Landscaping-Phase One
reshaping a yard and driveway
As owner/builders, Jen & Bob have been building their house for years. The time had finally come to start turning their attention to the landscaping outside this uniquely designed home set in the middle of their certified, forest stewardship land. With winter approaching, the couple talked to Robert about setting the grade properly, getting more drain tiles installed around the house and finishing the rough cut in the backyard. The couple had ideas, but no real design for what would happen around the exterior of the house. Any landscaping would also have to incorporate the movement of ground water elsewhere and the capture of roof water into their cistern, designed for both fire protection and landscape maintenance in summer.
Robert came back with a modern plan that showed the couple how they could move water artfully down steel C-channel downspouts that would connect to channels set into the ground and help move water where needed. Robert's drawing reflected how terraced areas could work, where a fire pit and pond would go and how the use of some beautiful hardscape could allow for greater movement and easier maintenance around the house.
The first step was to grade and set the levels around the house. Drainage tiles would be reset and the dirt in the backyard would be graded lower at first, to prepare for better topsoil and gravel to be spread later in spring. The spoils from all the grading were used to fill in areas of the front yard to cover the top of the cistern and create a gentle slope away from the house. No additional fill dirt was brought in. Robert had figured out how to use all the earth moved in an efficient manner.
In addition to preparation around the house, the couple's driveway was in dire need of some love. After years of building and heavy equipment early on in their building process, the road had seen better days. The top of the driveway by the house was also a mudfest every year. You could only pull a car in and back it out a long 350 foot driveway. A turnaround loop was needed. This meant a pile of rotting old logs was removed and placed naturally along the sides of the driveway. No trees had to be cut down and the result is a graceful, curving, mud-free driveway with access to the house and a place for two cars to get through. The work was done just in time before the rains of late fall took over.
Phase 2 starts in spring 2018. Pavers, terracing, living walls. Stay tuned...
“I was thrilled to see the care in which things were moved and placed. The new driveway and loop is artfully done and has beautiful sight lines into the forest. It is an amazing transformation. As owner/builders, we get that everything is a process and we're so excited for phase 2 in spring."
—Jen
