Landscaping projects come in all shapes, sizes, and scopes. For this month, I have decided to highlight one I worked on a couple of years ago. The location was in an area that had older homes, but was an extreemly trendy area to build, and builders and developers were buying up lots, tearing down the old homes, and rebuilding with the latest technology and techniques. Technically, this home was a remodeling project, but when the only thing that remained of the original house was a small portion of the foundation in one corner, it is as good as a complete rebuild. This was a situation of a new home on an established lot, in an established neighborhood.
My initial assessment of the property showed it had some great potential. The lot size was quite large for a city lot, and there were a few large mature trees on or surrounding the property providing some privacy. One of the major challenges to overcome was the grade. The lot was situated on a hill, with the grade sloping from east to west. Prior to the remodel, the previous owners tried to gain more usable area by installing a retaining wall. It helped, but was placed in an awkward location and reduced the usability of the lot. Also, because of the grade issues, drainage was also a major factor. In the Seattle area on sloping lots, when the ground is disturbed, it can cause springs to form which can cause all sorts of drainage issues. Another major issue was the main access to the home. The builder focused on creating a beautiful home, but didn’t leave much for the landscaping. There were some stone steps that had not been properly set into the hill side and would wobble under foot. The flagstones leading to the front door were small and spaced far too far apart to be of use. 
When I met with my clients, they had specific ideas of what they wanted, but didn’t know the best way to make them happen. They had one little girl who was nearly four years old, and were expecting another little girl. They also had an energetic black Labrador named Rover. Their main priorities included making a safe, attractive, and functional entry walkway with steps, creating an area for entertaining in the backyard, and increasing the usable lawn area for their girls and Rover to play. 
The design called for a complete rework of the front entry, including the wall, steps, and walkway surface. The homeowners decided on using concrete pavers to help keep the project on budget. The design also called for a series of retaining walls to be built, one that would retain soil that had been cut out, and another that held fill material. This would increase the usable lot area significantly allowing for a large flat lawn area. A large patio in the backyard with plantings and lighting accents would serve for the entertaining area.
The project turned out to be a great success and the homeowners were thrilled with what was done. There were a few modifications to the design as we entered the construction phase, but overall, the design intent was maintained.
FINISHED PHOTOS:
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