Another one for the books!

Ginkgo Landscape Design (that's us) does it again! HEY! Get your own! If you live nearby we can come to your house and build you a garden too!

I just love the look of the newly completed designs, especially after all the work they take. I didn't do the excavation though, that is the hard part. My specialty tends to be the stucco application...

Stop yammering and show you the photos? Okay... before photo then after photos, you get the idea. (Wanna see the construction? Here is the link: http://liciapots.blogspot.com/2008/07/installation-of-landscape-design.html )

Before:

After:

This is the new circular patio with seating wall surround (stucco by yours truly). The patio stones radiate from a central point. There are 3 entrances to the patio; a curvy path, stairs from the deck and stucco stairs (again, me and the stucco) from the "upper garden".

Originally the design encompassed more of the space (think pergolas with climbing vines and profuse color over the deck and raised circular planting beds in upper garden, from where the photo below was taken) but it was "downgraded" to adjust the budget.


In reality I think that they miss out on the long term gain of having a design that truly envelopes the garden and creates a sanctuary entirely separate of the interior of ones home. Occasionally we do get a return call to complete the installations as originally intended.

Curvy path, and further up the curvy path follow.

Plant nerds/huggers? We have:

Trees: Full Moon Maple, Fireglow Maple, Magnolia Bracken's Brown Beauty, Magnolia Moonglow, 'Diane' Witchhazel, Ginkgo Biloba 'Marieken', Cotinus 'Grace'.

Ferns: Autumn Fern 'Brilliance', Ostrich fern

Grasses: Japanese Blood Grass, Purple Flame Grass

Perennials and shrubs: Japanese Anemone 'September charm', Bear's Breeches, Daphne 'Sumer Ice', Beauty Berry 'Dark Star', Red Bells Enkianthus, Mt Airy Fothergilla, Helloborus 'Royal Heritage', Plum Pudding Heuchera, 'Snow Queen' Oakleaf Hydrangia, Blue Umbrella Hosta, Veriagated Gladwyn Iris, Honeybush (Melianthus major), 'Gulf Stream' Heavenly Bamboo, 'Coppertina' Ninebark, Japanese Tobira, Variegated Japanese Tobira, Spirea 'Little princess', Sedum 'Purple emperor'

Next up.... PLANTS!

It's so close to plant installation that I am ready to just go and get them myself. We installed the fence today and only have to make some caps for the fence posts and other minor details before it is PLANT TIME!

It's been a lot of 10 hour days in the 80 to 90 degree heat but the hardscape is done and looking so good. I will have to get some updated photos of the deck addition, stairs and fence to add to the blog.

It will be nice to take a little break before the next design so that I can make something for dinner besides cereal. (Not that I really make cereal.) We get home so late that all I really want to do is relax and go to bed. The cats are not fond of being alone either, but they are hard to please anyway being cats and all.

The installation of a landscape design project

This is the before shot, photos of the progress follow, scroll down and read along :)

http://www.ginkgolandscapedesign.com/

I'm always amazed by the changes and amazing improvement that a proper landscape can bring to a persons household and well being. It's really not just plants, it's a whole new way of looking at the outdoors.

This is a little photo journal of the current project designed and installed by Ginkgo Landscape Design. There is quite a lot of planning that is done prior to what you see here. It is of utmost importance that the actual design will work properly to give the client something that they didn't even know could make such a drastic difference in their lives.

Most designs, and this one in particular, involved moving a considerable amount of soil. It's about this time that the client may become distressed. I am considering handing out a little booklet that explains how they will feel at certain stages as the similarities are rather interesting. These are not small projects and the first stages take some time to complete. It is essential to time according to the weather when it comes to the pouring of concrete and application of stucco. The weather does not always cooperate.

Below: The hardscape (think concrete/stone) is layed out according to the plans and final stages of actual soil relocation are completed. It is essential that measurements are accurate as this is the last time that minor adjustments can be made. This design included a circular patio surrounded by concrete seat walls, so the circle has to be perfect.

The forms are constructed according to the plan measurements.


Concrete was poured and railing posts were installed. It is monitored closely to determine the appropriate time to remove the forms .

The forms are removed holes filled and wall caps are set onto the walls. This is the point at which I become exited to complete the designs. The sandset patio is finalized. A stucco color is chosen by the homeowners.

Also included in this design was one of the signature curvy paths. Every design element has a purpose for its use. Most designs include more design elements than are ultimately decided on by the client. We do however install the designs in such a way that those other items can be more easily adapted if the client decides to include them at a later time. Not all of the installations are completed all at once since they can be costly, we are able to do them in several stages.

The soil that was removed is used again as backfill after the stucco is applied to the concrete walls. The irrigation was installed with the forms and is ready to be layed in to properly water the plants. It is essential to properly care for the plants, for this reason we add irrigation and an electronic watering system to every design. No need to worry about watering too little or too much, or going on vacation and having plants die. Just bring in the timer for the winter to protect it from freezing.
So that is it so far. Stay tuned for more, and let me know if you have questions... or need a design for your garden.

We expect to complete by the end of July if not sooner. I'll have more photos!

You're not fooling anyone...

Rocky seems to think that little sheet is hiding him.... He thinks he is smaller than he actually is...

As the addiction developes...

I got some silver. I have been practicing with the plated silver and now I have the real silver and it is so pretty and shiney...

This is my practice:The next thing is to decide which gemstone looks best with it... I actually have some Swiss Blue topaz! That's fancy and so pretty...

Yes, I will be selling my practice. Then I will sell a sterling version of those that I really like. so stay tuned...