Our latest project began with a dark and muddy side yard, not getting much use, plagued by standing water whenever it rained. It was heavily wooded, wet, and shaded most of the time, not making for much usable space or aesthetic appeal. Our designers Zack and Nate accepted the challenge, first focusing on keeping rainwater away from the foundation of the house. Water pours from three roofs and almost an entire driveway so proper grading was a priority. The driveway water would really wash out the garden beds and with no sun for plants to hold their ground it was quite a muddy mess most of the year. Digging and grading out along the property line for a dry river bed to catch all this water was almost necessary to protect the properties integrity. 

 The #1 principle in this project; water goes down hill. In Nature after a rain there are certain “natural dry river beds” that each rain helps define and create. We try to mimmic those natural elements as best as humanly possible. The natural stone path helps blend the natural garden beds and the stunning architecture of the home. 

They also needed to create a path that would connect the side gate, service door, and back porch without slowing or stopping any water flow. First they set the proper grade, followed by setting a natural stone walk way parallel with the slope on top, using Keota Buff wall stone, so that the water could flow between each stone. Then they back filled the area between the stones with rounded pebbles so that it would not compact to insure water movement through pebbles and run down hill. Now the water flows properly and people can walk on a level, dry, and sturdy surface.

Due to the lack of lighting and extreme soil moisture, turf did not grow very well, so the space was finished off with a “no-mow” Carex lawn. This Carex lawn will give the clean, soft transitional feeling of a traditional lawn without the up-keep, while helping the garden blend into its woodland setting. Kousa Dogwoods, Oakleaf Hydrangeas and Witch Hazel plantings were added to the natural wooded garden beds as understory planting to complete the space. 

Nate said the best part is  always watching an idea become reality! It would have never been made a reality without the trust and hard work of the Installation Team (Purple Polos). It will be fun to see over the next couple years the mulch become a thing of the past when that Carex “lawn” grows in! When nature throws our team curve balls, such as excess rain water, we look to how the issue would be  handled in a natural setting and incorporate that into our design. The end product not only solved the issue of a muddy side yard walkway, taking standing water away from the foundation of the house, but also created a beautiful useable space for the family to enjoy.