The Haleland Park sign, located at the corner of Nutmeg Crescent and the Saddle Road, was originally constructed and designed by Harold J. Stauble in 1996. Since then, however, the sign has fallen into disrepair. We were approached by a member of the Haleland Park residents committee to landscape and makeover the sign in an attempt to match their new vision for the neighbourhood.
Designs were tossed back and forth until we all agreed upon a look. Through the use of imaging software, Foliage Design is able to visualize the end product to the customer without even beginning landscape work. This technique cuts costs by allowing the client and us to make changes to the design early in the process. Although the design changed somewhat due to budget constraints and time, the end product represents Haleland Park's new vision to be one of Trinidad's finest neighbourhoods.
Details
Created for Haleland Park Comittee on 6/22/10 in Maintenance.
]]>
Areas of the garden were somewhat flattened to provide a serpentine pathway down the face of the hillside. Along the path, we placed benches so the client and her visitors could relax and admire the garden. At the point where the pathway meets the waterfall, we constructed a decorative bridge to cross the river. The waterfall extends the length of the hill and is bordered by decorative orchids, crinium lilies and an assortment of other foliage.
Appropriate garden lights were chosen to highlight beds along the waterfall. At night the hillside glows with various colours and textures and the movement of the water provides a calming and soothing atmoshpere.
On entering the front garden a serpentine path leads you towards the main entrance of the house. The path is bordered with an assortment of Lantanas, Crotons, Rio and Red Tea providing an abundance of colour, while not obstructing the view of the front garden. A large urn on a pedestal bordered with larger foliage and a wall molding acts as a focal piece and gives character the garden.
To provide privacy, Heliconia and an assortment of Ficus trees were planted along the side of the fence. The heliconia not only provides sufficient privacy but it also blooms a brilliant red flower admired by visitors and the family alike. The privacy bed is bordered and highlighted with a mixture of Hemigraphis, Leriope and Mundo Grass. Small touches such as a bird bathe hidden among the foliage really stand testament to the love and care the owner has given to her garden.
The back garden not only provides a gorgeous hidden entrance to the golf course but also borders and accents the pool entertainment area. Variegated ginger, Acalypha and Ficus are all found in the back garden. A serpentine paver pathway leads from the house back entrance to the pool area. Pool chairs, a grill and a gazebo provide a perfect location for evening relaxing or nighttime entertainment. Bromeliad beds, a privacy hedge and a natural waterfall into the pool round out the back garden landscape.
Maintain, maintain and maintain. Not to take away anything from great forethought and garden design, but we can't say enough about garden maintenance. In the Caribbean, it can be difficult to maintain a beautiful looking garden especially with the extremes of the dry and rainy seasons. That's why Debbie calls Foliage Design in regularly to do maintenance of her garden. We can do the same for you and your garden. Contact us today to set up a site visit and consultation.
Crossing over a small wooden bridge gains you entrance to the pool area, one the highlights of the garden. The tropical waterfall immediately draws your attention as the water cascades into the swimming pool. Almost hidden by water loving plants, water from a small pond overflows through rocks into the swimming pool below. The area surrounding the pool is lushly landscaped with tall foliage and trees giving the illusion that you are secluded in your own private rain forest. Continuing to the back of the house, one finds that it has been lovingly decorated with sculpture and personal touches such as plaques that read, “Welcome to our garden”.
Making your way around the house, more surprises await you. A wooden stairway leads to a balcony outfitted with a potted garden. Here is where the family can get together and talk about their day over a cup of coffee or tea. And after the family is gone and all is quiet, one can perhaps even enjoy a newspaper or a favorite book.
The first water feature was position close to the entrance of the plant. Here, most employees would see it during their walk into and out of the plant in the mornings and afternoons. The water feature would feature two levels and a main pond area. As with all water features designed by Foliage Design, the water is filtered naturally through different layers of gravel and sand. Fish not only add to the appeal of the water feature, but provide another means of naturally cleaning the water. The look and feel of the feature is completed with water-based plants and colorful foliage surrounding the rock border. Indeed, the water feature has now become one of IPSL’s daily sights and sounds and perhaps even the culture. It’s not unusual for IPSL workers to toss a coin or two into the water feature while passing by. To us, this is reassuring. Our goal with every water feature is to strike a balance between being a focal point while still blending into the garden in a natural and unobtrusive manner. When the feature becomes part of a culture, we get excited: it’s an indicator to us that we’ve done or job right.
Shortly after completion of the main water feature, we were asked to design and install a focal point near the entrance of the plant. We decided to try something completely different. Our goals were to keep the costs low while providing a beautiful focal point for cars entering the parking area and pedestrians alike. After about a week of planning, we came up with our final design shown here. Elegant, yet simple; beautiful yet cost effective. 
Like any other design agency, Foliage Design works best when given design freedom and creative license. At times, this notion can be scary for clients, especially new ones. IPSL clearly understood this principle, even with the strict rules and regulations of a plant. Therefore, we were able to put our best foot forward and come up with some impressive designs. If you’re ever in the area, make sure to check out the new and improved IPSL garden areas.