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