APLD ~ APLD Members ~ Member of the Month

APLD Members ~ Member of the Month

APLD Member of the Month – October 2008

Richard Harper, APLD
The Creative Landscaping Co.
Chandler, IN
www.creativeland.net

When we were contacted for this project, our initial meeting was concluded with the statement to me, "Design this as if it was your own… dream a little."

The only things existing in this rear living area were some mature white pines, a 30"+ sweetgum, a 'builder-typical' 10'x16' concrete pad patio and the ever-popular, but relatively new, stockade fence.

I was given the latitude to keep or remove anything.

The prime considerations were to provide this couple more usable patio area and soften the harshness of the fence.

The patio was in excellent shape, and there were no drainage issues. So, we chose to leave it in place and expand it almost three times with brick. The lawn sloped 30" at the end of the existing patio and required a stone wall to allow the now larger patio extension to remain on one level. This was accomplished with a 24" wide sawed English limestone wall capped with English limestone flagging. A pair of 3" caliper pagoda dogwoods were installed as the major plantings within the patio area.

The semi-circular steps leading down from the patio, with the owners' stone lions on either side, continue out through the lawn to one of the rear seating areas.

The couple, nearing retirement, had three very nice old stone pieces, two of which we were able to plumb to allow their use as fountains. The third sits in a planting bed of ferns and hostas, fronting a trio of lilac "Miss Kim."

We created the arbors and treillage fencing for additional screening which were to become the major focal points for those sections of the lawn. We do all our own millwork in cedar and redwood, as well as the stone and brickwork.

The plantings chosen were large enough to provide the desired screening almost immediately. We used full-sized plants on a regular basis, as our major emphasis is higher-end renovations and, too often, smaller plants look so completely out of proportion
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We have continued to update and manage this installation since it was completed, often adding, moving and changing things, at our discretion, or their request.

The palette of plants is really rather modest, and quiet, which is how I tend to view rear living areas. I’ve always said that we can achieve our "pop and wow" in other ways, without using hundreds of varieties in often confined planting areas. I would always prefer to use 50 each of 5 varieties as opposed to 5 each of 50 varieties. We don't, very often, have properties expansive enough, in my view, to support arboretum or botanic garden-style planting. I like peaceful - I don't care for messy and/or busy.

The clients have become our very good friends, as well as clients, and have had a rather large benefit garden tour and numerous outings since the completion.

I feel I would like to share this thought. I have told a few close friends, in our profession and out, that this project, as with 3 other projects for which I have such fondness from our past 35 years, was completely designed in my head before I reached the end of their drive after the first visit.

I first saw the property on a Saturday and had a detailed and rendered initial site analysis delivered on the following Wednesday. I have said that when I see one of these projects in my head, I can barely wait to get back to the drawing tables to see if the available measurements fit my “dreams.”

We have not varied too much from my original Mission – Always timeless. Never trendy. Period.

Certified Members seeking to be profiled should send before and after photos with SHORT design intent statement to:

Martin Speece
Email: promote@apld.org
Phone: 717-238-9780

* PHOTOS SHOULD BE CLEAR COLOR PRINTS OR JPEG COMPRESSED FILES