Greater Indianapolis is lucky enough to have many beautiful communities, and the area around Geist Reservoir is one of them. The homes near the water offer beautiful visatas, and steep walks down to the edge. Our clients owned a home that overlooked a Geist-area pond with a well-treed lot that offered a lot of privacy. They were not using their steep back yard to its fullest potential, so they asked us to develop a better design. This Geist hillside patio project is a great example of how to create a useable outdoor space while honoring the existing natural beauty.
The goal for this landscape design was to create an accessible and functional outdoor area while embracing the lovely wooded backyard. Their walkout basement led to dirt! They were looking to create a place where their kids could play as well as a spot for adult relaxing and entertaining.
Frankly, creating the design was the easy part. It was the execution that challenged us. Each stage of the process took precise planning and timing. Little by little we would bring the materials we needed down the incline in the particular order required by the installation plan. There was not a lot of space to work with along the hill. To ensure we did not damage anything or anyone, we had to be both especially efficient and intentional with our building process.
The installation began with figuring out where all of the drainage lines would run. Water runs downhill and it erodes the landscape along the way, so it was imperative that we capture and divert it from the start. We had all of the roof gutters run underneath the hardscape and drain into the pond, eliminating the erosion issues they were already experiencing and preventing new ones.
Next, we dug into the hillside and added a retaining wall to hold up the rest of the dirt. Now we had a spot to create a level patio area. Our choice to design the patio with curves came from two inspirations: 1) the modern design of their home meant it had a lot of angles and we wanted to provide a visual counter point and 2) perfect angles do not naturally exist in nature – it is more about contained chaos. Using curves in our design enhanced the natural beauty of the adjacent woods and view. They also add the soothing, casual vibe of an oasis, which is what our clients were looking for.
We added this curving natural flow to the patio’s access points as well. Stairs from the upper deck and an entrance from the walk-out basement already existed. We connected both of them, as well as a door from the mudroom, with meandering pathways. Our intention was to have the relaxing feel begin as you were making your way to the patio.
Our landscaping choices were also meant to complement the woods and pond view. For us, woods=boulders, so we added many! Sienna sandstone from Brown County were the perfect choice since we felt the backyard had a Brown County vibe. The reds, yellows, and browns within the stone make them pop and they play well with foliage. While the large rocks suited the big space, it was not an easy task to get them down the hill and placed securely!
Our landscaping choices were also meant to complement the woods and pond view. For us, woods=boulders, so we added many! Sienna sandstone from Brown County was a perfect choice since we felt the backyard had a Brown County vibe. The reds, yellows, and browns within the stone make them pop and they play well with foliage. While the large rocks suited the big space, it was not an easy task to get them down the hill and placed securely!
The plantings completed the project. We added evergreens to blend with the woodsy feel while creating an intentional and organized look. Lungwort, Hosta, Lenten rose, Painted ferns and Oakleaf and Panicale hydrangeas added bits of color and texture without taking away from the dramatic view. This project is just one of our Geist hillside patio experiences. You can read about the other one here. It pays to have experience when you are tearing up a steep incline. Precise planning and execution are needed to ensure the design continues to look great and function well without undermining the structure of the hillside or your house. If you have been trying to find a way to turn your precipitous backyard into an outdoor oasis, reach out to us! Send an email or give us a call at (317) 997-4803.
