Sunset Patio

When the owners of this property approached Costa Verde, their vision was to “see green out of their windows.” A look that they hoped would screen out the neighbours’ yards and the street. With their vision and budget in mind, the team came up with a landscape design to encompass all the unique characteristics of the space.

The only access to the front yard was up a long and steep driveway that continued down the side of the home. The team began by constructing a custom-double gate and arbour, installed across the driveway to create a side yard patio. As the driveway traced the property line of the neighbours, the team cut into the existing asphalt to create a garden bordering the properties. The border garden was filled with golden bamboo to add a screen between properties and give the owners their green vision of seeing lush plants outside.

Along the front of the property, was a steep embankment overrun with weeds and overgrown plants and shrubs. To revive the area, the crew began by excavating the bank. They then installed a large retaining wall, constructed from aesthetically pleasing boulders to ensure the slope would be well held back.

We installed a flared staircase built of blast rock from the bottom of the driveway to provide a path through the yard to the front door. It also served as a focal point of entry to the house. To accentuate the entry point even more, the crew installed a cedar arbour at the top of the staircase.

The upper garden of the property saw a complete revitalization beginning with the removal of the existing garden. We planted several large cedars to give them more privacy in their sunny front yard. We added a custom slate patio to the design using pieces of unique, locally sourced slate and added a path to connect the front door to the street.

To complete the overall look of the property, the crew added new greenery and topped it off with a beautiful dark mulch, a contrast second to none! The owners now enjoy their sun-soaked, customized front yard during all seasons.