The Monte Seco Story
This Monte Seco villa sits right on top of the hill, with far-reaching sea views and an impressive construction layout. When purchased by the current owners, they wanted a full landscaping overhaul. Fair to say that the previous owner was not a gardener and the new owners would like to be surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna. The priority was to keep it natural, yet guided so as to be able to move around and enjoy the space they had.
Before
Consultation
We met with the owners at their property, had an initial walk around to see what the current situation was, flow of the land, pathways for water run off (during our impressive winter and spring rains) and what was currently growing in the garden. We can learn a lot from what is currently growing or not growing well, as it gives tells as to what the soil is like, the amount of water those areas are getting and how exposed to sunlight they are. This gives us knowledge that would otherwise need to be tested.
We then sat down with the owners to understand what was important to them, listening to their ideas and where appropriate, offering some of our expertise as to what works well and what can sometimes be challenging in this climate and soil type.
Their priorities were:
Customer Requirement |
Details |
|---|---|
| Drought Resistance | Landscaping is designed to thrive in dry conditions. |
| High-quality Materials | Use of durable, premium materials in all installations. |
| Hard Water Prevention | Irrigation system designed to prevent limescale in pipes. |
| Permaculture Design | Maximises water retention during rainy periods for efficient use in dry periods. |
| Aromatics, Herbs & Fruits | Garden to includes herbs, aromatics, and fresh fruit varieties. |
| Upcycling On-site | Reuse and recycle materials during landscaping. |
| Preserve Existing Flora | Careful protection and integration of existing vegetation. |
| Remove Invasive Species | Replacement of Yucca, bamboo, etc., with succulents and protective trees. |
| New Walkway Layout | Redesigned back garden pathways for better access and aesthetics. |
| Easy maintenance | Design focused on minimal upkeep and long-term simplicity. |
After some initial hand-drawn sketches, understanding the budget and timelines to work towards, we then went away to prepare a comprehensive quotation.
Quote approved! We agreed timelines and scope of the works to be carried out, then we started.
First Phase
First phase involved clearing overgrowth, removing rubble and boulders that were hidden and really bringing the landscape back to its foundation to show the foundation that we were going to build upon.
We positioned and sculpted the landscape using as much of the existing materials as possible, building pathways and digging out the irrigation and natural run-off channels to ensure a smooth flow for when the infamous Portuguese rains came.
After landscaping and sculpting the land into the agreed layout, we placed the weed protection layers, completed the water feature areas, built more of the infrastructure areas and started to see the flows of the garden design.
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Second Phase
In the second phase, we really start to see aspects come together, the vision becomes the reality.
All the building works are being finalised, lines are concluded, and irrigation main pipelines are in place. The only remaining tasks are to install the drip lines and sprayers. The raised beds are in and full of high-grade compost. The weed protection is now all installed just awaiting some beautiful white stone.
The water run-off is completed with amazing water features and waterfalls layered throughout and now the planting and final touches can begin.
Completed Project
Voila! Planting has been completed with special care to ensure only species suitable for their surroundings are planted and irrigation lines are put in to support their growth. The white stone walkways are completed, raised beds are filled with vegetables and some spicy species, raised irrigation lines are installed and the greenhouse, with water supply and irrigation is finished. A full walkaround with the team is conducted to ensure that all aspects have been completed to specifications and meet the client's vision.
The client is then given a full and final overview of the completed project, irrigation software is provided and explained how it has been set-up and any questions answered in relation to their new and beautiful landscaped garden.
We are pleased to confirm that Sugar Valley Landscaping is now responsible for the maintenance of this project and that it remains as one of our flagship completions.