Garden Design Archives • Orterra

5 Of the Easiest Plants to Propagate by Water and How to Do It

April 21, 2022April 21, 2022 debbieEnvironment, Garden Design, Residential, Tech

Propagation is a fantastic way to multiply your plants, without spending any money! Water propagation has to be one of the easiest ways to do this. Here, we will guide you through the steps to rooting your plants in water and we will give you 5 plants that you could use. What plants can you propagate? There are many plants you can propagate by water cuttings, these are 5 that we believe have the best results. Pothos or Devils Ivy – Epipremnum aureum Philodendrons Monsteras Arrowhead Plant – Syngonium podophyllum Wandering Jew – tradescantia pallida What do you need? You […]

No One Wants Rubbish Bins at their Front Door

March 9, 2022March 4, 2022 debbieEducation, Garden Design, Property Development and Commercial, Residential

Today I am going to talk to you about rubbish bins, and rubbish collection. Rubbish is not the most sophisticated topic for a blog, however, it is probably one of the most talked-about topics during projects. This applies to schools, residential, subdivisions, or commercial. How to deal with rubbish and recycling can make or break the project. There is nothing worse for us than going to a new client’s house after they have designed their dream home and asking, have you thought about where you would like to put the rubbish bins? The look of shock on their faces and […]

Herbs And Vegetables That Are Great To Plant In Autumn

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022 debbieEducation, Garden Design, Residential

Fresh vegetables and herbs straight from your garden are up there with some of the best things in life. You get to reap the benefits of the fresh flavours in your home-cooked meals while saving money on store-bought food. Here is a quick guide as to what to plant in your edible garden this autumn for sub-tropical regions. What Vegetables should I Plant? First of all, depending on your available space, pick what will fit in your garden and only plant what you like to eat. Here are 10 of our favourite vegetables to plant in autumn: Carrots Radish Lettuce […]

Why is Seating so Important in a Design?

January 14, 2022February 23, 2022 debbieEducation, Garden Design, Infrastructure, Nature Play, Podium Landscape Design, Property Development and Commercial, Residential

One of my favourite all-time design quotes is by a man called William H Whyte. He did a famous study on public spaces back in the 1970s that looked at how people use space. The best quote out of the whole study is “People tend to sit where there are places to sit” Now the beauty of this statement is in the simplicity of the idea. You sit where there are seats. Now you might be thinking well that’s obvious and why are you telling me? When it comes to designing places, public places, parks, schools, your garden. The importance […]

What Is Different About Soil In An Urban Environment?

October 22, 2021October 22, 2021 debbieEnvironment, Garden Design, Infrastructure, Property Development and Commercial, Residential, Tech

When we talk about soil in an urban environment they are referred to as urban soil. Or soil that is “ extensively influenced by human activities, found mostly but not only in urban areas.” Source So basically, it is soil that has been disturbed by humans. Which when you think about it are a lot of the soils which we see and walk on day today. Most of us live in an urban environment whether it be a town or city. There is probably very little of the world left that has been untouched by humans in some way. So […]

6 Ways to Keep Dogs out of the Garden

October 6, 2021October 6, 2021 debbieGarden Design, Residential, Tech

Dogs, you have to love them, they are “man’s best friend” destroyer of shoes giver of unconditional love, and garden hole digger. As much as we love them, some dogs have traits that we don’t love. So here are a few quick ways to keep your dogs out of the garden beds you really like. Make a special spot for them Even though it might seem like your dog is difficult to train. With constant positive reinforcement, it is possible. If your dog is digging holes all over your garden. Have a look around and see if there is a […]

5 Ways to Avoid Problems When Planting a Tree

July 29, 2021September 13, 2021 debbieGarden Design, Infrastructure, Residential, Tech

Trees are underrated and an amazing part of our ecosystem. But many people don’t like them. They have had issues of damaging roots, falling leaves, branches, flowers, and berries. They attract animals, they are messy. This blog post is going to go through ways to avoid problems when planting trees. Because trees also provide homes, shade, cooling, habitats, food, character, beauty and can improve our health. So how do we get more of the benefits of trees and less of the pain? If you have read my blog posts before you would have heard me, say right plant right place. […]

What Can I Build In An Easement In My Garden?

June 2, 2021October 22, 2021 debbieGarden Design, Residential, Tech

Utility easements, they can be very confusing, annoying, and frustrating to homeowners and developers alike. Today I am going to answer three of the main questions that are raised when talking to homeowners about easements on their land. Can I build on the easement? The simple answer is no. Utility companies must be able to have access to the pipeline to fix the pipe if necessary (nobody wants a backed-up sewer). For example, if you have built a retaining wall and entertaining area on top of the easement, it means they have to pull the structure up to get to […]

What Is So Important About Soil and Why Should I Care?

May 5, 2021May 19, 2021 debbieGarden Design, Podium Landscape Design, Property Development and Commercial, Residential, Tech, Uncategorized

This is a question I get asked to explain by most clients. Whether you are an architect, homeowner, town planner, engineer. It can be confusing, and I am not going to lie probably somewhat boring for people who have no interest in soil science and plants. Now I can imagine a lot of you are about to hit the close button on this blog but just hold with me. I want to tell you the one secret that will help you understand why landscape architects, horticulturalist and other plant lovers jump up and down about soil so much. Drum Roll….. […]

How to Choose the Right Plant for Your Garden

April 11, 2021April 27, 2021 debbieEnvironment, Garden Design, Residential, Tech, Uncategorized

It’s the weekend and you’re looking to put some new plants in at your place. You visit the local nursery, pick some plants you like the look of, take them home and plant them. Only to find a few weeks later that they aren’t growing – or worse – they’re dead. As much as we need to like the look of the plants we buy, it’s just as important – if not more – to look at the growing conditions and your lifestyle, first. Because there are downfalls to picking looks over substance that can easily be avoided with some […]