A Changing Landscape

It isn't everyday that we get to see a house and a yard go through such a transformation, but for this client, changing the landscape was essential to drawing the eye into the reframing of the house.  

The house sits down in the yard quite a bit below street level.  In order to help prevent flooding and to create a natural water friendly environment, we created a tiered, winding, and sloped pathway which brings you to the front door of the home. The pathway is gravel, a permeable surface, to ensure maximum drainage from street level to the level of the house.  This river like effect allows the rainfall to naturally seep into the ground, rather than rushing down a hard surface such as the previous sidewalk.  

We used flagstone on the steps and a complementary paver for the patio outside of the front door.  Recycled logs and boulders provide the retaining walls for the tiered beds, and a small flagstone pathway creates a walkway from the sidewalk.  We also tucked a small raingarden into the southwest corner of the yard which will provide catchment and further drainage from the tiered raised beds.  

Our clients are thrilled!  I spoke to them briefly when I stopped by to photograph the new digs and they said that it was a lovely space to spend time in.  They mentioned that people walking past often stop by to admire the design, and whenever friends or family come round the house they comment on just how nice it is.  I'm not sure we can do much better than that.