I love helping in gardens where the client wants to use all Nature’s elements of stone, water, wood, and plants. Our skilled workers and their diversity allow easy project shifts that can impact grading, drainage, or stonework, when the client or I change our mind!

The Deck

We ripped out the rotted old deck and changed the shape to allow more seating room. Two sets of stairs were widened and one set at an angle for a dramatic effect. The sunrise motifs in the railing are like hanging pictures on the deck.

Drainage

We directed water that poured off the roof away from the new terrace and planting bed. A French drain that ran underneath and far away from our dry lay captured any water that headed toward the terrace.

The Terrace

There was nothing but lawn here before.  The stone is a Golden Sunset flagstone.  The seat wall is Heather Gray thin stone. The seat capstone is a bull nosed limestone.

My son, the geologist, described the formation of the terrace’s mica schist stone. It is develops underground where warm stone bends upon itself over and over again.  I will spare you any more details except to say he was pretty impressed that we were using it in a terrace. It is the most beautiful after a rain, as seen here, when the green, gold, and browns glisten.

Notice the play in the square shaped terrace edge, which creates visual movement.  Also for visual movement is the mesmerizing re-circulating fountain set in a circle of stones and then in a square of stone.

The vegetable garden includes a custom made, 2 drawer potting bench and 3 vegetable boxes.  Pictures of that follow next month.

Plantings go in next week. Stay tuned!