Description of Work:
“The healthiest food is found closest to its source.” With this premise, the client requested that 90% of the plantings be edible. The front yard of the property faced a cul-de-sac and the kids are often playing there with their friends. The client requested a space to sit in the front yard and relax while keeping an eye on the kids.
We set to achieve these two goals through a process of site analysis and brainstorming with the client over a Pinterest Board. The front yard was redefined by removing overgrown shrubbery and putting in a concrete block retaining wall to break up the steep slope. A small patio surrounded by a loose hedge of Sunshine Blue Blueberries gave the adults a nook to hang out and sip a glass of wine while the kids biked with their friends. Negronne Fig and Black Currants were added to the mix of ornamental plants like Astilbe, Hydrangea and Rhododendrons. The overgrown Thuja was replaced with a semi-dwarf variety called Sherwood Forest.
The backyard featured a mini-greenhouse, a raspberry bed, artichokes, more blueberries, a loose lavender hedge, strawberries in custom pallets, grape espaliers, pear, cherry and plum fruit tree guilds. The lower terrace of the slope was converted to a veggie area with a flagstone path, surrounded by Corsican mint (steppables). Drip irrigation was setup in all planting beds to deliver deep watering, leading to healthier plants and better crop yields.
A couple of worm bins were added as “an organic garbage disposal” to complete the cycle of of urban sustainability.