The stages of a landscaping build

A landscaping build follows a sequence. Some stages can overlap, but the dependencies must be respected.

The design, budget, consents, deadlines and responsibilities are reviewed. Orders with longer lead times, such as stone, equipment and mature trees, are confirmed.

Boundaries, levels and elements to be kept are marked out. Access, the site compound and machinery routes are organised.

Excavation, filling and ground modelling are carried out. Surface drainage starts to take shape at this stage.

Drainage, irrigation, electricity and other services are installed. They are tested before the trenches are closed.

Walls, foundations, steps, swimming pools and built elements are constructed and cured.

Sub-bases, falls, joints and edge details are done after the main services. Some areas are left open to let trees in.

Compaction caused by the works is relieved, profiles are reinstated and corrections are made. This stage should not be reduced to spreading topsoil.

Large trees go in first, followed by shrubs, perennials and ground cover. The irrigation system is adjusted to the layout as actually built.

Systems, levels, drainage, cleaning and documentation are checked. The snagging list is closed out.

Watering, weeding, staking and replacements are monitored for the agreed period.

Moving from one stage to the next should not happen just because the team has finished its task. Levels, tests, photographs and approvals need to be complete.

Before a trench is closed, the service run is confirmed. Before paving, the fall is confirmed. Before planting, the soil, the irrigation and the position of the services are confirmed. These moments reduce repairs and make responsibilities clear.

On larger builds, different areas may be at different points. While one area is being paved, another is having its soil prepared and a third is being planted.

Overlap calls for routes and protection so that traffic does not destroy areas already finished. Deliveries and equipment are scheduled for each work front, without turning the whole garden into a single permanent site compound.

Ground, services and water do not always match the survey exactly. A change may be necessary, but it should be recorded, assessed and approved.

Changing a level or moving a tree affects drainage, materials, irrigation and budget. The sequence helps to adapt the build without losing the relationship between the parts.

As the build progresses, some areas are ready while others are still under construction. Paving, trees and beds need protection and defined routes for traffic.

Prepared soil should not have machinery on it again. A tree that has already been planted cannot be left surrounded by materials or with its trunk exposed to knocks. The day-to-day organisation of the site has a direct influence on the final quality.

Before moving on, whatever will no longer be visible is confirmed: levels, services, waterproofing, outlets and location photographs.

This check stops the next stage hiding a problem. It also helps to produce as-built drawings that are useful for maintenance and future work.

• Planning and sequencing the build
• Coordinating services

1. Diaplant’s method for site planning and construction.
2. Good practice in landscape construction and the coordination of disciplines.