Landscape Design & Implementation: Whole Yards

   This is a great example of a whole yard makeover designed for a serious gardener.  Kay & Bruce justifiably wanted something more than a flat expanse of somewhat crummy grass for a yard.  In the course of this project I became friends with them (as often seems to happen) and quickly realized that Kay is in that category of garden enthusiasts I call Fierce Gardeners. I built the spaces and provided a few anchor plants & trees and she went completely berserk with planting immediately afterwards.  She is not afraid to try planting anything, but if it doesn't perform...OFF WITH ITS HEAD! Or, maybe it will only be a forced relocation.  Anyway, that is what this space was designed for.  That and attracting birds, butterflies, bees, as well as being a private sanctuary space to relax in.  The photos speak for themselves.

Work that was done:

• Removed old lawn and stump from a formerly gigantic cedar tree
• Installed irrigation system with low-flow pop-up heads and drip lines in the planting beds
• Installed new sod
• Created planting beds with starter trees and shrubs
• installed a 400 square foot flagstone patio and walkway

   This project encompasses every aspect of landscaping - Garden spaces, walls, patios, paths, fences, water feature, lighting, irrigation, arbor, steps & railings.  The project's scope was comprehensive.  Not at the beginning, though.  The plan was simple to start with, but as each area was developed, adjacent areas became glaringly unflattering by comparison.  And so the project grew in stages until every little (and big) space was thought out and improved.

   In the second set of photos below, the homeowner wanted an off-street parking spot.  The slope was excavated and we discovered a coal chute from the early 20th century in our way.  It turned out to be a massive concrete tunnel (4ft.x3ft.x15ft long with 6in. thick walls) with one end at the street level and the other opening into the basement. After much digging and consternation, most of it was removed and the basement end, which is a small room about 5ft.x5ft.x6ft. was sealed and is now a perfect wine cellar.

   In the first set of photos below, the garden space I created was intended as a very private woodland garden to be viewed from the breakfast nook in the kitchen.  To achieve privacy, the cedar fence was built.  To make the fence something interesting to look at, an antique stained glass window was incorporated into its design.  The fence was also designed specifically to house the waste cans out of sight and traffic, and also has a built in newspaper receptacle near the steps.  Talk about multi-tasking!

   The most dramatic change to the space was in replacing the old 800sq.ft. wood deck with a smaller and more interesting Trex deck and Flagstone patio with an integrated water feature.  The concept that steered the whole project on this side of the home was that things closest to the house should be more 'constructed', 'civilized', and 'urban', and as one moves away from the house and down the slope, things would become progressively more 'natural' and 'wilder'.

   The stone used for the patio, steps, and pathways is a quartzite (or schist, depending on your geologist) from central Idaho.  Each step is a single, solid slab.  The railings are clear cedar posts with 1.5" patinaed copper rails.  The arbor was designed to display another antique stained glass window, which is spot-lit from behind at night.  Two types of climbing Hydrangea were planted to cover the arbor and create a lovely, shaded rest stop with a stone bench for the hike up the slope to the house.  Path lighting is powered by 110V household current for strong, clear, effective illumination.  Irrigation consists entirely of buried drip lines operated by simple controllers on the spigots.  The water feature starts at the patio edge and flows through two pools and two waterfalls, ending up next to a flight of steps down slope.  Coming up from the garage below, you hear the water in the distance, getting louder as you progress toward the house.  As you get closer, a peek-a-boo view of the lower waterfall appears, then as the last corner is turned, you start to follow the water course all the way up to the deck and house.

   This is the way you experience the entire property - distinctive areas and vignettes capture your attention and invite you to sit and contemplate, or pause to enjoy the current view, or explore around the next bend for another treasure.