Landscaping

Face brick height

Should you make changes to your yard, like installing concrete or paving or changing the soil formation around your home, please keep the following in mind:

• Always keep one- to one-and-a-half lines of brick visible between the ground and the plaster band around your home. This prevents water from seeping through the cement and DPC (the black plastic under the plaster band), making the cement porous, causing moisture to rise and the plaster and paint to deteriorate.
• Ensure that all concrete or paving slopes away from your house to prevent water from accumulating near your home.

Damp proofing

A damp-proof course is one of the most essential elements of a property. The DPC protects the property against moisture rising from the ground. Therefore, you must stay within one- to one-and-a-half bricks when changing your yard.

Weep holes in the boundary wall

Weep holes prevent stormwater from building up in your yard. They are placed in certain sections at the bottom of your boundary wall to allow water flow. If these weep holes are closed or obstructed, water will build up and could cause the wall to collapse under the weight of the water. Alterations to boundary walls and structures are not allowed.

Drains – rodding eyes and inspection eye (IE) blocks

A rodding eye is an opening in a drainage system that gives access to the interior of a drain for cleaning purposes and must remain permanently accessible after installation.

The inspection eye blocks (IE blocks) and access louvres show where the 110 mm drainpipes that lead from your toilet and gulley are located. These little concrete blocks also prevent the rodding eyes from being damaged. Your property will have two or three IE blocks or access louvres.

If you install paving, grass or walkways, please leave these blocks in place and uncovered. This will prevent a plumber from digging up large portions of your yard to find the rodding eye should they have to unblock a drain. Access louvres are only found in double-storey houses.

Why flower beds and sprayers should never be against house walls

If you have a flower bed against your house, the wall structure will weaken from routine plant watering and water penetrating through the walls above the DPC. It can also give underground soil termites and insects a way to enter your house, so it is never a good idea to place soil against any wall without properly protecting it.

Grass and gardening tips for winter

When winter comes, you will find that keeping your lawn lush and green becomes more difficult. However, you can take the following steps to take care of your grass in the colder months:

• Even in the winter, grass needs water, but less than in the warm summer months. Cold weather can damage your grass and soil and dry it out. If your area experiences regular frost, choose a more frost-tolerant grass. Lawns can quickly become over-hydrated in winter if you give them too much water.
• Fertilise your lawn according to the seasons. Use a fertiliser high in phosphate in winter to encourage root development. During warmer months, a nitrogen-rich fertiliser will encourage leaf development. Remember to water your lawn thoroughly after fertilising.
• A well-irrigated garden is essential if you live in an area with high winter rainfall. When excess water is allowed to pool around plant roots, it will cause them to rot.

You can also continue taking care of the rest of your garden in the winter:

• Continue planting new plants.
• Add mulch to protect the roots of your plants.
• Add compost to your garden.
• Water your plants before the predicted freeze.
• Provide your plants with extra protection against frost.

DISCLAIMER:

The recommendations herein are given in good faith and are meant to guide the user. The recommendations imply no guarantee since the conditions of use and method of application are beyond our control.