PROCESS FOR CONTOURING GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE

Abstract: In a process for contouring garden and landscape, flexible sheeting material (1) differing from the soil there is added to it in the form of a physical structure. The sheeting material can be support­ ed by loose material (5) or by means of posts (2), in such a way that the desired surface shapes are produced, e.g. slopes, ponds (7), crevices (14), etcetera. The surface provides space for plants either rooted in earth-filled crevices or in the loose material via holes (19) in the sheeting material.

Description: The present invention relates to a process for forming part of a garden, for changing a landscape or for manufacturing a garden- or landscape-element, by adding a plastic sheet material having tensile strength, to a plurality of supports between and/or over which said sheet extends in a form allowing space for plants. Such a process is known from DE-A-34 09 823. According to said known process a sheet material made from glass fibre reinforced synthetic resin is supported at regular intervals on posts, such that a freely hanging regular shaped surface is obtained. This material has sufficient tensile strength to support a filling with soil and plants. This material is relatively stiff. It cannot be folded in any desired shape once the resin is hardened. Purpose of the invention is to provide a process by means of which it becomes possible to contour garden and landscape without any limitations as regards steepness of slope and shape of the garden or landscape. According to the invention this purpose is achieved in that a sheet material is used having a flexibility such that it can be folded in any irregular shape, which sheet material between and/or over the supports is folded and attached such that a structure is formed in which folded and facing surfaces of the sheet material of the folds are locally attached to form clefts. By using a flexible sheet material all kinds of shapes or slopes are possible. Rock formations can be obtained without one having to cope with the problem of the weight of rock. This opens the possibility for garden or landscape structures with all kinds of spaces such as recesses for growing plants and for creating water-streams, water-basins, waterfalls and the like. This is not possible with the relatively rigid sheet material of the above-mentioned prior art. Folds also can be made by attaching profiles to the supports having inwardly curved portions into which the sheet material is bent or folded and attached. If needed sections can be attached to the supports having parallel flanges which slant towards each other and folds are made in the flexible sheet material by folding said sheet material into the space between the said flanges. This is only one of the possibilities of making folds quickly. The process of the invention opens the possibility to manufacture part of a landscape which can function as a sound barrier, wind-brake and/or privacy screen. Apart from using posts and the like as supports it of course is possible to give local support to the sheet material by means of fillings of for instance sand or hardening material. It also is possible by means of the invention to manufacture an element in the form of a support formed by a frame, which frame may have wheels, and which frame carries the sheet material in a manner which has the appearance of a rock formation with a plurality of spaces for holding plants. Such an element is useful for decoration purposes for instance at exhibitions or in for instance flower-shops. As sheet material according to the invention plastic sheet is preferred of the cross-linked type. This means that the sheet material is stretched in two perpendicular directions so that it has strength in both directions. Cross-linked means that the sheet material comprises two adhered sheets, one stretched in one direction and the other in a perpendicular direction. The invention will be described further with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows part of a gently sloping artificial rocky bottom. Figure 2 shows part of a wall with a rugged side Figure 3 shows a detail of a wall with a section for forming a crevice. In figure 1 the flexible sheeting material, for example a plastic sheet 1, is supported at various points by supports 2. In the illustration the heights of these supports 2 are selected in such a way that a slope is obtained. Other surface shapes can, of course, also be obtained by selecting other lengths for the supports 2. The plastic sheet can be placed between these supports in various shapes, depending on the desired appearance of the surface. In this case the plastic sheet is formed falling freely into folds 3 and dips 4, so that an irregular surface resembling a rocky bottom is obtained. These folds can be at least partially glued or welded to each other, so that they have a permanent shape. Below the plastic sheet is, for example, sand 5, which provides a complete and solid support for the plastic sheet thus shaped. This means that the surface can take quite high local stresses. The impression of a rocky bottom can be further enhanced by providing the plastic sheet with the desired colours Figure 2 shows yet another object which can be made according to the invention. This object is in the form of a wall 11. This wall 11 consists of posts 12 fixed in the ground, to which shaped parts 13 pointing in the transverse direction of the wall are attached. These shaped parts 13 have the contour which is desired for the wall to be shaped, in the figure for example with crevices 14. The shaped parts 13 need not all have the same contour; the plastic sheet 15 is flexible enough to absorb transition differences between the contours. Here again the sheet can have folds 16. The wall can be provided on both sides with crevices 14; the shaped parts 13 are provided on both sides with a contour which is suitable for this. Finally, the wall is filled with, for example, sand 17, by means of which a sturdy piece of work is obtained. Such a wall filled with sand also has good soundproofing The crevices 14 can be used, for example, for planting plants. For this purpose, a suitable substrate such as earth is placed in the crevices 14, in which the plants can take root. Use can also be made here of the section 18 shown in figure 3, which is fixed between the posts 12. The plastic sheet 15 can be inserted between the flanges which face each other. Here again, plants and soil can be placed in the hollows formed by the plastic sheet.

Claims: 1. Process for forming part of a garden, for changing a landscape or for manufacturing a garden- or landscape-element, by adding a plastic sheet material (1) having tensile strength, to a plurality of supports (2, 5) between and/or over which said sheet extends in a form allowing space (14, 20) for plants, characterized in that a sheet material is used having a flexibility such that it can be folded in any irregular shape, which sheet material between and/or over the supports is folded and attached such that a structure is formed in which folded and facing surfaces of the sheet material of the folds are locally attached to form clefts. 2. Process as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the sheet material of the structure is folded inwardly against inner recesses of a profiled element (13) attached to the supports (12). 3. Process as claimed in claims 1 or 2, characterized in that in said clefts or folds a substrate is placed for plants. 4. Process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that sections (18) are attached to the support having parallel flanges which slant towards each other and that folds are made in the flexible sheet material by folding said sheet material into the space between the said flanges.

Inventors: TEIJGELER, PHILIP HENRI WILHELM
Applicants: POLYDAK B.V.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: E02D17
IPC codes: E02D17, A01G9