My Tomb Raider-inspired Garden

[GoggleboxUK]

I thought I'd start a thread to show you my garden. I live in the North West UK but, after being a TR fan for all these years, I decided I wanted to create a garden foit for Lara to roam around.

My idea was to make it look like a clearing in a jungle where buildings had once stood but were now just ruins so in summer 2010 I cleared what was there and built 3 sandstone beds for plants that look like the corners of a now fallen building. I then block paved and planted.

Unfortunately winter 2010 was a deep freeze and it got down to -19c so pretty much everything doed from cold exposure.

In 2011 I replanted, built a bamboo fence from split cane, covered the fence with bamboo screening and added some large stone troughs which I engraved with Japanese decoration. I bought some Buddhas and, in the height of summer it looked like this:









This year I've decided it needs something more so I've designed a 'Temple' that can be used as a greenhouse in winter. I've been making blocks from cast stone, creating some casts for decoration and have removed all the conifers at the top of the garden to make room.

My inspiration was this picture:

and this is where I'll be building:



I'll be making a start on the 'Cradle of Light' (as I call it) soon but here are a few pictures taken today of the area at the house end of the garden. Please excuse the pots, bins and the bubbledwrapped pots, all will look a lot better once I've cleared the space in the centre of the garden when I start the build.













I hope you enjoy the pictures, if anyone is interested I'll keep an update running as the build progresses.

[jakobsen]

I'm interested and looking forward!

[Driber]

Very nice pics. Love the bamboo structure. The garbage bin spoils the view, though.

Originally Posted by GoggleboxUK

I hope you enjoy the pictures, if anyone is interested I'll keep an update running as the build progresses.

Please do!

[LARALOVERnr.1]

Like I said, looking great so far!

Keep us updated

[GoggleboxUK]

Thanks all.

Driber, I'll move the bin and do some proper pics when it's all complete

I bought a couple of statues today to place at the entrance to the new structure:





Those bowls that they are holding are big enough to eat Rice Krispies out of First BBQ of the summer I'll be putting salad or dip in them.

[Driber]

Originally Posted by GoggleboxUK

First BBQ of the summer I'll be putting salad or dip in them.

We'll need photographic evidence of that!

[GoggleboxUK]

Can you tell what it is yet?

[tombraidergal]

this is awesome!

[Driber]

That has got to be..............a wall!

[jakobsen]

A temple foundation ?

[GoggleboxUK]

lol @ Driber

How about now? The first signs of something Temple-like are starting to appear but tomorrow will be an enormous difference once I've 'dressed' that back wall

[Driber]

Whatever it is, I love seeing the progression

[GoggleboxUK]

It's looking much more like what I had imagined now:

[Driber]

Oeeee, nice!

Where do you get all those statues, columns and tablets and such?

[GoggleboxUK]

I bought the Dragons but all the rest I made myself.

I bought the plaques which were either plaster or wood and then made latex moulds and cast in concrete.









The columns are made of blocks and slabs which are the base of a decorative planter at my friends work. He let me go in on weekends and cast up what I needed for just the cost of the materials.

[Afonya]

Wow, that is one amazing garden! *jealous* TR games are so inspirational, aren't they

I love especially those beautiful columns, awesome job =)

[GoggleboxUK]

First coat of render on now which will dry overnight.

[LARALOVERnr.1]

Omg, I come here every day for a while; Nothing happens
I don't come here for a week; KAZOOMBA AWESOME UPDATES O_o

It's looking really cool already! I love how you make all those things yourself. Seems like you put a lot of work into it and I''m sure the finished result will be mind-blowing

[GoggleboxUK]

Thanks LL, I know you've been following this for ages, before I even put the thread up in fact, so I really appreciate your positive feedback.

[GoggleboxUK]

At this point it feels more like art than construction.

[Driber]

Awesome pics, man!

And thanks for sharing the cast process, that was cool to see.

[GoggleboxUK]

More progress, including some neighbour obscuring planting which will fill out to look even more jungly over time:

[LARALOVERnr.1]

Is that... A waterfall?

And will there be a roof?

[GoggleboxUK]

Yes, that's a waterfall with a light under it, here's a pic from a while ago before the plants filled out:



It will have a clear pitched roof which shouldn't really be too noticeable but provide a good shelter from the rain when needed.

[LARALOVERnr.1]

Just