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Have you considered a ha-ha? (sunken wall)

Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
edited September 2020 in Garden design
There are a lot of houses around with a view over fields or countryside. We had a post last week where the o.p. wanted a gap in a hedge to keep the view whilst avoiding the wind.
 
A century ago they used a ha-ha, which keeps a ground level view, and the sheep the other side, but does not stop the wind.


I know quite a few people who have a hedge and a raised platform, which seems to be a modern alternative. 

We used to have one at home where the garden level ran across a depression in the pasture which gave lovely flat sunsets at the dinner table; probably put in when the garden was laid out. 

Just a thought.

Ferdinand

“Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,243
    A ha-ha works if all the land is yours ... but if you have a garden overlooking someone else's land, unless you have a very atruistic neighbour, in order to build a ha-ha you have to give up some of your garden ... few gardeners want to do that. 
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge South LondonPosts: 2,307
    It was the solution of the landed gentry for a reason ;) 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,293
    We  very briefly considered one - use our sheep field as borrowed landscape with only a simple netting sheep fence across. Unfortunately the topography is against us as the field rises rather than being level, so would have meant huge excavation as some of our sheep can clear a 5ft gate, no problem!
  • FairygirlFairygirl west central ScotlandPosts: 49,107
    We had one by accident at a previous house as it backed onto fields, and the house/garden was slightly elevated. There was also a small, not very robust wire fence too, but it largely kept the coos out, and it didn't spoil the open view as we had some hedge too. 
    Note - 'largely'.... ;)
    It does only work if you have the room to do it, but if you can, having the borrowed landscape is a  beautiful feature.
     As you say @amancalledgeorge - predominantly for the wealthy landowners in the past, as was the case for all sorts of garden designs. They were a means of showing how well off you were. The piano nobile is another - for viewing those vast, formal gardens.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....


  • Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
    Fairygirl said: The piano nobile is another - for viewing those vast, formal gardens.  :)
    I'd say that the modern Piano Nobile is the .. er .. Juliet Balcony.  :)

    I'll come back with a few more thoughts later on.


    “Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,933
    edited September 2020
    We had a wire fence between us and the sheep at our rental in Surrey (we had the gardeners cottage on a large estate).. it was lovely sitting on the patio surveying 'our' domain.  It was downward from the house and down further into a valley for the field.. and with the tall grass up against the wire fence it wasn’t all that noticeable.  Cheap and easy.. kept the sheep out and the dog in.  

    Thanks for the education though, I've never heard of a ha-ha.  Great solution if you have the space, money, and no young children or dogs.
    Utah, USA.
  • Ferdinand2000Ferdinand2000 Posts: 537
    edited November 2020
    .
    “Rivers know this ... we will get there in the end.”
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,739
    I would love a ha-ha.  I've only ever seen them at National Trust properties.  Ditto moat's, another thing I dream of.  Time to buy a lottery ticket....
  • BigladBiglad East LancashirePosts: 2,773
    Think I'd prefer a couple of turrets from where I can tip boiling tar onto unwelcome invaders ;)
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