This wooded property is surrounded by thick evergreen trees and has a peekaboo view of Swartz Lake. The homeowner was in the process of building their custom home when they contacted us to do the design of their landscape. Because this was a new custom home, the landscape was starting from a blank slate and needed to blend with the surrounding natural growth areas. Its close proximity to the lake, meant that we had to make sure we were well away from any shoreline areas and shoreline buffers. This was something that was addressed from the very beginning of the design process to ensure we weren’t encroaching in those areas.
The homeowner wanted the outside space to go with both the natural setting around the property and the style of the house while providing a tranquil setting that they can enjoy throughout the seasons year after year.
The final design included a ponding water feature, winding crushed stone paths, a flagstone sitting area, a dry stream for drainage along the driveway, stamped concrete patios, and a small deck. The stamped concrete patios and the small deck were done by a separate contractor.
First step was to take care of grading as the site was sloped. With such a large site, grading can take some time to get everything right. As soon as grading was completed, work on the water feature began.
While the water feature was being built, we had several more granite boulders and stone risers that needed to be set throughout the site to help retain the slopes. The crushed stone paths followed and then soil came in for all of the planting areas. Lighting wire and irrigation was also installed.
Planting day soon arrived and this took several deliveries and plant set days to complete.
Topdressing for all the bed areas arrived and hydroseed was used for all the lawn areas. The driveway gravel was put down and the light fixtures were installed.
In total the installation of this project took about 4 months. We’ve visited this garden several times since completion and we love seeing everything grow in and how well the owner is taking care of their landscape. We can’t wait to show you how this garden continues to fill in! To see more finished pictures of this project, check out our portfolio page here.
Before & Afters
