Seasoned gardeners are fun for us to work with, since they tend to get equally excited about nerdy plant stuff like we do. These clients downsized into a new home and quickly reached out to us to help them come up with a way to put their love of working in their yard to use.
The existing landscaping was a standard builder package, so we had plants to work with, but they were not placed appropriately. We redesigned the front and back yards to repurpose those bushes and trees to spots where they could flourish, as well as adding new elements.
Front Yard Landscape Redesign
The builder had planted bushes and trees near the front of the home that would grossly outgrow their spot in just a few years. We moved them to the back yard and installed new plants that better suited the location. A mix of evergreens, flowers, and a variety of leaf colors ensured something will look beautiful throughout the different seasons. The house sits high relative to the street with a fairly steep driveway, so we added some boulders to create some additional visual interest. We also installed new lighting to highlight the landscape’s shapes and textures at night.
Back Yard Landscape
The back yard landscape redesign plan was much more complicated than the front. The home has a walkout basement and an upper covered deck area with a steep staircase going down to the backyard. A large open space underneath the raised deck was perfect for a new patio space as well as room for protected storage.
We built the patio out into the yard to blend the home with its outdoor space. At first our clients through they wanted a permanent firepit, but after some thought they reconsidered. They have a large family that lives locally, and they wanted the flexibility to move the fireplace when everyone was visiting. Before we placed the pavers, however, we added the piping they would need just in case they changed their minds later.
The back yard had a large slope, so we built a seating height retaining wall with integrated lighting to extend the use of the grassy area. Above this area we placed Sienna sandstone boulders to further retain the hillside and create planting pockets. A couple of rocks were specifically positioned as seating spots – one that looks out over the yard and one that faces the patio. Our clients’ grandkids love these spots!
Then came the truly fun part – choosing and installing the plants. When our clients came to visit our home to choose specimens, they took a look at our labor of love landscape and said, “Make our yard beautiful.” Well, the pressure was on! They fell in love with our weeping pines, plus many other of our unique evergreens. We planted these new, unique varieties with the existing bushes and trees from the front yard to create a landscape they loved. We also added lighting that tastefully highlighted some mature trees and lit the path from the driveway to the backyard.
Our landscape-loving clients were heavily involved in the plant choices for their yard, bringing in varieties that excited them and that they knew they could take care of. It’s a pleasure to introduce people to new plants and designs! And we were happy we could naturally incorporate their existing landscaping too.
We design and install landscapes for serious plant-lovers and casual plant-admirers alike. Send us an email or give us a call at (317) 997-4803 to set up a free consultation appointment.
