (Axonopus compressus). This is a hardier variant that does better in erratic light conditions. It is not, though, indestructible and care must be made to ensure it is watered, especially after laying, and that the Ph conditions are suitable.
For this particular job our team advised the customer that fresh Malay grass (also referred to as Buffalo grass) was the most survivable candidate for the majority of the garden area, whilst the edges of the house, which were too shaded for grass, would be converted into a rock garden with shade plants to remove unsightly bare patches. We also advised the movement of certain trees and scrubs so as to open up the garden and reduce the feel of clutter.
Our team also refreshed the existing stone paths at the back and side of the client’s house. In order to reduce his costs this was done by cleaning the existing material and relaying in a fresh pattern. In this way the customer obtained a new garden at minimal expense.
The new stone gardens around the house were lined in plastic so as to eradicate unwanted weed growth and the stones enclosed with a brick edging to retain their position. So as to provide splashes of additional colour to these sections and break up the outline of the house several plant varieties were especially selected for their vividness and shade preferences. Contact Thai Garden Design.
