Onward wrote:
Hi All

I have a 13m x 13m garden set on 2 levels. One half has a lawn with a
Japanese cherry blossom tree and the other half is set 2m lower and
is a combination of paving and decking. Basically, I would like to
dig out the higher lawn part of the garden, moving the earth to the
lower paved/decked area to create a level garden which I would like
to set to lawn. I have a few questions I hope someone can answer:

1) Rather than having to build retaining walls around the boundary, I
would like to create slopes at the garden edge. Am I right in
thinking to do this I must leave a 1m boundary at the current level
and then cut the slope at 45 degrees to this boundary?

2) I would like to leave the Japanese cherry blossom tree in situ.
The tree has a 1.5m high, 20cm thick trunk, with a canopy 4m across.
It currently sits in the lawn with 2m of lawn either side of it, 5m
behind and 9m in front of it. Could someone tell me if when I dig
out the lawn I leave a 2m lawn in each direction from the trunk, the
root system will remain intact and thus the tree will survive?

3) Is the best way to relay the lawn for the whole area with turf?

Many thanks in advance.

Without knowing anything about aspect, climate, soil, drainage or what
surrounds this garden (to mention just a few points) any specific advice on
these three issues or the whole concept will be a guess. Landscaping needs
to look at the whole situation, the designer has to be possession of all the
facts about the lay of the land, its composition etc. This is hardly
possible over usenet. I suggest employing a professional or getting some
books from the library and doing some serious study, or both.

--
David

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