Keep it together
The retaining walls, which serve as the focal point of the space, were tackled next. The initial plan and timeline allowed for the construction of dry stack five-point stone walls, similar to ones seen in England. However, when the load of stone rubble was dumped in front of the house, the crew had its doubts. Thankfully, the skilled stonemasons on staff were up to the challenge.
To ensure the walls would not push out in the freeze-thaw cycle, a concrete backing wall and proper drainage were installed. Copper drains were added in the walls as they were being built. After the walls were complete, forming for the concrete walls was installed. This was required because of the height of walls (up to 1 m [3 ft] at points) and to accommodate the coping. Then, gravel was installed behind the concrete wall with filter cloth between it and the soil to prevent clogging.
While the stone walls did end up taking slightly longer than anticipated to build, the end result was worth the added time and effort.
Walk this way
For the walkway, the designers opted to use clay pavers rather than stone, in order to add warmth to the landscape and blend the walkway seamlessly with the house. A 457-mm (18-in.) banding was laid in front of the sidewalk due to the mandatory setback. Clay pavers are also more porous, which allows them to age quicker. Less than a year after installation, the pavers had aged nicely and now blend in perfectly with the overall landscape.
The main set of steps and landing is 1.5 m (5 ft) wide, to create a grand entrance feel. Lights were built right into the retaining walls; they were placed under the stone copings along the steps to create path lights. At the client’s request, no lighting was added to the house or the plants, in order to achieve a subdued effect rather than a light show. At night, the limited lighting creates a lovely effect, with a soft glow along the steps and two porch lights drawing you to the door.
