A while back we started on an interesting project on the south end of Northfield, designed by local landscape architect Spencer Jones. The clients had converted their existing garage into a workshop and had a new garage added on onto the front of the old one to take it’s place Because of the addition, the entry has been visually “pushed back” and is actually hidden from view when you pull in to the driveway. (see photo at right)

To solve the problem, the “hidden” entry needed to be expanded to have the eye drawn to it . Spencer decided to include a bluestone walkway and patio, and a limestone seat wall integrated with large field stone.

In the photo at left, you can see crew foreman Jason Larson installing the bluestone, with the limestone seat wall and boulder combination in the background.

The landscaping involved renovating the entire yard, including the removal of four large trees and removing 8″ of clay and having it replaced with a blend of sand, soil and peat so it would support the plantings and lawn. The entire driveway was removed and redesigned.

The project includes an interesting mix of fieldstone boulders, colored concrete, and a unique blend of exposed aggregate with large pieces of limestone embedded in it.

The embedded limestone (See photo at left) is is going to be very interesting, and combined with the bluestone work and limestone seat wall, will be (in my opinion) strong features of this project.

I really enjoy projects like this. It (especially the wall and the patio) requires a great deal of skill and attention to detail to turn out right. These projects always present a challenge, and usually involve a lot of problem solving as the work progresses.

Next week: Look for something very unique we did in this project and and may never get an opportunity to do again!

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN

A quality job can take time. In my field, that means that a project can take a season and even more to complete. That was the case for a landscaping and construction project we did for a Northfield client. Landscape architect Spencer Jones came up with a beautiful landscape plan. It was an ambitious plan that consisted of retaining walls, a step system, an elaborate limestone patio, and a tree and shrub lay-out. It also involved partially dismantling two boulder walls and re-constructing them in four different locations. . We started phase I of the project in the summer and finished that fall. Phase II was completed the first week of June the following year. We had a deadline to meet for Phase II, because their daughter was having her high school graduation party that weekend.

During phase I, we constructed the limestone patio and did some backyard landscaping. The most ambitious part of the project was the installation of the custom-cut limestone patio.The patio was very labor intensive, because we cut each stone individually to give it a custom look. We also integrated 3 sitting stones into the patio. They will be planting annuals and perennials in a raised flower bed in the middle of the patio. (See photo. Click to enlarge).

Phase II saw us landscape the front, build the retaining walls, and finish the landscaping around the pool. The timing couldn’t have been better (or luckier!). As we were laying the last roll of sod and sweeping up the driveway on the Friday of graduation weekend, Grandpa and Grandma were getting out of their car and walking past the crew as they were finishing up the drive!

click photos to enlarge

Left:Jon Larson and Jordan Docken finishing up the tiered wall system. We put tarps and styrofoam insulation the steps to protect them from any possible damage
Right: That’s Mark helping with a boulder for one of the future walls

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN

Location Many “pond ponderers” think they want the pond in a far corner of the yard, but that defeats the purpose. It needs to be up near the house where you can enjoy the benefits. In addition, try to locate where it can be enjoyed from the inside of the house. You can open your windows on a summer evening and enjoy the sounds of the waterfall, and even the wildlife that is attracted to it. Full sun is best, but I constructed mine (see photo at right) in light shade, and it is doing just fine. Having lights in your pond will greatly enhance your enjoyment in the evening when it gets dark.

Aesthetics We want all of the ponds and waterfalls that we make to look as natural as possible, as if they are spring fed. This is accomplished with boulders, burms, and washed gravel in the bottom of the pond, along with water plants Fish are also an important factor Ito consider, When you choose your Koi or goldfish make sure they look good from the top. Too many people see them in the store from the side but when they get them, they are darker on the top and are camouflaged by the gravel. Don’t use native fish, because you won’t be able to see them.


Key elements in a pond waterfall system

Mechanical and biological filtration. The mechanical filter take care of debris while the biological filter (which which is “good” bacteria that you add to the pond periodically) out competes the green algae for nutrients. Before

Pump and plumbing. The pump sits in a skimmer basket outside the actual pond,where the water has to pas through a filtering system before getting to it. The pump then circulates the water through a flexible PVC pipe to the opposite end of the pond, where it passes through another series of filters and into the biofalls (see photo above left) before creating the waterfall.

Liner and underlayment. The liner, 45 mm thick, prevents water loss while the underlayment protects the liner and also allows gases to escape from under the liner.


After

Rocks and gravel These elements are crucial to your system. They protect your liner from ultraviolet radiation, and provide a home for the bacteria to colonize. See photo above right.

Plants and fish. Plants remove nutrients from the water that the algae would ordinarily feed on, and provide shelter for fish.The fish control the mosquitoes and other insects and in turn fertilize the plants.

Eliminating any of these factors will result in an out-of-balance ecosystem, which will in turn will result in more maintenance and decrease the enjoyment of your pond!

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN

A few years back, I installed a 11′ x 16′ pond with a waterfall in our back yard, next to our paver patio. It’s something that I’ve enjoyed immensely, and has become the focal point of the yard. Any water feature that we have installed for our clients has been become a real favorite spot for them to spend their outdoor time.
I thought I’d share with you some of the important features of a well-built system.The following is condensed is from an article I wrote for the Northfield News a while back.

The popularity of water gardening is growing rapidly, as back yard ponds are becoming a frequent landscaping feature. More and more mn. are coming home at the end of a stressful day and unwinding to the relaxing sound of a stream, the enjoyment of seeing the water lilies with their white to pink blooms, the colorful fish, and birds of every kind that are attracted to this little oasis that you’ve provided for them.

One of the most enjoyable of having a water feature is that each one is a totally unique creation. You are only limited by your imagination as to it’s size and shape. A good standard size water feature is 11′ x16′ with a 6′ stream and a waterfall. If you are thinking about installing a pond of your own, it is better to invest a little more time and a few extra dollars into a system that will give you the most enjoyment for the longest time.A well designed system is a biologically balanced, self-maintained ecosystem. It is totally chemical free so that it’s not harmful to the fish. Not only is there less maintenance involved, but the aesthetic differences are easily evident.

It is a common but mistaken belief that fish cannot survive a winter in in your pond. Fish can comfortably hibernate in a pond that is 24″ deep, if a hole is kept open in the winter so the gases created by the fish and organic matter can escape.. This can be done by an aerator or a floating de-icer, like you find in cattle tanks. Or you can bring them inside and put them in an aquarium.
What about mosquitoes? In a well balanced system the pond fish will eat the mosquito larvae and the moving water caused by the pond’s circulation system won’t be attractive to mosquitoes, anyway.
The nice thing about these pond systems is that they are almost maintenance free, with the exception of taking a few minutes each week to add a biological element that will control the algae (more about that later) and adding some water every now and then. (Or you can get an automatic fill valve so you don’t have to worry about it).

If you are thinking about having a water feature installed or if you want to do it yourself, it is better to invest a little extra time and money in to a system that will give you the most enjoyment over the longest period of time. You’ll find that it is well worth it. Not only is there less maintenance, but the aesthetic differences are very easily evident.
A well-constructed water feature will be a beautiful addition to your home. It will be pleasure to look at and listen to. It won’t be long before you are watching the fish multiply, shopping for the newest varieties of water lilies, or or arranging a special rock here and there to get that “just right” look!

Next week I’ll be going over the basic elements of constructing a new waterfall and pond system.

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN

In Minnesota flagstone (or limestone) can be used to make beautiful, naturalistic retaining walls. The only thing is, the wall can break apart if the limestone is not the right kind for building walls. Different quarries have different grades of limestone, and they can vary greatly greatly in quality. This limestone wall was built by a previous homeowner out of a “local” limestone from a quarry nearby. He probably got the stone for the right price (free)! After a few years, it began to crumble and fall apart and it had lost its structural integrity and was starting to collapse. The reason is that it is a soft limestone, which absorbs moisture. Because of that, the freezing (expansion) and thawing (contraction) action of the ice crystals in the limestone due to our our Minnesota winters caused it to break apart, crumble, and eventually start to collapse.The best material for flagstone walls is found in Wisconsin. Because of shipping costs and the extra labor it takes it to make a good limestone wall, the cost of replacing a wall of this size can be a stretch on the budget.

After we explored different alternatives, the client decided on a block wall with a weathered look, and colored to match the brick on the house. Because of the location, we had to bring in a backhoe to remove the old wall and excavate for the new wall and step system. Because the wall was located next to a well head, the excavator had to be extra careful not to hit the main water line going in to the house.

I added a few curves in the wall to soften the look, and added a planter at the top of the steps.The steps were also made out of the same material.

There is more to building this wall than just stacking the blocks. We had to install an anchoring system behind each wall to prevent the wall from getting pushed out by water pressure (officially called hydrostatic pressure), along with gravel and tile for drainage.
We added steps along the house, along with some planters. A small landing gives an opportunity to change the direction of the steps to lead up to the back yard, and also gives it a more restful look.

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN

Designing and landscaping small spaces is one of my favorite things to do. I tend be be somewhat of a private person myself, so I enjoy creating intimate, private spaces. There is something therapeutic about being outside, yet having that feeling that you are still “in your room”. Sort of like relaxing in your den or your favorite chair after a long day. There are a lot of things to consider when landscaping a small space, but I will hit a few of the basics

A well designed space can be the difference between actually enjoying spending time in the space, or just looking at it from your window, wishing you would have spent your money on that new hardwood floor. .

Just like a room in your house, your outdoor room also has walls, a floor, and a ceiling. The walls could be a hedge, your house, a fence, or even a low flagstone wall. The ceiling could be an arbor, the canopy of a large tree, or even the sky. The floor, can be composed of any number of things, including a patio, a walkway, planting beds and even your lawn. Consider how you want to incorporate these elements in to your space to create your outdoor room. In the job we did in photo at the left, the walls are a lattice fence, the house, and a small detached garage. The sky is the canopy of a shade tree, and the floor is combination of a paver patio, a raised planting bed, some lawn, and a flagstone walkway. The raised planting bed could also be considered part of the wall. (Click on photo to enlarge)

Don’t be afraid to consider breaking up your room into into smaller segments. This can create interest and also give you the feeling that it is actually a bit larger by creating depth. Make sure you keep it in scale, however. For instance, don’t use pieces of flagstone in your walkway that are too large, or a plant that that has large leaves instead of one with a finer texture that will look better in a narrow planting bed. In these photos I used a walkway, raised planting beds, and a small patch of lawn to break up the space. The lattice fence screens the area from a neighboring daycare center. The lattice-work creates privacy without feeling too boxed in.

In the lower left photo, the boulder in the foreground and the trunks of the Pagoda Dogwood in the background add a feeling of depth.The Pagoda Dogwood forces your eye to follow the sidewalk around it to the entrance, adding an illusion of a larger area.The wooden steps are actually quite close to where I was standing when I took this picture.

Right: A little serendipity never hurt anybody! In this picture, a small, old stature my client picked up is combined with a birdbath. You can find them hiding on a low stone seat-wall in among the ferns.

The photo at the below is the view of our pond from our bedroom window, and shows what can be done with a problem area. The pond itself is only 11′ by 16′

If you would like help on a landscape design for your home, just give me a call or e-mail me and I will be glad to help.

Posted By Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN

This is an updated version of the plant care sheet that I give my customers. Feel free to copy it and keep it in a handy place.

Evergreens: Evergreens that grow continuously can be pruned or sheared anytime during the growing season (except late August, which can increase the risk of winter-burn). Plants in this category include: Junipers, Yews, Arborvitae, and Hemlock. If this is started early and done on a regular (2 times a year) basis, your plants will retain excellent form. Pine and Spruce normally put on a single flush of growth, then stop. If you are trying to maintain them at a specific size, (such as Mugo Pine), prune back 1/3 to 1/2 of the new growth (called candles) in early spring. Pruning of evergreen trees will be minimal, especially once they are established. Left photo: Dwarf Mugo Pine

Shrubs: Timing the pruning of flowering shrubs will depend on when they form their flower buds. Early-Spring flowering shrubs, (those that bloom on previous years wood, such as Azalea, Forsythia) shold be pruned immediately after flowering. This allows new flower buds to form for the following Spring. Mid-Spring-to-Summer flowering shrubs, (those that bloom on current year’s wood, such as Gold Flame Spirea, Hydrangea and Potentilla) should be pruned in early Spring and cut back 1/3 to 1/2 to keep them full. Shrubs not grown for their flowers can be pruned anytime, but an early Spring pruning before leaf-out allows the new growth to cover up the pruning cuts. Overgrown shrubs can be renewed by cutting 1/3 of the older branches to the ground (such as Red twig Dogwoods). Right photo: Endless Summer Hydrangea

Trees: Pruning can be done any time, but early spring is probably the best time. Look for crossing branches, diseased or dead wood, weak branch unions, suckers and water-sprouts,and overall aesthetic shape. EXCEPTIONS: Don’t prune Oaks (especially the Red oak genus) or Elms between early/mid April and July 1st. The risk of Oak Wilt and Dutch Elm disease is much greater at these times. Others to watch are Hawthorne, Mountain ash and apple trees, all three which can be susceptible to fire blight, especially if planted in a poorly drained soil. It would be a good idea to sterilize your pruning tool with a 10% chlorox solution between cuts.
Don’t worry if, when you prune your maple or birch, it starts bleeding (oozing sap). It may be unsightly, but it will not harm the tree.You can avoid this by waiting to prune until the leaves are full size. Don’t try to stop it with tree pruning paint. It won’t work!
Unless absolutely necessary, be careful not to top your tree. Topping will result in a flush of new growth and in the long run will be more unsightly than if you had done nothing.
Above photo: Prairie Fire Crab.

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landsvcaping, Northfield, MN

For more detailed info I recommend the following websites: The first is an excellent fact sheet put out by the University of Minnesota. The second resource is put out by the federal government that is a liitle more detailed with more pictures.

With the picnic and outdoor cooking season here, it might be time to try something different in your culinary endeavors! I thought the following article might be of interest to the Northfield community. I ran across this Yard and Garden brief about edible flowers written by Ginny Coyle of the University of Minnesota Extension Service. She gives some good tips and provides a lists of flowers along with comments on each flower variety. I hope you find it helpful. Happy gardening (and cooking)!

Current interest in herb growing and adventurous cooking has led to increased use of edible flowers. Floral ingredients add flavor, texture, color and excitement to many recipes. The addition of vibrant nasturtiums or pansies can transform an ordinary salad.

There are several things to keep in mind however when cooking or garnishing with flowers:

• Be sure the flowers are not toxic and are safe to eat.
• Remember that “edible” does not always mean “palatable.”
• Take care that the plants were not previously treated with pesticides.

To ensure that your plants are pesticide-free, grow them yourself from seed or buy organically grown plants. Edible flowers may also be found in the produce department at some grocery stores.

It will be easier to care for culinary flowers if they are grown in containers. If you are vigilant, you can eliminate the need for chemical applications. Common insect problems such as slugs or spittlebugs can be controlled by handpicking. Aphids and mites may be washed off with water from your hose.

Precautions: Many plants create toxins to discourage animal or insect damage. The same toxic chemicals can also injure humans. Never experiment by eating plant parts unless you are sure they are harmless. Often only a particular part of the plant is edible. For example, rhubarb stems may be eaten, but not its leaves, roots or flowers.

If you know one part of a plant is safe to eat, do not assume that all parts will be. Check a reliable reference such as those listed at the end of this Brief or the AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants, published by the American Medical Association.

The source of flowers to be eaten is also very important. Garden center plants may have been treated with systemic pesticides to prevent insect damage or diseases. Older gardening books may not address previous chemical applications or may just suggest washing the flowers. Current recommendations are that flowers never be eaten unless the plant was grown “organically.”

Serving suggestions: The word “edible” means you may safely consume the flower. Unfortunately it does not always mean the flavor is appealing. Some flowers (eg. lavender) have a bitter or astringent taste and are best used as a garnish.

When seasoning with edible flowers, taste test and try to match the flavor to the recipe. Sweet or floral scented blossoms can be used to decorate desserts or garnish cold drinks. Peppery nasturiums, cucumber- flavored burnet and chive blossoms add interest to salads.

Blossoms should be harvested the day they’ll be used; try to pick no more than one day early. Wash the fresh flowers gently and set them aside to dry. Refrigerate them in plastic sandwich bags until you use them.

Remove interior flower parts such as stamens and styles of larger flowers (i.e. squash or tulips). These are tart tasting in some flowers. The white part at the base of hollyhocks (the calyx) is bitter and should also be removed. When serving flowers fresh, add them to your dish just before serving.

Flower The flowers are edible on all of these plants.	Scientific name	Additional comments
Alpine Strawberry	Fragaria alpina	Leaves often used in tea
Anise Hyssop	Agastache foeniculum
Apple or Plum	Malus species
Beebalm	Monarda didyma	Taste may differ by cultivar; avoid ‘Panorama’ as the taste is too astringent
Begonia	Begonia x tuberhybrida
Borage	Borage officinalis	Leaves also
Calendula	Calendula officinalis
Chamomile	Matricaria recutita	Flowers have an apple scent and flavor
Chives	Allium schoenoprasum	Blossoms and stems
Daylilies	Hemerocallis species	Buds are good stir-fried
Dill	Anethum graveolens	Flowers, seeds and foliage
English Daisy	Bellis perennis
Gladiolus	Gladiolus species
Hollyhocks	Alcea rosea
Honeysuckle	Lonicera species
Lavender	Lavandula angustifoliaor officinalis	Bitter taste to flowers, but wonderfully scented. Neither is fully hardy in Minnesota, but either may be grown as an annual.
Lemon Balm	Melissa officinalis	Leaves and flowers are scented.
Lilac	Syringa species
Marjoram	Origanum majorana	Leaves are often dried, but can also be served fresh.
Mint	Mentha species	Leaves can be used fresh or dried.
Mustard	Brassica juncea	Leaves and young seed pods can be eaten.
Nasturtium	Tropaeloum majus	Both flowers and leaves have a peppery taste, so use sparingly.
Pansy	Viola species
Petunia	Petunia x hybrida or species
Pinks	Dianthus species
Rose	Rosa species	Use petals.
Scarlet Runner Beans	Phaseolus coccineus	Bean pods toughen as they age, so make use of young pods as well as flowers. Please note: Sweet Pea flowers are not edible.
Sage	Salvia elegans	Leaves fresh or dried.
Squash	Curcurbita species	Flowers can be stuffed or fried. If female blossoms are picked, however, the fruit will not develop.
Tulip	Tulipa species	Use petals.

Last season I told you about a project we were doing in Northfield called Walls, Steps Systems and More. Here’s some photos of the finished project! What a difference this job made to their front yard!

The bluestone Patio is up next to the house and is the
highest point of the front yard, with great view of St.Olaf college and the St Olaf practice fields. Cobblestone is 1 -1/2 thick and is laid in an ashlar pattern

A nice accent that our clients added was a stone bench.
We had some stone left over, so what better way to use
it that to make something useful!

This entry system was designed by the always excellent Spencer Jones and installed by Grove Landscaping

Written and posted by Doug Grove, Grove Landscaping, Northfield, MN

This is the time of year that I get a lot of calls from people asking about water problems in their basements.

Part of the issue can be that the ground around their home has started to thaw out, while the ground further from the home is frozen. If the the lawn around home is not properly graded, this can result in the snow melting and running up against the house and soaking into the ground. If it can then find a place to come in to your basement, it will.

However, it doesn’t have to be spring to have this problem. It depends on a variety of of factors, including proper grading around the foundation, soil type, the presence (or absence) of drain tile or similar drainage system and a sump pump, gutters and downspouts and where they channel the water (are they plugged?), the condition of your foundation, and even how high the siding is on the house.

Left: This is a situation where the water came off of the roof, landed on a concrete patio, ran up against the house, and because of a heavy clay soil, had no place to go. We did not find out about this problem until we removed the concrete patio in preparation for a new paver patio. We had to stop work until the problem was fixed. The owner had Hanson Excavating come in and install a tiling system. Under the future brick patio we had to dig channels just to get the water away from the foundation (see below)

If you have a problem, the first thing to do is to go outside and look at the grade around your home. It could be that the soil is sloped toward your foundation.This is the most common problem that I deal with, and is usually the easiest to fix. It could be that the soil settled after construction, or if you don’t have gutters, the water could have come off the roof and “pounded” a channel next to the house and caused the soil to settle. This is especially true where two roof sections come together to create extra runoff. The normal solution is to import soil around the foundation and, if need be, put down black plastic and a stone mulch to channel the water away.

Water problems are much more prevalent if you have a heavy clay soil. If you live in Wang’s Woods (Woodland trail) you know what I’m talking about. Heavy clay soil does not allow the water to drain away fast enough. Water will always follow the path of least resistance, so if there is a crack in your foundation or even if the mortar on your foundation blocks has come loose, water will gladly flow in to the opening, down your basement wall, and on to your nice new carpet. Once the water has found a way in, it will continue to channel to the same spot every time. I have also seen situations where the water filled up the hollow area in the blocks all the way up to the top block.

It can add to the problem if the home has not had a drainage system (such as drain tile) installed and/or it does not have a sump pump in the basement to pump the water back out and away from the house. This is can be especially true of older homes. Almost all newer homes built by a reliable contractor on “questionable” soil will have some sort of drainage system with a sump pump installed. However, I have seen situations where the water was pumped from the basement but because of a poor grade it just ran right back in to the house and in to the basement again. It could be (especially if you have the dreaded heavy clay soil) that you may have to have a drainage/sump pump system installed by a local excavate or building contractor.

Another place to look is up. It may be that you need to install gutters on your home. If you have gutters, make sure that they are not plugged up from last year’s leaves.(Although with almost every roof in town being replaced, this may not be a problem this year!) Make sure the downspouts take the water far enough from the house so that it keeps on going and never comes back. I have installed systems that take the water in a pipe under ground and directly to the city run-off system, but you have to get a permit to do this.Probably the most serious situation involves the condition of your foundation, especially if you live in an older home. The solution could be as minor as a simple patching up, or it could involve major repairs. It is an issue best left for an expert building contractor.

Above: What a mess!