Inspiration for a traditional landscaping in New York.

This small dated kitchen was transformed with new everything! Although the basic footprint stayed the same, the skilled CCKAB kitchen team removed counter tops and cabinets that divided the kitchen from the eating area. We also removed the soffits over the cabinets and kitchen table, and by relocating the soil pipes above, it gave the small space an open feel. The Stow kitchen needed more wall space. So...we closed the the entrance to the dining room to provide more wall space and installed a double wall oven. The central focal point of there new, gorgeous kitchen island, providing extra counter space, storage and seating. The modern appliances, new cabinetry, granite counters and sleek range hood all work together to give this kitchen the wow factor! Wow! Features included: Fieldstone Cabinets, Bristol, flat panel style with a full overlay. Color: Maple with a caramel stain. Colonial Espresso granite countertops Stainless steel appliance Custom built Wainscot in Dining Room.

This small dated kitchen was transformed with new everything! Although the basic footprint stayed the same, the skilled CCKAB kitchen team removed counter tops and cabinets that divided the kitchen from the eating area. We also removed the soffits over the cabinets and kitchen table, and by relocating the soil pipes above, it gave the small space an open feel. The Stow kitchen needed more wall space. So...we closed the the entrance to the dining room to provide more wall space and installed a double wall oven. The central focal point of there new, gorgeous kitchen island, providing extra counter space, storage and seating. The modern appliances, new cabinetry, granite counters and sleek range hood all work together to give this kitchen the wow factor! Wow! Features included: Fieldstone Cabinets, Bristol, flat panel style with a full overlay. Color: Maple with a caramel stain. Colonial Espresso granite countertops Stainless steel appliance Custom built Wainscot in Dining Room.

Our client had previously employed another company to tackle this large Slate floor in Walton on Thames but they hadn’t managed to remove the old sealer due to it being an old varnish seal. Varnish was used as a traditional way of sealing stone but can be damaged by scratching and it does little to improve the look of the stone. Varnish is also very difficult to break down which is a problem as it’s important to remove the old sealant before applying new, applying a new sealer onto Varnish simply wouldn’t work. I visited the property to survey the floor and work out which combination of products and methods would work best and after some testing and I was able to confirm that not only could the old varnish be removed but once re-sealed with a modern sealer the slate would be transformed. The client was over the moon to hear this news as they had thought there was nothing, they could do to improve the floor. With a price and schedule agreed I returned to the property at a later date and started by tackling the varnish. The method I used was to apply Tile Doctor Remove and Go, let it soak into the floor for ten minutes and then work it in with a heavy rotary scrubbing machine fitted with a black pad. The soil was then rinsed with water and extracted off the floor with a wet vacuum. The floor was then inspected, and each tile checked to ensure the varnish was completely gone, any stubborn areas were then spot treated and scrubbed by hand. Once I was satisfied, I set about giving the stone a deep clean by repeating the same process with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean. As before all the soil and cleaning products were then low pressure rinsed off the stone and vacuumed away. The floor was then left to dry overnight. I returned the following day to apply a new modern sealer. First, I tested the floor was dry using the moisture meter. It was in the acceptable readings range, so I was able to start applying the sealer straight away. For this floor I chose to apply Tile Doctor Seal and Go, it works really well on Slate tiles and as you can see from the photographs it completely transformed the appearance of the stone. Seal and Go is a water-based blend of acrylic polymers that provides both a stain resistant surface seal and a durable low-sheen finish, being water based it has the added advantage of not giving off any odour as it dries. The client had specified earlier that they didn’t want the floor to look shiny to the resultant silky appearance was the perfect solution. Thee coats were applied, and my client was very pleased with the finish. Jonathan Oldham South Middlesex Tile Doctor

Terren Landscapes http://www.terrenlandscapes.com 2014 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Residential $30,000-$60,000 Award Level: Silver Project Description: Our company was contracted to do a master plan for the family who was in desperate need of a rear yard renovation. The existing lawn area remained saturated throughout most of the year and the runoff from the neighboring property ran across their back yard, down the side of their property and all the way to the sidewalk in front of their house. The water was so intense that it had begun to cut through the back yard and erode the soil across the sidewalk and into the nearby storm drain. By identifying these drainage problems and discussing solutions with the homeowner, we were able to design and create the aesthetically pleasing and sustainable solution of a rain garden. The goal was to slow down storm water runoff, and catch pollution and sediment by creating a rain garden that acts as a filter prior to entering the storm drain, while enhancing the aesthetics of the property. The rain garden created was a shallow depression, 12 - 16" deep that collects rainfall runoff from all downspouts of the home and water collected into perforated pipes underneath the lawn area. The perforated pipe begins at the highest elevation in the yard and ends in the rain garden, the new lowest elevation that has been excavated down to an 8" depth. The perforated pipe captures the runoff water and allows the water to seep slowly back into the ground as it runs across the property and into the garden. The garden was lined with a geotextile filter fabric to aide in removing contaminants from the water, prevent migration of the stone in to the soil, and minimalize maintenance. A large variety of plant material was chosen, focusing mainly on native wetland species for their tolerance of our local soil types, moisture conditions and the habitat they provide for wildlife. The garden was abundant with native wildlife and was a sustainable ecosystem for birds and butterflies upon completion of the project. After planting, we arranged decorative stone throughout the garden to slow the flow of water and help prevent erosion. The combination of vegetative and stone surfaces provides temporary storage for runoff before the water either evaporates or infiltrates the soil. The surrounding beds throughout the property were also all amended with compost and replanted with plants that work in harmony with the rain garden. The front, side, and rear yards are a beautiful display of colors that bloom throughout the seasons and the plants throughout the entire property provide food and shelter for native wildlife. The rear yard that was once a muddy play space for the kids is now a dry lawn space that can be utilized by the family and their neighbors. This multi­ functional garden has become the focal point of the residence. Photo Credit: Terren Landscapes

Our client in the villager of Pembury was feeling really deflated after having a Slate Patio laid adjacent to the full length of her house, however the builder had not applied the sealer correctly creating a mess which ruined the appearance of the stone. Unfortunately, it is not that unusual to be contacted about this sort of situation, applying a sealer is not as easy as manufactures make out. There are lots of factors to consider, choosing the right sealer, is the stone damp, how do you know if you have applied too much, and it often catches tradesmen out. I was able to reassure them that with the right combination of products and equipment the problem could be rectified. The first job was to strip off the old sealer which was done using a product called Tile Doctor Remove and Go. The name of this product pretty much says it all and once applied to the stone it is left to soak in for ten to twenty minutes before being scrubbed in with a rotary machine fitted with an abrasive burnishing pad. Tile Doctor Remove and Go is a multi-purpose stripper which will remove most coatings and sealers, including epoxy grout haze which is another common problem we encounter when tradesmen have not cleaned up properly after grouting. It is also good for removing heavy build ups of grease. I used several burnishing pads of different grits going from coarse to smooth on this patio, rinsing and extracting the soil after each pad. It was a large area, so this process took up most of the day on its own, fortunately I use a van mounted high pressure cleaning and extraction system to remove the soil which is very efficient and leaves the stone bright clean and reasonably dry afterwards. This ensures the process can be carried out with minimal mess. It was a nice warm summers day and although cloudy we didn’t get any rain overnight, so after checking the forecast I was able to return the next day and apply a fresh sealer to the Slate. My client wanted a natural look, so I used Tile Doctor Ultra Seal. This product is a no-sheen, natural-look, impregnating sealer which is formulated to provide maximum stain protection. These impregnating sealers work by penetrating the stone, occupying its pores, and thus preventing dirt from residing there. The client was so happy and relieved to see the results on what a very expensive patio and commented she was eager to get the first barbecue of the season underway. We recommended that a regular with the jet wash should keep the patio in good condition and in a few years time we could return to reapply the sealer for them. Michael Conlon South Kent Tile Doctor

MEDITERRANEAN, TRADITIONAL, CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, MALIBU, CALABASAS, SANTA MONICA, THOUSAND OAKS, SHERMAN OAKS, WEST HILLS, PACIFIC PALISADES, NORTH RANCH, AGOURA, AGOURA HILLS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SUCCULENTS, ECLECTIC, OAK PARK, DECOMPOSED GRANITE, AUSTRALIAN PLANTS, CALIFORNIA NATIVE, CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS, SUSTAINABLE, RAIN CAPTURE, SOIL HEALTH, RUSTIC, ENGLISH GARDEN, DROUGHT TOLERANT, DROUGHT RESISTANT, LAWN REMOVAL, WATER CONSERVATION, WATER CONSERVING, WATERWISE, LOW MAINTENANCE, CLIMATE, FRONT YARD, BACK YARD, BACKYARD, PATIO, POOL, SOUTHWESTERN, ASIAN, WALKWAY, SUCCULENT POTS, GRAVEL, EDIBLE, LANDSCAPE, POOL, GARDEN, GARDEN DESIGN, SUCCULENT GARDEN, SUCCULENT POTS, REBATE, SUCCULENT WALL, LIVING WALL, DRAFTING, HARDSCAPE, HARDSCAPING, LIGHTING, FOUNTAIN, WATER FEATURE, LOW WATER, DRIP IRRIGATION, FIRE PIT, SANTA BARBARA, OXNARD, VENTURA,

This small dated kitchen was transformed with new everything! Although the basic footprint stayed the same, the skilled CCKAB kitchen team removed counter tops and cabinets that divided the kitchen from the eating area. We also removed the soffits over the cabinets and kitchen table, and by relocating the soil pipes above, it gave the small space an open feel. The Stow kitchen needed more wall space. So...we closed the the entrance to the dining room to provide more wall space and installed a double wall oven. The central focal point of there new, gorgeous kitchen island, providing extra counter space, storage and seating. The modern appliances, new cabinetry, granite counters and sleek range hood all work together to give this kitchen the wow factor! Wow! Features included: Fieldstone Cabinets, Bristol, flat panel style with a full overlay. Color: Maple with a caramel stain. Colonial Espresso granite countertops Stainless steel appliance Custom built Wainscot in Dining Room.

This small dated kitchen was transformed with new everything! Although the basic footprint stayed the same, the skilled CCKAB kitchen team removed counter tops and cabinets that divided the kitchen from the eating area. We also removed the soffits over the cabinets and kitchen table, and by relocating the soil pipes above, it gave the small space an open feel. The Stow kitchen needed more wall space. So...we closed the the entrance to the dining room to provide more wall space and installed a double wall oven. The central focal point of there new, gorgeous kitchen island, providing extra counter space, storage and seating. The modern appliances, new cabinetry, granite counters and sleek range hood all work together to give this kitchen the wow factor! Wow! Features included: Fieldstone Cabinets, Bristol, flat panel style with a full overlay. Color: Maple with a caramel stain. Colonial Espresso granite countertops Stainless steel appliance Custom built Wainscot in Dining Room.

Linda Estrin Garden Design, (310) 493-1668, lindaestrin@gmail.com, California Native Garden, California Native Plants, Succulents, Succulent Pots, Los Angeles, Malibu, Calabasas, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Pacific Palisades, Agoura, Agoura Hills, Southern California, Oak Park, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Sustainable, Drought Tolerant, Drought Resistant, Lawn Removal, Water Conservation, Water Conserving, Waterwise, Low Maintenance, Rain Capture, Soil Health, Front Yard, Back Yard, Backyard, Patio, Walkway, Garden Design, Succulent Garden, Lawn Rebate, Hardscape, Decomposed Granite, Gravel, Fountain, Water Feature, Low Water, Drip Irrigation, Fire Pit, Firescape, Wildfire, Mediterranean, Traditional, Eclectic, Rustic, English Garden, Southwestern,

MEDITERRANEAN, TRADITIONAL, CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, MALIBU, CALABASAS, SANTA MONICA, THOUSAND OAKS, SHERMAN OAKS, WEST HILLS, PACIFIC PALISADES, NORTH RANCH, AGOURA, AGOURA HILLS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SUCCULENTS, ECLECTIC, OAK PARK, DECOMPOSED GRANITE, AUSTRALIAN PLANTS, CALIFORNIA NATIVE, CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS, SUSTAINABLE, RAIN CAPTURE, SOIL HEALTH, RUSTIC, ENGLISH GARDEN, DROUGHT TOLERANT, DROUGHT RESISTANT, LAWN REMOVAL, WATER CONSERVATION, WATER CONSERVING, WATERWISE, LOW MAINTENANCE, CLIMATE, FRONT YARD, BACK YARD, BACKYARD, PATIO, POOL, SOUTHWESTERN, ASIAN, WALKWAY, SUCCULENT POTS, GRAVEL, EDIBLE, LANDSCAPE, POOL, GARDEN, GARDEN DESIGN, SUCCULENT GARDEN, SUCCULENT POTS, REBATE, SUCCULENT WALL, LIVING WALL, DRAFTING, HARDSCAPE, HARDSCAPING, LIGHTING, FOUNTAIN, WATER FEATURE, LOW WATER, DRIP IRRIGATION, FIRE PIT, SANTA BARBARA, OXNARD, VENTURA,

MEDITERRANEAN, TRADITIONAL, CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, MALIBU, CALABASAS, SANTA MONICA, THOUSAND OAKS, SHERMAN OAKS, WEST HILLS, PACIFIC PALISADES, NORTH RANCH, AGOURA, AGOURA HILLS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SUCCULENTS, ECLECTIC, OAK PARK, DECOMPOSED GRANITE, AUSTRALIAN PLANTS, CALIFORNIA NATIVE, CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS, SUSTAINABLE, RAIN CAPTURE, SOIL HEALTH, RUSTIC, ENGLISH GARDEN, DROUGHT TOLERANT, DROUGHT RESISTANT, LAWN REMOVAL, WATER CONSERVATION, WATER CONSERVING, WATERWISE, LOW MAINTENANCE, CLIMATE, FRONT YARD, BACK YARD, BACKYARD, PATIO, POOL, SOUTHWESTERN, ASIAN, WALKWAY, SUCCULENT POTS, GRAVEL, EDIBLE, LANDSCAPE, POOL, GARDEN, GARDEN DESIGN, SUCCULENT GARDEN, SUCCULENT POTS, REBATE, SUCCULENT WALL, LIVING WALL, DRAFTING, HARDSCAPE, HARDSCAPING, LIGHTING, FOUNTAIN, WATER FEATURE, LOW WATER, DRIP IRRIGATION, FIRE PIT, SANTA BARBARA, OXNARD, VENTURA,

Linda Estrin Garden Design, (310) 493-1668, lindaestrin@gmail.com, California Native Garden, California Native Plants, Succulents, Succulent Pots, Los Angeles, Malibu, Calabasas, Santa Monica, Thousand Oaks, Pacific Palisades, Agoura, Agoura Hills, Southern California, Oak Park, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Sustainable, Drought Tolerant, Drought Resistant, Lawn Removal, Water Conservation, Water Conserving, Waterwise, Low Maintenance, Rain Capture, Soil Health, Front Yard, Back Yard, Backyard, Patio, Walkway, Garden Design, Succulent Garden, Lawn Rebate, Hardscape, Decomposed Granite, Gravel, Fountain, Water Feature, Low Water, Drip Irrigation, Fire Pit, Firescape, Wildfire, Mediterranean, Traditional, Eclectic, Rustic, English Garden, Southwestern,

This customer had just moved into a property in Chesham around eighteen months ago. During that time, they had completely renovated the property and in the process had pulled up the hallway carpet to discover a lovely Victorian tiled floor which appeared to be in good condition but very dirty. Period features like these can add a lot of value to a house these days and so they decided to investigate having it professionally cleaned and contacted me for a quote. Although I can give some indication of price over the phone you never know exactly what to expect so my preference is to visit the property a conduct a test clean. It’s a little trickier to do this now due to COVID-19 but using a combination of PPE, maximum ventilation and social distancing measures I was able to work on the floor. The tiles were in good order with no replacements needed so my focus would be removing carpet adhesive and ingrained dirt. The test went well, and I followed up with a quotation which was accepted, and a date arranged to do the work. I had worked out previously that the quickest was to deep clean the floor and remove the glue and any old seal was to apply Tile Doctor Remove and Go which as its name suggests is a coatings removed designed for Tiled floors. My method was to spray strong a dilution of Remove and Go onto the Victorian tiles and leave it to soak in for fifteen minutes. Then it was scrubbed in with a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine. The soil was rinsed off using a minimal of water and extracted with a wet vacuum. Once the floor had dried, I inspected the tiles and could see more work would be needed to get the white tiles really sparkling. For this I went over the floor using a 200-grit resurfacing pad using water to lubricate the process, I also used handheld burnishing blocks of different grits to do the edges. With this extra effort and another rinse with water to remove the soil the floor looked great, and so I left for the day so it could dry out ready for sealing. I came back the next day and started by taking moisture readings with a damp meter to ensure the tiles were dry and ready for sealing. This is important as you don’t want to apply sealer to a damp tile and old floors can suffer from damp issues due to the lack of a damp proof membrane. All was well with the floor, so I was able to move straight onto sealing which started with the application of a single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow. This is an impregnating sealer that soaks into the pores of the tile enhancing colour and adding protection. Once this had dried, I followed up with another seven coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which adds further protection and leaves a nice subtle sheen to the tiles. This product works really well on old Victorian Tiles like these and being water based it doesn’t leave a smell as it dries. Andrew Newstead South Buckinghamshire Tile Doctor

Photo by Ellen Sousa/THB Farm

MEDITERRANEAN, TRADITIONAL, CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, MALIBU, CALABASAS, SANTA MONICA, THOUSAND OAKS, SHERMAN OAKS, WEST HILLS, PACIFIC PALISADES, NORTH RANCH, AGOURA, AGOURA HILLS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SUCCULENTS, ECLECTIC, OAK PARK, DECOMPOSED GRANITE, AUSTRALIAN PLANTS, CALIFORNIA NATIVE, CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS, SUSTAINABLE, RAIN CAPTURE, SOIL HEALTH, RUSTIC, ENGLISH GARDEN, DROUGHT TOLERANT, DROUGHT RESISTANT, LAWN REMOVAL, WATER CONSERVATION, WATER CONSERVING, WATERWISE, LOW MAINTENANCE, CLIMATE, FRONT YARD, BACK YARD, BACKYARD, PATIO, POOL, SOUTHWESTERN, ASIAN, WALKWAY, SUCCULENT POTS, GRAVEL, EDIBLE, LANDSCAPE, POOL, GARDEN, GARDEN DESIGN, SUCCULENT GARDEN, SUCCULENT POTS, REBATE, SUCCULENT WALL, LIVING WALL, DRAFTING, HARDSCAPE, HARDSCAPING, LIGHTING, FOUNTAIN, WATER FEATURE, LOW WATER, DRIP IRRIGATION, FIRE PIT, SANTA BARBARA, OXNARD, VENTURA,

This environmentally minded client in Milford Michigan. contacted us to create a rain garden. They were both master gardeners and had a very specific plants that they wanted to utilize in the waterwise location. The area was a small triangle shaped piece of ground between two driveways. We creatd a natural depression in the center of the garden for the rain to accumulate once the rain barrel was to capacity. The soil that we removed was used to fill the small raised planter bed that we constructed. This would keep the water away from the foundation and give the homeowners a spot to add a Green Japanese Maple and Hydrangea who like it a little drier. We then installed natural michigan fieldstone boulders as a transition form the grade level to the rain garden. Black onyx stone was used to frame the entire garden and it works very well with all of the colorful plant material. Landforms Inc.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). Photo: John S. Quarterman, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution- 2.0 Generic

MEDITERRANEAN, TRADITIONAL, CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES, MALIBU, CALABASAS, SANTA MONICA, THOUSAND OAKS, SHERMAN OAKS, WEST HILLS, PACIFIC PALISADES, NORTH RANCH, AGOURA, AGOURA HILLS, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, SUCCULENTS, ECLECTIC, OAK PARK, DECOMPOSED GRANITE, AUSTRALIAN PLANTS, CALIFORNIA NATIVE, CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS, SUSTAINABLE, RAIN CAPTURE, SOIL HEALTH, RUSTIC, ENGLISH GARDEN, DROUGHT TOLERANT, DROUGHT RESISTANT, LAWN REMOVAL, WATER CONSERVATION, WATER CONSERVING, WATERWISE, LOW MAINTENANCE, CLIMATE, FRONT YARD, BACK YARD, BACKYARD, PATIO, POOL, SOUTHWESTERN, ASIAN, WALKWAY, SUCCULENT POTS, GRAVEL, EDIBLE, LANDSCAPE, POOL, GARDEN, GARDEN DESIGN, SUCCULENT GARDEN, SUCCULENT POTS, REBATE, SUCCULENT WALL, LIVING WALL, DRAFTING, HARDSCAPE, HARDSCAPING, LIGHTING, FOUNTAIN, WATER FEATURE, LOW WATER, DRIP IRRIGATION, FIRE PIT, SANTA BARBARA, OXNARD, VENTURA,