How do you enhance the natural beauty of an Indiana horse farm? With a big water feature, of course. Add winding stone paths, carefully placed boulders, and a mix of native plants, conifers, and perennials, and you’ve got the makings of a landscape that feels like it has always belonged there.
We had a great time working with this client, whom we affectionately call “Mr. Ed.” He loves horses, and that passion has been passed down to his granddaughter, who now breeds them on the property. Our workdays included visits from a curious yearling and a foal born earlier that spring. There are definitely worse offices to work from.
We first met Mr. Ed at our yearly plant sale after a mutual friend, known by all as The Mad Botanist, referred us. The tour of our gardens turned into a visit to the farm where we were treated to a day of wandering the entire property. It was wonderful!
Our client had already started planting on his own, but he wanted an overall design that would enhance the views of the barn, riding area, and paddocks while creating new places to gather and wander.
The area we were designing already had a 15-by-20-foot covered concrete patio, plus a separate 10-by-10-foot concrete pad about 20 feet away. A wishbone-shaped crushed stone path connected the spaces to the fence, creating several natural planting areas instead of one large lawn.
Summer color was a priority for Mr. Ed, so we borrowed a page from our occasional design partner Martha’s playbook and created some mass perennial plantings of mostly native varieties outside the kitchen window and patio area.
Butterfly weed, orange flowering milkweed, American Goldfinch, Autummoor Grass, Moonshine Yarrow (which has vivid yellow flowers with a silver-grey foliage that creates lovely visual interest when not in bloom), Gayfeather Liatris (whose flower looks a feather duster), Red-leafed Lobelia (for its lovely red foliage) and Karl Foerster grass were just a few of the plants we chose to provide color throughout the season while also attracting butterflies and other beneficial insects. Near the gate, we planted a weeping white spruce—our “Dr. Seuss tree”—to add a little character and plenty of winter interest.
We also installed a 50-foot stone pathway leading from the main patio around the north side of the house to the front entrance. Pathways naturally create planting beds, which gave us opportunities to add shade-loving Hosta, Blue Muffin Arrowood viburnum (which gets its name from its blue berries in fall and white flowers in spring), Carolina allspice (that has a gorgeous red summer flower), dwarf Joe Pye weed, and other plants that keep the walk interesting from spring through fall.
If that sounds like enough landscaping, you haven’t met Mr. Ed.
The centerpiece of the project was always going to be the large bed visible from the back windows. The challenge was creating something beautiful that wouldn’t compete with the view of the horses. Perfect spot for a big water feature!
Mr. Ed did not want a pond. He wanted a fountain. So, we dug a 10ft by 10ft by 24 inch basin, installed a liner and AquaBlox water storage system and positioned large boulders around it. The star of the show was a beautiful limestone slab infused with quartzite, giving it the appearance of a giant geode. Mr. Ed had three one-inch holes drilled through the stone before we installed it, allowing water to bubble up through the rock. A stock tank heater keeps the fountain running year-round, even through an Indiana winter.
This project was no small undertaking. Mr. Ed enthusiastically led the charge while his wife patiently supported the process. The moment the fountain started flowing, though, she was sold. A little free landscaping marital advice: every project should include something that delights everyone involved
Every property has opportunities like these. If you’re looking for ideas for your own landscape, visit our gardens, send us an email, or give us a call. We’d love to walk your property and see what’s possible.
