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  Gary RK February 15, 2013 at 8:45pm

  Several things you could do;

  1- Ensure you have good T&Cs covering this (maybe too late now...)
  2- Produce Plant 'After-care/Maintenance' document, spell out concerns above and have client sign copy
  3- Implement a simple wooden post and wire support fence in cut thru areas (reasonably cheap and effective - we do this at business parks...and remove at a future point once established)
  4 - Take photographs (date-stamped) the moment you complete for 'file' and hand over project to client
  5 - Get the maintenance contract and get paid to replace...replace...replace...:-)

  p.s. definitely a 6th option (tongue in cheek) ..we plant what is affectionately known as "FO" plants in some of those situations (Pyracantha's etc are good). Leave you decode FO :-))
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  Ian Rochead February 15, 2013 at 9:10pm

  Thanks for the reply Gary,
  
  I've had the maintenance contract for about 4 years but the gyms just had a £1 million upgrade and have finally asked for the car park to be planted, apparently theres been no money for it in the last 4 years but due to the upgrade and the re-opening they don't won't any fencing to protect the plants as in their opinion will look messy, I'm not even aloud to put slabs down so when they open the car doors there not stepping out onto the beds/plants because apparently it will look like a concrete jungle.
  
  I have mentioned all my concerns in my estimate booklet I send out with all planting plans along with my T&C's and approval form which they need to sign before I order the plants so I have some cover but just want to make sure I'm covered after its complete. Though may use the photo idea just as back up.
  
  
  
  GaryRK said:

  Several things you could do;

  1- Ensure you have good T&Cs covering this (maybe too late now...)
  2- Produce Plant 'After-care/Maintenance' document, spell out concerns above and have client sign copy
  3- Implement a simple wooden post and wire support fence in cut thru areas (reasonably cheap and effective - we do this at business parks...and remove at a future point once established)
  4 - Take photographs (date-stamped) the moment you complete and hand over to client
  5 - Get the maintenance contract and get paid to replace...replace...replace...:-)
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  Mark Hamer February 16, 2013 at 12:03pm
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  Mark Hamer February 16, 2013 at 12:05pm

  The sensible option is of course to turn the unofficial 'shortcuts' into pathways. Human geography must take precendece over planting.
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  Colin Hunt February 16, 2013 at 12:50pm

  A few years ago an architect was telling me about the designer of a new campus somewhere, that specified just the basic roadways and paths and the rest was to be grass. After 6 months it was obvious where linking paths should be and they were then installed with complementing planting.

  Haven't got a clue where or even if it was true, but sounded brilliant thinking - probably wouldn't work in winter tho!!
  
  Mark Hamer said:

  The sensible option is of course to turn the unofficial 'shortcuts' into pathways. Human geography must take precendece over planting.
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  Ian Rochead February 16, 2013 at 4:35pm

  That was my suggestion to the gym manager to put slabs down to create a either path for them or to provide a space for them to exit there cars instead of trampling over the flowers, but he said he didn't want the place to look like a concrete jungle despite there still be room to have planting and slabs. Sometimes I wish people would listen to the people who know best, but I think he just thought I was going for the easy option. It's like they've had a new entrance built which now blocks access to the reception from the bike rack, do people really think that they are going to walk another 50m to the bike rack entrance, park their bike walk 100m back to the entrance, answer no, they'll just cut through the flower bed.
  
  
  
  Mark Hamer said:

  The sensible option is of course to turn the unofficial 'shortcuts' into pathways. Human geography must take precendece over planting.
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  John Baker February 16, 2013 at 7:36pm

  Common practice by sensible (heads not up their own rear end) architects...and same applies on domestic scale with postmen/kids/bikes/dogs etc. In the old days when they used to build new houses in Northern Ireland, I always tried to encourage householders to wait 6 months after grass/driveway before going for anything elaborate.
  
  Colin Hunt said:

  A few years ago an architect was telling me about the designer of a new campus somewhere, that specified just the basic roadways and paths and the rest was to be grass. After 6 months it was obvious where linking paths should be and they were then installed with complementing planting.

  Haven't got a clue where or even if it was true, but sounded brilliant thinking - probably wouldn't work in winter tho!!
  
  Mark Hamer said:

  The sensible option is of course to turn the unofficial 'shortcuts' into pathways. Human geography must take precendece over planting.
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  gayle@greenstone February 17, 2013 at 8:54pm

  I would suggest that it is important to recognise the existing short cut routes and plant to support those. If the client wants to block that access then you will need a small fence behind the planting. Humans are animals like any other and will take the shortest avail
  able route every time.