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Tag Archives | Tigard

Tigard – April 2014

Here is another backyard transformation.  We turned this yard from a sloped nightmare into a level, usable space.  After removing several truckloads of soil to bring the grade down to a reasonable level, we constructed a sturdy stone retaining wall to create a level landing for the yard and patio.

We then constructed a set of stone stairs that allow access to the new yard from the house.  The stone stairs lead down to a beautiful paver patio, which is bordered by a lush new lawn.  To complete the project, we planted arborvitae around the perimeter to provide privacy and greenery.  And of course, we installed an efficient irrigation system for the lawn and shrubs using quality Rain Bird parts.

Although we are finished with our part, there is still so much future potential in this “new” yard.  We created the solid foundation, and now the homeowner has lots of new options for planting and other landscape enhancements!

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Bull Mountain – January 2014

This was a continuation of a project that we have been working on in phases (See Bull Mountain September 2013).  This phase was particularly challenging due to an extremely steep hillside that made access to the project area difficult.  In typical John Darby fashion, we challenged the hillside right back, and transformed an inaccessible nightmare into a stylish yet durable usable space.

Some highlights of this phase include:

  • A Custom Cedar Trash Enclosure –  The steep hillside made it impossible to hide trash and recycling receptacles out of sight, so we improvised and built a custom enclosure that extends out over the hillside and provides an enclosed, level place to store these unsightly necessities.  The hidden bonus?  The enclosure platform also provides safe and level access to the utility meters and irrigation controller.
  • Stairs, Stairs, Stairs – One particular feature that really stands out on this project is the generous helping of stairs.  As mentioned before, the hillside on this project was a real challenge, and made safe access to the lower yard a major challenge.  Through a combination of quarried basalt and boxed steps, we transformed the hillside from a hazard to a work of art.  Boxed steps are a rugged yet economical alternative to stone stairs, and can also serve as the base for a number of different tread materials.  In this instance, we used compacted gravel for the tread surface.
  • Irrigation – We continued the irrigation system using quality Rain Bird parts.
  • More Tall Fescue Sod – We really love this stuff, and used it again in the lower yard.
  • More Boulder Accents – We used a lot of boulders in this phase to define and complement the landscape.

 

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Lake Oswego – October 2013

This project involved lots of gorgeous new plants, an irrigation system upgrade, a lawn facelift, boulders, beautiful containers, flagstone walkways, and an impressive amount of drainage work.  The original landscape at this home was fairly basic and lackluster, and had been left unfinished in some places.  Coupled with drainage problems that were causing erosion and an inefficient irrigation system that liked to spray water everywhere, it was definitely time for a change!

The first thing we did was to fix the drainage issue.  We installed a few hundred feet of river rock drain to collect and channel the water, which quickly fixed the erosion problem and made the yard quite a bit easier to work with.  We removed an existing back lawn and replaced it with new sod, which was reshaped to better fit the yard.  Then we brought in a truckload of incredible plants to fill in the blank canvas and give the new landscape substance.  Be sure to take a look at the picture of the Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’), which is in full fall color right now and is absolutely stunning!

The new landscape was finished off with some strategically placed boulders and a pair of flagstone walkways.  We installed two birdbath column rocks, which look awesome in their new home.  To top it all off, we retrofitted the inefficient planting bed spray irrigation with super efficient pressure-regulated Rain Bird Xeribug™ emitters that use only a fraction of the water as the old system.

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Bull Mountain – October 2013

This was a part of a multi-phase project in the Bull Mountain area of Tigard, and included planting, boulders, custom brick work, irrigation, lawn installation, and an elegant water feature.

Some highlights of this project include:

  • A fantastic fountain!  You can see in the image that the three pots are constantly overflowing into the main basin, which is lined with basalt wallstone, surrounded by custom brick work, and includes LED lighting for nighttime accents.
  • Tall fescue sod – The more we use this premium turf grass in our projects, the more we fall in love with it.  Tough, tolerant of low water levels, low fertilizer requirements, and did we mention tough?
  • Low volume watering system – All of the trees and shrubs are watered with Rain Bird Xeribug™ drip emitters for targeted and efficient watering.  The controller is paired with a rain sensor and a seasonal adjustment feature for adaptive watering.
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