Scope of Work:

Design and Planning:

• Collaborated with the homeowners during the final stages of home construction to design a landscape plan that matched the modern farmhouse architecture — natural stone, timber, and a mix of structured and organic plantings.

• Produced a detailed hand-drawn design addressing the significant grade change in the backyard, the front yard streetscape, and the integration of a pool, garden area, and recreation space across multiple terraced levels.

Front Yard Landscape & Plantings:

• Designed and installed a richly planted front yard with layered perennial beds wrapping the full front of the home — hydrangeas, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, hostas, ornamental grasses, lavender, and blue spruce.

• Created a central bubbling rock water feature using three natural stone pillars set in a river rock basin with black mulch beds surrounding it — positioned as the focal point between the walkway and the wraparound porch.

• Placed accent boulders, columnar evergreens, and ornamental trees throughout the front beds for year-round structure and seasonal color.

• Installed fresh sod, concrete walkway with clean edges, and low-voltage landscape lighting to frame the front entry at dusk.

• Laid black mulch throughout all planting beds for a clean, high-contrast look against the stone and white exterior.

Boulder Retaining Walls & Grade Management:

• Constructed multi-tier natural sandstone boulder retaining walls to manage the steep grade change from the upper pool deck down to the lower lawn and garden level — walls reaching approximately six feet in sections.

• Engineered proper drainage behind and through the walls to protect the pool structure and prevent erosion on the slope.

• Backfilled and graded each terrace level to create usable flat areas for turf, planting beds, and the raised garden box area.

Pool Deck & Outdoor Living:

• Installed an in-ground pool with a curved slide, deck jets, and a full paver surround connecting to the home's lower level walkout.

• Built a timber pergola adjacent to the pool for shaded seating and lounging, with planting beds and potted plants around the base.

• Laid pavers across the entire upper pool terrace, extending from the house to the retaining wall edge with clean transitions to turf and mulch beds.

• Installed iron safety fencing around the pool perimeter and along the retaining wall edges.

Lower Yard & Raised Garden Beds:

• Created a dedicated raised garden area on the lower terrace with eight wooden planter boxes set on a compacted crushed gravel pad — designed for vegetable and herb gardening.

• Framed the garden area with boulder retaining walls on both sides and a turf lawn connecting it to the upper terrace and the property's natural scrub oak border.

• Installed an in-ground trampoline on the lower lawn for a clean, integrated recreation area.

Finishing Details:

• Planted along both retaining wall tiers with shrubs, perennials, and groundcover to soften the stone edges and tie the upper and lower levels together visually.

• Coordinated iron gates and fencing throughout the property for safety and flow between the front yard, side yard, pool area, and lower garden.

• Installed irrigation across all turf and planting zones on every level of the property.

Results:

• Showpiece Curb Appeal: The front yard went from bare construction dirt to one of the most richly planted and detailed streetscapes in the neighborhood — with water features, perennial color, and evening lighting that brings the modern farmhouse to life.

• Usable Multi-Level Backyard: Boulder retaining walls turned a steep, unusable slope into three distinct outdoor zones — pool and entertaining, open lawn, and raised garden — all connected and fully functional.

• Family-Ready Recreation: Pool with slide, in-ground trampoline, and open turf give the family an outdoor space designed for everyday use, not just aesthetics.

• Year-Round Character: The combination of evergreens, perennial color, black mulch, natural stone, and timber accents ensures the landscape looks intentional in every season.