We replaced 3 tiers of crumbled retaining wallstone with steel walls, added extra yard space, a patio, and gardens (and remedying a water problem by regrading to direct the water). Almost totally unusable space has now become an entertainment room outside for this mid century modern home. The gardens are lush with evergreens (that replaced buckthorn), perennials (native and non), and huge annual color.
Minneapolis Japanese Garden. Front yard has a formal Japanese garden designed and planted in collaboration with Carter Clapsaddle:
https://sites.google.com/site/cclapsadle/
The side yard has a natural waterfall following the stone steps to the backyard patio lined with a pebble pond and pathways leading into the garden wild. Many native woodlands inhabit the wild space leading down to Minnehaha Creek.
Small, thin backyard was created into many sitting areas. A natural cedar deck with bench off of the kitchen spills down to extra large patio. The patio has space for lounging furniture and a grill. Connected, is a pergola with dining space. This patio is cut off on edge by a natural dry stream bed that moves water when there is excess spring thawing and rain. A stone slab sits as a bridge over the rocky stream from the secret garden to the patio as a cut through. A bubbling rock is featured off of the lounging area with the garden and hindu-pan pruned evergreen behind.
An exposed aggregate free-standing concrete patio designed to bring the family into the backyard. All failing grass was removed and we created a patio and path skirted with ground covers to make this backyard more welcoming and usable.
This St Louis Park home was being remodeled and updated from it's original 1940's state. We needed to create living space in the backyard but keep the old world feel. Two patios were installed (and walkways); one for eating and one private patio that sits off of the master bedroom. Everything is connected by stone paved paths or steppers through the gardens. The gardens are young but will provide nice cozy space and privacy as they mature.
This condominium that values their beautiful acreage and gardens needed a fresh welcoming entry. A mixture of flowering shrubs and perennials create a grounding backdrop for the annual color.
After a small screen porch addition, this backyard was turned into a food and pollinator ecosystem. Among the native and ornamental plantings, there are fruit producing trees and shrubs, perennial herbs, and spaces for annual vegetables. The site was a clean slate and prepped with loamy soil and loads of compost. The plants thrive and the micro environment sandwiched on this small lot feeds the insects and the people who live there.
New Construction can be stark and uncomfortable. We created a solid patio space with a fire pit that one can sit at either on and off of the grass. We connected the deck and front yard with stone stepper paths, created a berm and planted evergreens for a sense of privacy, and planted native and pollinator friendly gardens. We also incorporated food for people and birds with a cherry tree, chokeberries, an heirloom eating crabapple, and herbs.
We built this fence and arbor to help create a private feel for this backyard and to keep the little ones away from the busy road. Of course, gardens are incorporated in design as well.
Old rotting timbers and concrete hugged the front of this house and uncomfortably provided the only access to the front door. It was tight and flattened the the look of the whole house. We took everything off and built a curvilinear path pulling the entry farther out into the yard to create dimension and a welcoming visit. The gardens are shady and full of texture. We returned to install a fire pit patio and waterfall the following year in the backyard.
One of our most enjoyable and creative works are providing color and edibles for various restaurants around the city. Patio gardens are very important to us in Minnesota. We need to enjoy the warm days of summer every chance we get. These eating spaces aren't as cozy without plantings.
St Croix Falls Library was constructed with environmentally friendly practices in mind. The gardens in the plaza outside of the library and separating the main road from the parking lot was planted completely with all native trees, shrubs and perennials. There's one exception: the fescue no mow grasses on the knoll for children to sit and listen to readings. This project was installed in collaboration and following the design of Diane Hilscher of Hilscher Design and Ecology: http://www.hilscherdesign.com/
