RTE show - I want a garden

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legend99

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Caught the last minute or so of this show as I had switched over to watch the news. One of the features was a sunken area which had a picnic table and an even lower sunken are for sun-bathing I think. Looking at the program and picture from above it was clear that one area was probably 5 feet below the level of the garden and the other was probaboy 8 feet below the level of the garden. I was shocked that there was no fence around the areas to prevent people falling in and taknig some almighty tumble....is it not the case that areas with a certain fall distance must be fenced around to prevent falls?? If you had a decking structure say 8 feet above the ground it surely needs a fence as per building regs? Does the same not apply to an area that is sunk down 8 feet???
 
... yep thought the same....it was a nice design...but lethal ....& not just for kids. I had to laugh though when the housewife got all emotional "because of all the efforts & everyone worked so hard to make it happen"..... I would have got very emotional to given that it friggin well cost €100k to put in!
 
100k!!!
I caught the tail end of the show i must say it looked great. But it is treu that handrails should have been erected around the 'pit' if the drop is more than 2m.
i would in imagine in the summer you would be plagued with flies in the lower section , were they on the edge of a lake or the sea?
 
ludermor said:
100k!!!
I caught the tail end of the show i must say it looked great. But it is treu that handrails should have been erected around the 'pit' if the drop is more than 2m.
i would in imagine in the summer you would be plagued with flies in the lower section , were they on the edge of a lake or the sea?
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The sea. I thought the woman was a bit enthusiasic about it, yeah it was lovely, but did she have to keep saying 'wow'!
 
I couldn't understand when they had a fantastic view of the sea as they had, why go and dig a hole in your garden making sure that you wouldn't be able to enjoy said view.
 
a bit excessive alright for a garden but you did get the impression it was more of a status symbol for them especially wanting to go on national tv to show it off

but it is their money and each to their own and all that !
 
ronan_d_john said:
I couldn't understand when they had a fantastic view of the sea as they had, why go and dig a hole in your garden making sure that you wouldn't be able to enjoy said view.
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Nor could I. Looks lovely on the TV but would imagine it to be quite cold in the shade with all that stone. Some people have more money than sense.
 
Construction laws have changed now and the "2m rule" has been abolished. New info says any drop that can cause a person to be injured if they fell, needs to be properly protected.
 
MsGinger said:
Construction laws have changed now and the "2m rule" has been abolished. New info says any drop that can cause a person to be injured if they fell, needs to be properly protected.
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In that case so the garden as I say it for all of 60 secs was clearly in breach of the law.
 
I love this series. I also thought the drop was surprising, but in fact it appeared that you could still see the sea scape from a seated position in the lowered areas- or at least it seemed that way from the camera angle. I was taken aback that it cost €100,000.00 but I wonder if having a garden designed by Diarmuid Gavin automatically adds €€€ to the value of your property? I'd say it does. Also I note the advertisment for the farm produce on the side of the mans van as he drove to collect the bubble seats. I love seeing what Gavin comes up with- his designs ( ok, not all of them) are inspirational and unique. Maybe it's a bit parochial to say so but I'm proud of his success. Personally I dislike the teletubbies landscaping that he has put in two of the gardens so far, but I have loved aspects of all of the gardens. And of course the cost is relative- these people clearly were affluent and could afford it. If I had the money I would love to have Gavin design my garden, or at least part of it.
 
Jo90 said:
.. you did get the impression it was more of a status symbol for them especially wanting to go on national tv to show it off ..
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Exactly ! As with the ones in Rathfarnham with the telephone pole pavilion, it'll be 'our Diarmuid Gavin' garden they'll refer to, not 'our garden'.

Why does this programme remind me of The Simpsons episode about the Monorail ?
 
TarfHead said:
Why does this programme remind me of The Simpsons episode about the Monorail ?
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HAHA! That song is in my head now 'Monorail, Monoraaaaiill' ! I hated that garden to be honest, the woman was good though the way she kind of 'stood up' to him when he hadn't sorted out the handrails in 2 weeks. Couldn't blame her. Great idea getting the botany students in, they should have done that from the start. Would be great experience for them.
 
Vanilla said:
I wonder if having a garden designed by Diarmuid Gavin automatically adds €€€ to the value of your property? I'd say it does. .
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If you buy into the snob factor then yes it does.
 
Well of course there's the snob factor arm in arm with the keeping one step ahead of the Jones factor. But Diarmuid Gavin is either just a publicity hack sought after because of his fame or he is one of the outstanding garden designers of our time. If its the former then long term his gardens won't stand the test of time, but if it's the latter ( and I hope it is) then his gardens will keep their value monetarily as well as aesthetically.
 
MsGinger said:
Construction laws have changed now and the "2m rule" has been abolished. New info says any drop that can cause a person to be injured if they fell, needs to be properly protected.
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Are you sure about that? I work in construction and have never heard this. How would you police this? How would protect a 'hop-up' for a blocklayer of say 600mm? If blocklayers are working on a platform of 2m or higher then handrails and toeboards must be erected but under 2m you dont
 
I never heard of the 2m rule either. If I remember correctly its about 500mm in the Building Regs. (or at least that is when I would start reaching for the Building Regs Books)
 
roxy said:
The sea. I thought the woman was a bit enthusiasic about it, yeah it was lovely, but did she have to keep saying 'wow'!
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At one stage, she said she wanted the garden to have the "wow factor". She obviously reads all that crap in the Irish Times Saturday magazine.
 
I felt that Diarmuid was a irresponsible when dealing with all the people.
Each came to the table with a budget and he seemed to have completely disregarded this when doing up his plans. Also, most people had to get contractors in to do the gardens as the designs were way out of the scope of any amateur gardener.
A garden will only add value if other people like it. Fine for the woman in the small apartment garden but not so good for the Tellytubby garden.
I expected to love the show but because of his disregard for the problems his designs caused people it really turned me off.
 
I too am dissapointed with the show thus far. It seems Diaruid has lost the edge when it comes to his designs. I have always been an ademant fan, always proud of an irish lad making a name for himself in his profession. His designs have always been on the edge of garden design, most of them turning out lovely. But I have noticed that his work is changing from the absolutely inspiring, to bland and "so what".
His ego clearly is taking over which is a pity. Maybe he needs some time away from the cameras to reinvent himself.
 
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