Attentive Landscape Maintenance Completes the Design
Landscape design & planning is an essential step in the creation of an outdoor living environment, but it is just a first step. As plantings mature in the years following installation, attentive landscape maintenance and garden management are responsible for fulfilling the designer’s vision.
It takes about three years for the plantings fill out and really hit their stride. During that time period, the landscape maintenance crews are pruning plants to guide their growth and help them to form their natural shapes. Our Leesburg, Virginia clients came to appreciate the relationship between landscape maintenance and landscape design during the years immediately following the installation of their new landscape.
The Vision
When the Nortons first walked the lot where their new home would be built, it was about as featureless and flat as an overgrown soccer field. It was the exact opposite of their previous house on a steeply sloped, heavily wooded site, and was exactly what they were looking for. This three-acre blank canvas would give them the freedom to “choose trees and plants that we wanted, versus what just happens to be on the property when you buy a house.”
In addition to having control over the plantings around their new home, they imagined an inviting outdoor environment in the rear yard with a pool and pool house–a place for the family to enjoy.
The girls are eight now and we’ve got a two-year old son. I was hoping our home would be the go to place for my kids and their friends. It’s easier to keep track of your kids if they are in your back yard. The Nortons, Leesburg, Virginia
Aside from the back yard idea, they left the rest to the imagination of their landscape architect. That resulted in three acres of highly designed, highly manicured landscaping.
Almost everywhere you look, from pretty much anywhere on the property the views are just great. It’s endless eye candy.
To play against the flatness of the lot, the architect used dirt from the pool excavation to build up the height of the flower beds in the rear yard.
The clients expressed a desire to have the sound of running water in their landscape. In response to their request for “a creek bed and waterfall feature” that could not work on the site, the landscape architect specified a fountain in the courtyard near the kitchen entrance. He also created an allee at the side of the house that frames a view of a stone fountain.
The master plan was so ambitious that they broke it into phases. The greater portion of work was completed in the first phase. Later, they added several large beds that were not part of the original plan. They also added a holly hedge in front to provide screening from street activity.
The Growth Period
The homeowners say it’s been a process of discovery and they’ve been surprised to learn just how much goes into it, particularly the maintenance and garden management.
The garden management people come weekly. I see them hustle. They work hard. I see them doing everything they can within the block of time allotted to my property.
They say that ongoing communication with the garden managers has been extremely important and helpful. They’ve seen how the garden management crews take the time to “learn” the property and to understand their preferences.
Something to Enjoy Every Day
Even in the heat of summer, because the pool house is open to the West, there is always a breeze. That has been a big surprise and has helped us to use the pool all day long throughout the summer.
The homeowners say their favorite place to be is down at the pool and pool house. They like it so much that they keep the pool open until the end of October.
Usually by the end of summer I would be good and ready for Fall and cooler weather. But since we’ve had this property and have been able to enjoy the pool area, it pains me to close up the pool when the end of summer rolls around.
This is why we do the work we do: stories like this one. Our goal is to create and care for outdoor living spaces that people enjoy every day. If you’d like us to help you complete the outdoor portion of your home and to take great care of it season after season, please feel free to contact our garden management specialists.
Perhaps you’ve been wondering how to bring out the fullest expression in your landscape and gardens. Our eBook: Choosing the Right Kind of Landscape Maintenance Firm, is full of valuable information to help you understand the fundamental differences between landscape maintenance companies.