For this project, we were called in to renovate and update an existing landscape in Saginaw Township that had been done 16 years earlier.
For many years it had looked good, but as is common with landscapes of this age, several of the original shrubs had become overgrown, giving the house a tired, outdated look. In particular, the English Ivy groundcover, which once looked lush and full, had become a maintenance nightmare over the years, requiring constant trimming and weeding for it to look good.
Despite these negatives, the existing design did offer a few opportunities, such as some beautiful mature trees, as well as a nice brick paver walk and entryway. Once on site, the first thing our crews did was spend a lot of time and manpower pulling out the overgrown shrubs, removing the mulch from the beds, and getting rid of the ivy ground cover.
For our new design, we went with a planting scheme similar to the original, but using fresh, updated plants. Rather than ivy ground cover we used plants like ground cover junipers that have a low growth profile and contained habit.
Another change in the new design was the use of 2” Natural Stone in the beds instead of mulch. While requiring more of an investment up front, Natural Stone is virtually maintenance free, and does not need to be replaced annually as mulch should be. The finished product is a landscape with an updated, clean look that already appears mature with the existing trees. All of this with much less maintenance in terms of both cost and time, and much-improved curb appeal.
Another important feature of this new design was the installation of landscape lighting. The dramatic effects created by landscape lighting, the way it highlights the architecture of the house and provides soft light, making walkways safer – these are all things that home owners love, especially in the winter time when there’s nothing else going on the landscape. Time after time on our projects the landscape lighting turns out to be the favorite feature, and that was the case here.
Is your home looking old and tired due to a landscape that is “past its prime”?
Would you like to improve your curb appeal, or add another dimension to your home with beautiful landscape lighting?
Reder’s talented landscape designers can help you re-envision your landscape and work with you to create a plan that makes it possible.