2013 ALE: Warm Invitation
Eichanlaub, Inc.
Project Entry: Warm Invitation
2013 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner
Category: Residential Hardscaping $60,000 & Over
Award Level: Silver
Project Description:
Remarkable...In a high-end neighborhood defmed by the everyday, typical landscapes this discerning client really wanted the new landscape to not only be functional but also stand out as something very special and personal.
With a large family and a very busy lifestyle the clients dreamed of having a wonderful spill-over space to accommodate the everyday needs of the family as well as provide a comfortable living space to entertain office associates on occasion.
Before the transformation began the clients entertained outdoors primarily under cover of the existing porch adjacent to the family room. The desire was to expand the living space and add an outdoor fireplace. Initially the clients were thinking of attaching the frreplace to the perimeter of the existing porch; upon further discussion it was proposed to be moved further out into the yard.
The first challenge was to establish a new grade for the patio on an existing slope which was sloping away from the patio in two different directions. To achieve this grade change a retaining wall was needed.
The use of natural stone was paramount in the design as the clients felt it lends a timeless quality to the overall look. With this in mind it was important to keep the wall and other features made of a natural material. The main structural wall to manage the grade was made of dry stacked 3-6-9 cut Limestone and capped with Limestone.
The expanded patio space was made of dimensional cut Bluestone set on a concrete base. The clients wanted a more fluid design to the patio but yet did like the clean lines normally scene in a more formal layout. The arc-tangent design marries those two styles beautifully.
The seat wall and the frreplace are made of concrete block construction and veneered Pennsylvania Fieldstone. The seat wall bookends both sides of the frreplace and follows the same arc-tangent design of the patio. The frreplace is also equipped with a natural gas starter for burning frrewood.
The second challenge was the desire to design and build an intimate outdoor space in a backyard with many of the native trees removed and no privacy fencing in place. The placement of the fireplace as well as a strategic location of an Arborvitae gives the overall sense of cozy enclosure. The Boxwood hedge located in the planting bed on top of the 3-6-9 Limestone wall defmes a sense of security and safety by defming a natural railing to the elevated Bluestone patio.
The added, painted, cedar arbor also lends itself well to defining the space and giving a greater feeling of the cozy intimate feel the clients were seeking. We added a niche light in the arch which lights the two limestone steps that brings the clients off the patio and down to lawn grade. The paint of the arbor matches the trim of the house perfectly.
There are also a few copper path lights and well as a brass well light illuminating the Redbud tree.
Bluestone stepping stones on the opposite end of the patio from the arbor allows access to the backyard lawn areas as well complete the design.
All of the plantings had to be deer resistant, require low maintenance and provide seasonal interest throughout the entire year. Another requirement was the size of the patio to allow for the client to have plenty of spaces to accommodate annual container plantings to bring in the seasonal interest they desired.
Client expectations were exceeded and they have noted on more how much more time they spend outside. They truly think of their new outdoor living space as remarkable!
PLANT LIST
Genus/Species (Common Name)
1 - Cercis canadensis (Redbud)
7 - Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot's Spire' (Degroot's Spire Arborvitae)
1 - Thuja occidentalis 'Wintergreen' (Wintergreen Arborvitae)
6 - Buxus 'Dee Runk' (Dee Runk Boxwood)
13 - Rosa 'Knock Out' (Knock Out Rose)
5 - Itea virginiana 'Little Henry' (Little Henry Dwf. Sweetspire)
1 - Fothergilla x gardenii 'Mt. Airy' (Mt. Airy Fothergilla)
11 - Buxus x 'Green Gem' (Green Gem Boxwood)
2 - Clematis jackmanii Superba (Jackman Superba Clematis)
2 - Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese Spurge)
56 - Hemerocallis 'Hyperion' (Hyperion daylillies)
40 - Geranium sanguineum 'Max Frei' (Max Frei Geranium)
1 - Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' (Maiden grass)
10 - Delosperma 'John Proffit' (John Proffit Ice Plant)
6 - Liriopespicata (Liriope)
5 - Lavandula augustifolia 'Hidcote' (Hidcote Lavender)
Photo Credit: Eichenlaub, Inc.
Degroot’s Spire Arborvitae