Client Objectives for Landscape:

The client wanted to expand the amount of usable backyard space of their compact floor plan. They desired a cottage look that used natural stone. It was important to make their existing patio blend with the new patio addition and to reset the existing paver path to maintain its practical use. A code-compliant solution to control the hillside erosion was necessary. Additionally, they wanted to add pollinator friendly plants to their landscape and keep their heritage Lilac intact.

Main Features:

The front hillside planting was designed with stacked stone walls, boulders, boulder steps for side access and slabs to create a stabilized foundation for the new plantings. Placement of the walls was designed to break up the straightforward presentation of the house entrance, providing an inviting and visually attractive entrance. Lighting was incorporated to safely extend the use of the space into the evening while providing a distinct and unique perspective of the landscape features. Pollinator plants added to the landscape provide food and habitat for the pollinators and are naturally beautiful. Creeping Phlox, Juniper, and Sedum were used to control erosion in areas that could not be stabilized otherwise.

Major Challenges:

The main challenge was to create a design to compliment the cottage style house, make the house look larger and more dynamic and expand the usable outdoor environment while complimenting the home’s architectural style that dates to a more cost-conscious development era in Arlington.

Special or Unusual Feature:

Instead of using a wall system that would incur additional cost or mandate a permit, large flat PA Fieldstone slabs were entrenched into the slope of the hillside adjoining the driveway to create a type of outcropping. This application has been evaluated successfully for years as a solution for hillside erosion and provides a subtle backdrop for the creeping plants to enrobe in foliage.