Case Studies

Jigsaw can adapt and scale these features to create your special place - so if anything catches your eye, get in touch.

More case studies will be appearing here soon of Jigsaw's current projects.

Case Study 2 - An overgrown and unsightly front garden

Problem

The owners of this property in Douglas felt that their overgrown front garden and shabby lawn let down the appearance and value of their otherwise immaculate house. There was no kerb appeal to distinguish their house from many similar properties on the market.

Objectives

With a view to selling the house sometime in the near future, the owners wanted a very low maintenance garden that would entice buyers with a positive first impression. The hedge, Japanese maple and two other trees were to be retained and everything else had to go!

The Solution

Jigsaw's solution was to design an eye-catching paved area using raised planting beds to define the garden structure. The lawn, unwanted shrubs and other debris that had accumulated was removed and the soil excavated to a depth of 6" or 15cm to prepare the foundation. [view photo].

A range of paving material was provided to the owners from locally produced slabs through to sandstone and slate. They chose modern porcelain tiles with a non-slip riven pattern which are specially suited to outdoor use. Concrete to a depth of 4" was poured into a wooden formwork which defined the boundaries of the patio and the individual planting beds.

The tiles were laid in an old courtyard pattern with random edges dressed in complementary purple slate over a weed-suppressing landscape fabric. Grey blocks were used to build the plant beds and provide a contrast to the black tiles [view photo] [view photo].

A neat step was built to link the front garden to the side path with random paving and purple slate linking the two areas [view photo].

The Result

A complete transformation! [view photo] The owners are delighted with their new front garden and the new tiles perfectly complement the black woodwork of the property. Maintenance has been reduced to a weekly watering and a twice-yearly hedge trim. Cleaning the patio is a simple as sweeping the floor!