A sleeper terrace around a Japanese ash

Built around the Japanese ash already on the site: a warm garden of eucalyptus sleepers and an ipe pergola.

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Built around the Japanese ash already on the site: a warm garden of eucalyptus sleepers and an ipe pergola.

Location: Shiroi, Chiba
Type: Garden
Category: Gardens

The owners wanted a garden with warmth that made the most of nature, so we proposed a terrace of timber sleepers. Sleepers help keep weeds down, feel warmer than tile and cost less. The Japanese ash already on the site became the focal tree, framed by sleepers.

A sleeper terrace around a Japanese ash, photo

Each sleeper is eucalyptus, 10 cm thick, 2 m long and 40 kg in weight. We treated the ground against weeds, then laid the sleepers edge to edge. Eucalyptus resists insects and rot, lasts well, and absorbs little water, so it stays slip-resistant.

Along the path from the gate to the garden, we built a pergola of ipe, a dense hardwood. With a sunshade fitted, it has become a place to enjoy the garden out of the strong sun.

LeftEach sleeper is eucalyptus, 10 cm thick, 2 m long and 40 kg in weight. We treated the ground against weeds, then laid the sleepers edge to edge. Eucalyptus resists insects and rot, lasts well, and absorbs little water, so it stays slip-resistant.

RightAlong the path from the gate to the garden, we built a pergola of ipe, a dense hardwood. With a sunshade fitted, it has become a place to enjoy the garden out of the strong sun.

A sleeper terrace around a Japanese ash

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