Chip Riegel
Transitional concrete paver patio photo in Providence with no cover

When I came to this property not only was the landscape a scrappy mess the property also had some very real grading and drainage issues that were jeopardizing the safety of this house. As recent transplants from New Jerseys to Southern California these clients were in awe of all the plants they were seeing in their neighborhood. Living on the water at the Ventura harbor they wanted to be able to take full advantage or the outdoor lifestyle and cool ocean breeze. Being environmentally conscious citizens, these clients were very concerned that their garden was designed with sustainability as a leading factor. As they said in our initial consultation, “Would want or garden be part of the solution not part of the problem.” This property is the last house on the bottom of a gently sloping street. All the water from the neighbor’s houses drain onto this property. When I came into this project the back yard sloped into the house. When it would rain the water would pool up against the house causing water damage. To address the drainage we employed several tactics. Firstly, we had to invert the slope in the back yard so that water would not pool against the house. We created a very minor slope going away from the house so that water drains away but so the patio area feels flat. The back of the back yard had an existing retaining wall made out of shabby looking slump stone. In front of that retaining wall we created a beautiful natural stone retaining wall. This retain wall severs many purposes. One it works as a place to put some of the soil removed from the grading giving this project a smaller carbon foot print (moving soil of a site burns a lot of fossil fuel). The retaining wall also helps obscure the shabby existing retaining wall and allows for planting space above the footing from the existing retaining wall. The soil behind the ne retaining wall is slightly lower than the top of the wall so that when the run on water on from the neighbor’s property flows it is slowed down and absorbed before it has a chance to get near the house. Finally, the wall is at a height designed to serve as overflow seating as these clients intend to have occasional large parties and gatherings. Other efforts made to help keep the house safe and dry are that we used permeable paving. With the hardscape being comprised of flag stone with gravel in-between water has a chance to soak into the ground so it does not flow into spots where it will pool up. The final element to help keep the house dry is the addition of infiltration swales. Infiltration swales are depressions in the landscape that capture rain water. The down spouts on the sides of the houses are connected to pipe that goes under the ground and conveys the water to the swales. In this project it helps move rain water away from the house. In general, these Infiltration swales are a powerful element in creating sustainable landscapes. These swales capture pollutants that accumulate on the roof and in the landscape. Biology in the soil in the swales can break down these pollutants. When run of watered is not captured by soil on a property the dirty water flows into water ways and then the ocean were the biology that breaks down the pollutants is not as prolific. This is particularly important in this project as it drains directly into the harbor. The water that is absorbed in to the swales can replenish aquafers as well as increasing the water available to the plants planted in that area recusing the amount of water that is needed from irrigation. When it came to the planting we went with a California friendly tropical theme. Using lots of succulents and plants with colorful foliage we created vibrant lush landscape that will have year around color. We planted densely (the images in the picture were taken only a month after installation). Taller drought tolerant plants to help regulate the temperature and loss of water from the plants below them. The dense plantings will help keep the garden, the house and even the neighborhood cooler on hot days, will provide spaces for birds to enjoy and will create an illusion of depth in a somewhat narrow space. Today this garden is a space these homeowners can fully enjoy while having the peace of mind that their house is protected from flooding and they are helping the environment.

This is an example of a traditional partial sun courtyard brick formal garden in Cleveland.

Photo of a mid-sized traditional backyard stone landscaping in New York.

This retaining wall project in inspired by our Travertina Raw stone. The Travertina Raw collection has been extended to a double-sided, segmental retaining wall system. This product mimics the texture of natural travertine in a concrete material for wall blocks. Build outdoor raised planters, outdoor kitchens, seating benches and more with this wall block. This product line has enjoyed huge success and has now been improved with an ultra robust mix design, making it far more durable than the natural alternative. This is a perfect solution in freeze-thaw climates. Check out our website to shop the look! https://www.techo-bloc.com/shop/walls/travertina-raw/

Design ideas for a landscaping in Salt Lake City.

A creative design to deal with a sloped front yard. The curving terraced walls are graceful and provide easy to reach planting spaces. The front steps and porch were covered with mortared flagstone; 70% MD blend, 30% Catawba blend stone

Lush green front yard with unique black and white retaining wall at our Sherman Oaks home remodel. This modern look simultaneously grants both privacy and curb appeal. A cement path leads from the gate to the small front craftsman's porch at the home's entry.

Spirito Libero Venetian plaster walls, Calce Petra venetian plaster columns and limed wood ceiling by O'Guin Decorative Finishes. Herscoe Hajjar Architects - Shelly Morris Interiors - Photography by Michael Biondo

Intimate Spaces turns unusable area into functional and beautiful spaces. Over 380 landscape timbers were used on this project. Retaining walls don't have to be ugly!

Techo-Bloc’s most versatile wall stone. Mini-Creta boasts an aged finish on both sides of the block, making it perfect for a freestanding wall around your patio, or as a partition between multi-leveled areas of your landscape. It is also a popular choice for freestanding hardscape features such as water and fire features, bars, grill islands, etc. Any way you look at it, Mini-Creta is a beautiful stone. Mini-Creta is also available as a Pillar Kit.

This is a closer view of the completed pressure treated timber wall behind the pool. This wall is used for erosion control and expansion of this yard.

6" and 14" mixed limestone retaining wall with 6" limestone steps.
Inspiration for a huge traditional partial sun backyard retaining wall landscape in Other.

The first goal for this client in Chatham was to give them a front walk and entrance that was beautiful and grande. We decided to use natural blue bluestone tiles of random sizes. We integrated a custom cut 6" x 9" bluestone border and ran it continuous throughout. Our second goal was to give them walking access from their driveway to their front door. Because their driveway was considerably lower than the front of their home, we needed to cut in a set of steps through their driveway retaining wall, include a number of turns and bridge the walkways with multiple landings. While doing this, we wanted to keep continuity within the building products of choice. We used real stone veneer to side all walls and stair risers to match what was already on the house. We used 2" thick bluestone caps for all stair treads and retaining wall caps. We installed the matching real stone veneer to the face and sides of the retaining wall. All of the bluestone caps were custom cut to seamlessly round all turns. We are very proud of this finished product. We are also very proud to have had the opportunity to work for this family. What amazing people. #GreatWorkForGreatPeople As a side note regarding this phase - throughout the construction, numerous local builders stopped at our job to take pictures of our work. #UltimateCompliment #PrimeIsInTheLead

Allan Block Product supplied by Midland Concrete in a Taupe color. Multi level walls were created to have built in planting area and a built in space for a fire pit - fireplace that isn't in the main patio space.

Formal curving entrance stairs. Natural stone with flagstone capping on the lamp posts and curving retaining walls. We also installed a stone walkway to the front door. The patterning of the stone is exceptional - we have master masons!

Photo by George Dzahristos
Design ideas for a transitional partial sun retaining wall landscape in Detroit.

This retaining wall project in inspired by our Travertina Raw stone. The Travertina Raw collection has been extended to a double-sided, segmental retaining wall system. This product mimics the texture of natural travertine in a concrete material for wall blocks. Build outdoor raised planters, outdoor kitchens, seating benches and more with this wall block. This product line has enjoyed huge success and has now been improved with an ultra robust mix design, making it far more durable than the natural alternative. This is a perfect solution in freeze-thaw climates. Check out our website to shop the look! https://www.techo-bloc.com/shop/walls/travertina-raw/

This lush and colorful hillside was once a barren, dry slope full of weeds and briars. We created the river rock stone terraced walls mainly to retain the truckloads of good garden soil that we added so that this hill could be planted successfully. The curved design is very attractive and the rustic style blends well with the log cabin architecture of the house. We also added large boulders nearby. You can see a few to the far right. Photographer: Danna Cain, Home & Garden Design, Inc.