I was initially contacted by the builder and architect working on this Modern European Cottage to review the property and home design before construction began. Once the clients and I had the opportunity to meet and discuss what their visions were for the property, I started working on their wish list of items, which included a custom concrete pool, concrete spa, patios/walkways, custom fencing, and wood structures. One of the largest challenges was that this property had a 30% (or less) hardcover surface requirement for the city location. With the lot size and square footage of the home I had limits to how much hardcover we could add to property. So, I had to get creative. We presented to the city the usage of the Live Green Roof plantings that would reduce the hardcover calculations for the site. Also, if we kept space between the Laurel Sandstones walkways, using them as steppers and planting groundcover or lawn between the stones that would also reduce the hard surface calculations. We continued that theme with the back patio as well. The client’s esthetic leaned towards the minimal style, so by adding greenery between stones work esthetically. I chose the Laurel Tumbled Sandstone for the charm and character and thought it would lend well to the old world feel of this Modern European Cottage. We installed it on all the stone walkways, steppers, and patios around the home and pool. I had several meetings with the client to discuss/review perennials, shrubs, and tree selections. Plant color and texture of the planting material were equally important to the clients when choosing. We grouped the plantings together and did not over-mix varieties of plants. Ultimately, we chose a variety of styles from natural groups of plantings to a touch of formal style, which all work cohesively together. The custom fence design and installation was designed to create a cottage “country” feel. They gave us inspiration of a country style fence that you may find on a farm to keep the animals inside. We took those photos and ideas and elevated the design. We used a combination of cedar wood and sandwich the galvanized mesh between it. The fence also creates a space for the clients two dogs to roam freely around their property. We installed sod on the inside of the fence to the home and seeded the remaining areas with a Low Gro Fescue grass seed with a straw blanket for protection. The minimal European style custom concrete pool was designed to be lined up in view from the porch and inside the home. The client requested the lawn around the edge of the pool, which helped reduce the hardcover calculations. The concrete spa is open year around. Benches are on all four sides of the spa to create enough seating for the whole family to use at the same time. Mortared field stone on the exterior of the spa mimics the stone on the exterior of the home. The spa equipment is installed in the lower level of the home to protect it from the cold winter weather. Between the garage and the home’s entry is a pea rock sitting area and is viewed from several windows. I wanted it to be a quiet escape from the rest of the house with the minimal design. The Skyline Locust tree planted in the center of the space creates a canopy and softens the side of garage wall from the window views. The client will be installing a small water feature along the garage for serene noise ambience. The client had very thoughtful design ideas styles, and our collaborations all came together and worked well to create the landscape design/installation. The result was everything they had dreamed of and more for their Modern European Cottage home and property.

Inspiration for a modern pool remodel in Miami

Example of a minimalist home design design in Miami

Inspiration for a modern bedroom remodel in Miami

Minimalist home design photo in Miami

Home design - modern home design idea in Miami

Inspiration for a contemporary l-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen remodel in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

I was initially contacted by the builder and architect working on this Modern European Cottage to review the property and home design before construction began. Once the clients and I had the opportunity to meet and discuss what their visions were for the property, I started working on their wish list of items, which included a custom concrete pool, concrete spa, patios/walkways, custom fencing, and wood structures. One of the largest challenges was that this property had a 30% (or less) hardcover surface requirement for the city location. With the lot size and square footage of the home I had limits to how much hardcover we could add to property. So, I had to get creative. We presented to the city the usage of the Live Green Roof plantings that would reduce the hardcover calculations for the site. Also, if we kept space between the Laurel Sandstones walkways, using them as steppers and planting groundcover or lawn between the stones that would also reduce the hard surface calculations. We continued that theme with the back patio as well. The client’s esthetic leaned towards the minimal style, so by adding greenery between stones work esthetically. I chose the Laurel Tumbled Sandstone for the charm and character and thought it would lend well to the old world feel of this Modern European Cottage. We installed it on all the stone walkways, steppers, and patios around the home and pool. I had several meetings with the client to discuss/review perennials, shrubs, and tree selections. Plant color and texture of the planting material were equally important to the clients when choosing. We grouped the plantings together and did not over-mix varieties of plants. Ultimately, we chose a variety of styles from natural groups of plantings to a touch of formal style, which all work cohesively together. The custom fence design and installation was designed to create a cottage “country” feel. They gave us inspiration of a country style fence that you may find on a farm to keep the animals inside. We took those photos and ideas and elevated the design. We used a combination of cedar wood and sandwich the galvanized mesh between it. The fence also creates a space for the clients two dogs to roam freely around their property. We installed sod on the inside of the fence to the home and seeded the remaining areas with a Low Gro Fescue grass seed with a straw blanket for protection. The minimal European style custom concrete pool was designed to be lined up in view from the porch and inside the home. The client requested the lawn around the edge of the pool, which helped reduce the hardcover calculations. The concrete spa is open year around. Benches are on all four sides of the spa to create enough seating for the whole family to use at the same time. Mortared field stone on the exterior of the spa mimics the stone on the exterior of the home. The spa equipment is installed in the lower level of the home to protect it from the cold winter weather. Between the garage and the home’s entry is a pea rock sitting area and is viewed from several windows. I wanted it to be a quiet escape from the rest of the house with the minimal design. The Skyline Locust tree planted in the center of the space creates a canopy and softens the side of garage wall from the window views. The client will be installing a small water feature along the garage for serene noise ambience. The client had very thoughtful design ideas styles, and our collaborations all came together and worked well to create the landscape design/installation. The result was everything they had dreamed of and more for their Modern European Cottage home and property.

Minimalist home design photo in Miami

Minimalist home design photo in Miami

Example of a minimalist home design design in Miami

Example of a minimalist home design design in Miami

Minimalist home design photo in Miami

Framer studying engineer's plan.

Minimalist home design photo in Miami

Inspiration for a modern home design remodel in Miami

Inspiration for a modern home design remodel in Miami

Example of a minimalist home design design in Miami

In today’s society, people are used to things happening instantaneously, and they expect everything to happen at a fairly fast pace. However, when dealing with things like trees, there is no rushing mother nature and the natural growth process. If you are wanting your yard to instantly look the exact way you want it; lush and full, you might not be willing to wait and make your decisions based on what can grow the fastest in order to get your desired look of the end result. If you do this, you can potentially be selling yourself short on all the beautiful trees that are slower-growing. There are both pros and cons to slow-growing and fast-growing trees. We here at Five Star Tree Services would like to offer to take a look at the different growth rates of trees and help you understand what is best for your yard. Tree Growth Rate Calculation Tree growth rate can generally be calculated in a few different ways. Continuously measure the stem diameter, crown spread, and height over time. Measure the elongation of shoots annually. You can do this by finding the bud scars on the branch tips and measuring between them. Average growth rate can be calculated by taking the change in size and dividing it by the elapsed time to date. Fast Growing VS Moderate and Slow Growing- How to Choose? There are different factors that go into why people choose certain trees, this could be due to wanting a quick privacy fence, or because of the colours, or their flowers, or the amount of shade they offer. There are advantages and disadvantages you need to think about before you go and only plant fast-growing trees. Slow Growing Trees Slow Tree Growth Rate- 12 inches or less every year. These trees end up being stronger than other trees for overall structure and strength. Since they are slow growing, these trees can end up living for more than 100 years, given the right growing conditions. You will also find that they can resist/have better defenses against things like disease and insects, as well as having stronger wood. Some examples are White Oak and Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir. Moderate Growing Trees Moderate Tree Growth Rate-13 – 24 inches every year. These trees usually have very similar traits to slow growing trees. Some examples are Sugar Maple, Coast Douglas Fir, and American Sweetgum. Fast Growing Trees Fast Tree Growth Rate- 25 inches or more every year. These trees do not typically live as long as the other trees due to them being weaker from growing so fast. An example is the Arborvitae “Green Giant”. Reasons To Avoid Fast-Growing Trees The unfortunate truth about these kinds of trees is that they tend to get more diseases and root rot than the other trees. Which brings us back to the point where you shouldn’t only buy a tree because it grows fast, especially since they have shorter life spans. It is always a good idea to have a balance of plant life in your yard. Too much of one thing will throw off the balance, you don’t want all fast-growing trees simply because you wish to fill out your yard. This will only set you up for failure down the road. Not to mention you will need to spend more money on replacing them when they die sooner, as opposed to long living trees. How Five Star Tree Service Can Help Picking the right trees for your yard can take time. Balance is always good and even if you want everything to look perfect right away, you can’t sustain this if all you use are fast-growing trees. Let our team at Five Star Tree Service help you pick the best trees for your property! Our experts can offer you all the Toronto Tree Care you will need. Give us a call today at (416) 990-3355!