G'day from Australia

[BJR]

Hi

I have recently found this web site and have read most of the forums.

I have found the different materials, methods of construction and terminology very interesting.

My background is 22 years running my structural landscaping business and have done large commercial contracts to small private.

I hope you don't mind if I sometimes share some of my experience in your forums. Unfortunately the time difference means I will be online whilst you are off.

Thanks
Bernard
Rock Solid Landscapes :alien:

[diginahole]

Originally posted by BJR

....I hope you don't mind if I sometimes share some of my experience in your forums....

Our casa es su casa... welcome aboard mate.

[Stonehenge]

Hello Bernard,

Welcome to GTX!! :woot:

I think I speak for everyone when I say that not only would we not mind, we'd love to hear your perspectives on landscaping - I'm sure there are many differences in styles and methods when comparing North America to Australia, but I think sharing those differences may make us all better at what we do.

For example, I notice you called your work 'structural landscaping'. Does that mean projects like brick pavers, retaining walls, arbors/pergolas and the like? People are just getting comfortable in the last several years calling that kind of stuff 'hardscaping' over here.

Glad to have you aboard, and I look forward to hearing from you as often as you feel like sharing your knowledge!

Jeff

[scl]

Waiting for the post on kangaroo resistent plants and fixing dingo spots on the lawn. Sorry, I wanted the first sarcastic crack. Welcome aboard and any insight is gladly accepted. I don't think I've laid 4500 meters of pavers in the 6 years I've been in Biz.

Scott

[BJR]

Thanks for the replies.

Over here we have to be licensed with a Government authority to do 'Structural Landscaping'. That is all landscaping that is constructed, such as paving, retaining walls, pergolas etc. then there is soft landscaping - planting plants, laying turf etc.

to get a license for structural landscaping you have to complete a trade course of 3 years and have 4 years experience.

Most of my work at the moment centres around retaining walls.

The bigger the better.

It appears that you construct a roadbase base for your walls. Most landscapers here lay their first course onto a wet concrete footing. It is actually quicker and cheeper as you do not have to bury the bottom block as a sheer key. IE, to stop the wall from slipping foreward. The size of this footing varies but for walls under 1meter (3 feet) it is 125mm(5in) x 500mm(20in).

The blocks that I have seen on this site differ slightly from the ones We use over here. But, essentially the same principal.

Has anyone heard of 'No Fines Concrete'? It is used behind large retaining walls instead if using tensar grid. It is 6 parts aggregate mixed with 1 part cement and 1 part water. When placed behind the blocks it sets and gives mass to the wall as well as draining because it sets like honeycombe. I have found this much cheaper than using tensar grid. The thickness varies depending on the height of the wall.

[dan deutekom]

Welcome Bernard

I have worked with an Australian landscaper here in Canada for 4 or 5 years and the insights and different methods of construction have altered many of the ways that I do things. One of the things that he never had to contend with in construction was the effects of frost or working in the cold. When his Australian friends asked how cold it really got in Canada he had the best description
"Your pee freezes before it hits the ground"
Hope we learn a lot about your different ways of doing things.

I would think that if we were to lay on wet concrete we would have a lot of frost heaving problems because of the one solid foundation not being able to move.

I also think we would have the same problem with the no fines concrete behind the wall. With frost heaving in our area the wall really must be able to flex and move with the ground during the freeze and thaw cycle or else you have to have a base below the frost line which is 4' deep in our area.

Dan

[BJR]

Hi Dan,

It must be a lot harder for you to work in those conditions. My main problem is rain. You also have to contend with snow and ice. What a bugger. I have always wondered what you do in winter? Does work stop? Do you have to make your living in the other 9 months and have 3 months off?

I have great respect for those that slog it out in harsh environments to make a living.

By the way SCOTT the best way to tackle the Kangaroo and Dingo problem is to feed the Dingos cooked kangaroo meat instead of raw. This seems to reduce the acidity of the urine. It also reduces the number of kangaroos that can attack the plants.

Regards
Bernard.

[Stonehenge]

LOL - I knew there was something about you that I liked!! :D

And to answer your Q about duration of season, yeah, many of us in the Midwest of the US and Canada have a shorter season. We have to get our work done in about 8 months, and then find other work (snowplowing usually) in winter.

[Lanelle]

Jeff, your reply was most interesting......unusual even. Not sure that I have ever seen a post from you with 'we' and 'snowplowing' in the same sentence. ;)

[Stonehenge]

LOL - you caught that, eh? I believe I meant 'we' in the collective sense. :) :) :)