Jay Sifford
82 Reviews

Problem-solving at the Lake

This was a dream project for me. The contemporary architecture lent itself so well to a cohesive, eco-friendly planting design, and the garden grounds the house into the landscape. Water mitigation was a primary concern, so the introduction of the dry creek bed worked both aesthetically, to create a focal point around which to build a garden, and functionally.
Project Year: 2019
Project Cost: $25,001 - $50,000
Colors, shapes and textures were borrowed from the house and introduced into the garden in order to ground this contemporary house into the landscape.
Pollinator-friendly front bed
Colors, shapes and textures were borrowed from the house and introduced into the garden in order to ground this contemporary house into the landscape.
Problem-solving at the Lake
Rainwater ran off the front yard, which is a septic field, toward the house. In addition, downspouts and non guttered roof lines compounded the problem. A dry creek bed was a great solution, both aesthetically and functionally. Aesthetically, it provides a focal point for the front garden.
Dry creek bed, long view
Rainwater ran off the front yard, which is a septic field, toward the house. In addition, downspouts and non guttered roof lines compounded the problem. A dry creek bed was a great solution, both aesthetically and functionally. Aesthetically, it provides a focal point for the front garden. Here, a...
Dry creek bed, long view.
Two stacked boulders add a third dimension to the stacked stone wall the skirts the house.
Problem-solving at the Lake
View from the driveway, through the ninebark shrubs.
Ninebarks
This larger area was an add-on from the original plan. I'm glad the homeowners agreed to this.
Pollinator-friendly garden
Problem-solving at the Lake
The emerging foliage of the autumn ferns pulls color from the wooden siding and stone skirting.
Pivotal garden plants
The emerging foliage of the autumn ferns pulls color from the wooden siding and stone skirting.
Dry creek bed: long view
Dry creek bed: long view
The view from the driveway shows how the gently curved bed lines soften the bold architecture of the house, and how the planting plan pulls elements from the home into the landscape, effectively grounding the house.
Problem-solving at the Lake
The view from the street shows how the gently curved bed lines soften the bold architecture of the house, and how the planting plan pulls elements from the home into the landscape, effectively grounding the house.
View from the street
'Cassian' pennisetum and 'Belleza' gaura put on a big show in late summer.
Pollinator-friendly front garden
Callicarpa and pennisetum in the rear garden.
Problem-solving at the Lake
'Ginger Wine' physocarpus (ninebark) and 'Cassian' pennisetum lake-side.
Ninebarks and pennisetum
Large masses 'Cassian' pennisetum provide kinetic movement in an understated yet spectacular way along the lake.
View from the terrace
Perennials and grasses flank the sidewalk to the carport.
Problem-solving at the Lake