garden
clear lavender-blue bloom spikes of Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) mix with abundantly flowering white bigleaf hydrangeas and evergreen boxwood
Caradonna’ sage (Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’) and cool blue ‘Little Titch’ catmint (Nepeta racemosa ‘Little Titch’) set off bright orange California poppies
This client came to us looking for a solution to a swampy, clay lawn area in the shade, with the expressed interest in getting better use out of the area, addressing the drainage, and accommodating her children's love for making s'mores. At the low point in the yard, with no place to route drainage, we went for the responsible option; dealing with the excess water on site. We excavated a french drain in the center of the patio through three different clay strata until we hit a silty layer, allowing water to wick laterally. We also doubled up our typical gravel underlayment to average 8" deep, and sloped the entire subgrade toward the drain. All plants were selected for the ability to thrive in waterlogged clay soil. No tilling was done to preserve soil microbiology, and heavy mulch layer was added to encourage long-term soil structure improvement. The fire bowl kicks out 75,000 BTUs, and is adjustable. It can be set up for propane or natural gas and is very warm for a small fire!
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