Backyard Retreat

Do you have a space that your not sure what to do with? Such was the case here, a small backyard that we converted into a space for relaxation, small family gatherings or simply a place to unwind after a long day at work to read a book while enjoying a glass of wine.

So we began with the process of laying the foundation for our outdoor living space

Making sure to maintain the grade to keep water away from the house, we kept a constant check on the level and we also installed a french drain at the base of our slope to keep water away from the driveway and house.

The next part of the process is to lay out the flagstone and get the patio ready.

It's starting to come together. The fire pit location and plants start to come into the picture. We wanted to make an entrance to our space with 6 x 6 cedar posts sort of an entryway and started placing plants, trees and shrubs in their designated locations.

Another thing we added was a drip irrigation system to ensure that the landscape was low maintenance and the homeowners didn't have to worry about watering the new plantings.

Lights, Landscape, French Drain

Earlier this past month, Stacy and Nathan, purchased a home and were in love with their new place. They wanted the outside of their new home to reflect the charm of the neighborhood. They called us for a consult and we discussed their landscaping needs, basically they wanted to increase curb appeal, didn't want high maintenance and also wanted to add some lights.

We came up with a plan. We would increase curb appeal by adding dwarf magnolias, Little Gems, against the brick wall on either side of the window to the left. We chose shrubs that were dwarf in variety, Green Mountain Boxwoods, so that they could sit on their porch and not be overwhelmed with growth of the shrubs years down the road. With the addition of annuals we would add color to the beds. We also added a 5 light setup, 3 lights for the walkway leading to the front door and the other 2 would shine upwards on the magnolias and a drip system for worry free watering of new shrubs and plantings.

On a day I went to take measurements for the metal edging it was pouring and I noticed that they were having some serious drainage issues. If we proceeded as planned, the plants were not going to survive for the long haul, due to root rot, so I strongly recommended to add a french drain as part of the design. A good foundation is an important part prior to any design implementation. Stacy and Nathan agreed.

Prior to digging we called 811 and had them mark the utilities.

Once we could see that we were clear to dig we started the french drain.

Once we had our desired depth we made sure to keep the slope at a 1/8 pitch so the water would be carried away from the beds, walkway and driveway. We placed stakes and a string level to measure for accuracy of the pitch.

We made sure to continue this pitch of the trench even under the sidewalk

Once we were satisfied that the pitch was consistent throughout the trench we laid the landscape fabric that would encapsulate the french drain.

With the fabric in place we placed a socked 4" perforated pipe within the fabric and then topped it with c-ballast gravel.

Once the fabric was filled with the c-ballast we folded it like a burrito and covered it up. So we could begin the placement of trees, shrubs, flowers, lights, drip system and edging.

Finally the beds with edging, lights and drip system installed.

If you have any questions in regards to your landscaping please call us to schedule a consult.

dRAINage problems

February showers??  That doesn't sound right.  Lately this rain has been pouring at biblical proportions and there seems no end in sight.  Some of the effects of the rain can be seen in your yard, in regards to the lack of drainage.  The problem occurs when water pools up around your house and has no where to go. 

Water then gets into your basement and can cause water damage and can promote the growth of mold.  The main problem of inadequate drainage can be attributed to the slope of the terrain in many yards.  If the slope takes water away from your house we are home free, but once water pools up against your house this can be a huge problem. 

The first thing I would look for is to see if the house has gutters and that the downspouts are properly draining into a the yard, catch basin or an existing drainage pipe.  If there are no gutters in place, it is strongly recommended to have them installed, otherwise the rain pours off your roof and "digs" a trench for the water to sit in and no where to go.  With gutters properly installed the downspouts will divert rain water away from your foundation theoretically. 

The next thing we would look at is the grading or slope of the property.  Sometimes all that is needed is to bring in more soil or take away soil and adjust the pitch/slope so that the grade is at a 2-3% slope away from the house, this pitch of the terrain will help divert the water away from your property.  Sometimes adjusting the grade is not possible and what we suggest is a french drain.

A french drain is a trench dug to divert the water away from the undesired location.  The french drain typically consists of a trench dug, then filled with a perforated socked pipe sandwiched between layers of gravel so that the grade of the trench caries the water away.  If gravity is not on your side and you have an uphill battle, pun intended, then I would recommend an automated sump pump. 

An automatic sump pump can be triggered by a flotation device.  So you would have a low spot where water is collected and when the water reaches a certain level the flotation device connected to the pump floats up triggering the pump to turn on and sucking up the water and pushing it out through a pipe to a desired location away from your "low-spot".  I personally have one in my landscape that alleviates the problem of a low spot where a traditional french drain would not be possible.

These are a few solutions to the problem of drainage.  Please let us know your thoughts and or questions