Sensory Garden creation?

I want to convert two tennis courts into a sensory garden for people with physical and mental disability.


How much would this cost, ball-park figure?





Removing existing surface


Hard and soft Landscaping.


Plant purchase and planting.


Design fees.





I guess it would be similar to an installation found at the Chelsea Flower Show - that kind of scale.





thanks.

Sensory Garden creation?
You're looking at between 35 and 60K, depending on where you live and on the terrain, etc. Best practices on such a large scale job are to contract 3-5 landscapers and let them make bids. Remember that water features are an important aspect of sensory or any gardens, for that matter, so you'll need at least 2. They can be simple, however, and needn't cost more than 1K for each.





For gardens this size you will need 3 part-time gardeners or one fulltime gardener during the exhibit season. In winter, you will need a part time gardener to ensure debris is picked up and hardscapes are protected from elements. You may also want to use gardens for wildlife feeding stations in winter, so this could be a year-round venture.





Basic breakdowns should be requested when choosing a bid, so you'll be less likely to go over budget. This should also include disposal of demolished materials, such as the concrete from your tennis courts. Ask for references and contact the people to see their gardens in person, if possible.


One more little detail--With a venue like this which is open to the public, you will need to provide adequate parking for tours, people to conduct tours and insurance in case of accidents on the property. You might also need to spend some money on advertising (brochures)and handling calls, etc. for booking tours.





Here's a site with more information:





http://www.ehow.com/how_9343.0_hire-land...





Happy Hiring!





gg
Reply:sex
Reply:It depends on how you want to go and how MUCH YOU WANT TO SPEND, you can hire a contractor to tear up the "tennis court" and do it in a step wise fashion and it may save you some money, call around to see what landscapers in your area are willing to lend a hand, I mean if it is for a "charity type thing" . What state is the garden gong to be in?





Did you ever think about incorporating the existing TENNIS COURT SURFACE into a partial walk way? I can see it in my mind, use a standard cut off saw to cut and remove the bed space areas that you would want removed(where the soil could be brought in).... now is this going to be a "ornamental garden" or also "food crops" ~ like tomatoes etc? I mean you would want to be careful with teh SOIL in such a case, you would not want the "food crops" sucking up any of the "residues" from whatever it is that is in teh "tenis court covering" etc etc (soil safety) from teh sound of the project it sound like you would be bringing in soil..... you could have a little greenhouse or trellises and other stuff... the path could be covered with a smooth surface, but perhaps just PAINTED because there may be someone in a WHEEL CHAIR who would then be able to cruise around the area.





but as I said I did not know how much you had to spend? if you would just want to hire your average "landscape contractor" and go that route, not doing any of the "legwork" yourself well the guy who answered 35k or more may be in the ball park.... but as I said I could see in my mind that a project like this coudl be done nicely for 10-15 thousand if you got the right people together....





as far as maintenance, you may be able to find a retired couple or individual even who would want to maintain such a GARDEN out of the KINDNESS OF THE HEART.... now I do not know if youa re doing this for financial gain as like part of a clinic you run or something or if it is just something you are doing with no financial gain attached, it should not matter either way, the best CARE that a facility can give to someone who is "underpriavledged" or impaired in the way/reason you suggest you are doing this to say, well it is to the better.





But to employ someone to maintain it, it depends you could just hire someone from a landscape firm to come and maintain it based on how often it needed maintained, weekly, biweekly etc, so that really not be that much consider such a cost variable, but once the whole PROJECT is put in, and depending on what is involved well it will vary.... is there standard weeding which needs done, trimming, watering? Maintenance on other things like benches or trellis(usually separate projections of "wear and tear" to be considered) Logically I could shoot out a figure of no more than a couple to a few hundred a month perhaps, so what's that well it depends is it seasonal where you are ? do you have winters?





stone walls and or out-crops? (they always look nice to me, incorporated in with landscaping)





www.link.20fr.com