We are proud to announce we have been recognized by the Illinois Landscape Contractor Association as a 2011 Excellence in Landscaping Award winner in the category of Residential Landscape Construction. This distinguished honor is unique because of its rigorous application criteria and that the judging is done by fellow landscapers throughout the industry.
A landscape upgrade for the salt-box style home fulfilled our clients’ desire for an outdoor entertainment space which harkened back to their New England roots. The small corner lot presented several challenges with regard to space allocation, site drainage, zoning restrictions, privacy needs, and providing universal access for friends and family members.
A full range of elements were brought into play to provide for the functional as well as the aesthetic imperatives of the renovation which included spaces for cooking, dining, entertaining, tool storage, trash storage, pet needs, alley access, screening views, flowers for cutting, a water element, and a traditional style— all within a footprint of approximately 3,000 square feet. Every aspect and system was removed, altered, or added, including grading, stormwater management, utility lines, structures, hardscape and softscape.
The sight and sound of water, as well as a source of shade, were pivotal to our clients’ enjoyment and comfort in their outdoor living space. Both of these elements were custom-designed and custom-fabricated to fit the compact space and to have particular performance features.
The fencing and the four support columns for the pergola are made of composite material to minimize maintenance. The flooring of New York bluestone and red clay paving brick has a warm color palette that marries well with the yellow frame house and imparts an east coast Colonial style.
A traditional picket fence replaces the old evergreen hedge and gives the garden the airier feel which our clients desired. It also freed up more space for flower beds which are filled with more than 170 perennials and 300 bulbs. The only remnant of the former landscape, a storage shed, was moved to a more discreet location toward the rear by the alley where it houses garden supplies. To address pet needs, a fenced dog run was installed in the back corner of the lot.
The paths and seating areas are set at the same grade and wide enough to maneuver mobility devices throughout. The old deck off the back door was replaced with a ramped surface of smooth clay pavers.
We thank our clients for allowing us to enter their project into the competition; our designers for their creativity and vision; and especially our foremen and crew members, whose hard work and attention to detail is unsurpassed.
