BY TRENDSETTERS
Time to Unwind
Iknow I talk a lot about traveling and constantly going on adventures with my camera, but summertime (and life for that matter) isn't just about being busy and going places, it's also about sitting back and taking in the world around you—being present.
Growing up, I always remember a Sunday school story from the Bible that feels relevant to this: As the story goes, there was a series of
magnificent events; a hurricane, an earthquake, and a fire—but God was not present in any of them. "And then a still, small voice." Meaning that the most divine and meaningful moments are sometimes the smallest ones. I think too often in the chaos and busyness of our lives, we forget to be present in the little moments around us. Let this be your little reminder to be present to even the smallest of moments around you.
Speaking of unwinding, backyard patios and outdoor living spaces have become the hot topic of home living, especially since the pandemic, yet outdoor living is not so much a trend as it is something that's an integral part of the human experience. Some of my deepest core memories, for example, are from running around my grandparents' backyard as a kid or enjoying campfires and cookouts with my family back home.
In this issue, we showcase some impressive projects by local landscapers ranging from softscapes, hardscapes, outdoor kitchens, and more. Whether you're looking to enhance your outdoor living spaces through a professional or love to DIY, these featured projects are great inspiration to help you get started.
There's still much summer left to enjoy—be sure to unwind from your busy schedule and enjoy
peaceful moments with your loved ones; after all, those are the moments that make life so meaningful.
Happy browsing!
Josiah Kopp Editor
AUGUST 2024
Volume 1 Issue 008
BY TRENDSETTERS
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Personalized Care for a Healthy Home
Trevor Hausauer, FNP-C, IFMCP, owner of Valley Vital Medicine
BY BRADY DRAKE
PHOTOS BY JOSIAH KOPP
Ahealthy family makes a healthy home—Trevor Hausauer, FNP-C, IFMCP, owner of Valley Vital Medicine, knows this fact very intimately.
Trevor's path to founding Valley Vital Medicine was deeply influenced by his childhood experience of watching his younger brother, who developed a disability around the age of two, journey to find a diagnosis. This journey took Trevor's family to renowned medical institutions like the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic. Along the way, the family encountered a wide range of care and compassion from medical providers. Some were exemplary in offering support and clear communication, while others lacked empathy and failed to explain complex medical issues in understandable terms.
As Trevor grew older, these experiences guided his career choices. After completing high school, he enlisted in the Army and eventually received a nursing degree. Nursing appealed to Trevor because it allowed him to engage directly with patients and make a meaningful impact without the extended schooling required for a medical degree. Once he had his undergraduate degree, he started working in emergency rooms and intensive care units.
“There, we did really great things and were able to help people in amazing ways,” Hausauer said. “We helped people who had sustained injuries from motor vehicle accidents and people experiencing effects from carbon monoxide poisoning—people experiencing acute medical emergencies, that's really what those services are for. However, there was a fairly large segment of the population that was coming into the ER and the ICU that honestly should never need to be there. They had chronic disease processes or their medications were mismatched or they didn't know how to utilize their medications or they didn't know how to take care of themselves—how to eat appropriately to keep their diabetes from getting into a state where they're in diabetic ketoacidosis.”
These experiences stuck with Trevor as well and he tucked them away in the back of his head as he left the ICU and went back to school to get his nurse practitioner degree at the University of North Dakota.
“As I was going through that program, there was a clinical instructor named Rhonda Jolliffe—she's a nurse practitioner in Bismarck—and as we would go through our case studies, we would offer her a diagnosis and treatment plan. She would review that with us and she would agree or disagree on certain points. And sometimes she would add something else. She would say things like, 'Think about adding magnesium,
ashwagandha, or rhodiola.'
And I asked her where she was coming up with this stuff because it's not in the textbook. She turned me on to the Institute for Functional Medicine and I started spending a lot of time on their website—drinking the Kool-Aid per se. It really resonated strongly with me, but those things weren't part of the board exam. So, I needed to set that aside while I finished my degree. Once I got my degree, I kind of transitioned my thought process back into learning more about what functional medicine was.”
After becoming a boardcertified nurse practitioner, Trevor worked in primary care at a large local health system, where he had the opportunity to practice medicine in a conventional setting. His unique approach attracted patients who sought alternatives to standard treatments, particularly those interested in lifestyle changes and natural therapies.
“One of my experiences there was with a young gentleman who I diagnosed as newly diabetic—his blood sugar was so high that he technically should have been put on insulin,” Hausauer said. “However, this particular individual refused that. He only wanted to make lifestyle changes and use supplements. He didn't want prescriptions or insulin. So, we talked through that. We talked about exercise. We talked about diet. We talked about some supplements that could be taken to help optimize his body's ability to utilize
blood sugar and improve metabolic flexibility. Within a few months, his A1c actually returned back to normal. He had actually reversed his diabetic state to where he wasn't showing diabetes anymore. The problem was that insurance dictates how you do things. Part of our reimbursement was based on metrics. A metric that's tied to diabetes is whether somebody's on a statin medication or not. This individual, of course, didn't want anything to do with the statin medication because he was trying to avoid pharmaceuticals in general. He had done really well and had done everything I asked him to do and he essentially fixed his diabetes problem. However, when it came down to my personal metrics, as a provider, I was getting dinged because he wasn't on a statin medication. So, what I was getting paid was being dinged because I didn't have him on a statin. So, I went and talked to the chief of the department, and I told him that this guy is no longer showing that he's diabetic.
If I put him on a statin medication, there are potential risks with that. There are risks of nutrient deficiencies. There's actually an increased risk of being diabetic. There are risks of cancer. I didn't see a reason for him to be on a statin, because, frankly, he had done everything that he needed to do to be healthy and his cholesterol was normal. The chief of the department at that point said, 'Well, once you're diabetic, you're always a diabetic and so you just need to be on this for the rest of your life.' This gentleman was in his 30s and to say that somebody in their 30s who's worked to get their health back should now be on a statin medication for the rest of his life, absolutely didn't resonate with me. To me, this really spoke to the mindset of conventional medicine, and also the lack of individualization that there is. It takes the power away from people.”
This experience, among others, reinforced Trevor's belief in the
importance of individualized care and patient autonomy. He was increasingly disillusioned with a system that often prioritized metrics over personalized patient outcomes. This realization was a turning point for Trevor and motivated him to create a practice that allowed for more flexibility and a holistic approach to health.
Valley Vital Medicine emerged from Trevor's vision of a healthcare practice where patients receive personalized care, education, and support. At Valley Vital Medicine, the focus is on understanding each patient's unique health journey and addressing the root causes of their issues. The practice employs various diagnostic tools and treatment modalities, including dietary changes, supplements, lifestyle modifications, and the utilization of cutting-edge medical technology.
ACCORDING TO HAUSAUER, REDUCING TOXIC LOAD IS CRUCIAL FOR MAINTAINING OVERALL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING , AS IT MINIMIZES THE BURDEN ON THE BODY'S DETOXIFICATION SYSTEMS AND SUPPORTS OPTIMAL FUNCTIONING. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS TO DO THIS, BUT HERE ARE A FEW OPTIONS THAT YOU CAN UTILIZE RIGHT AWAY.
• Try an elimination diet: While this is best done under supervision, you can try this at home on your own. An elimination diet involves removing grains and gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, alcohol, sugar, and caffeine from the diet for one month and then reintroducing those foods systematically to see if anything causes an unwanted response.
• Drink distilled water: “Distilled water is the only real truly clean source of water that we have,” Hausauer said. “The city water systems have fluoride and chlorine in them, which I think is necessary for keeping a large supply of water from being overly toxic, but that doesn't necessarily mean that should be your primary source of drinking water. I think having a distiller in your home is a really, really good idea. And then,
I'd consider hydrogenating your water after it has been distilled. There are a lot of other filtration systems out there and I consider reverse osmosis the second best, but I prefer distilled.”
• Take quality supplements: “At our clinic, we recommend NutriDyn, Cellcore, Apex, BodyHealth, and BodyBio. These are third-party tested practitioner quality. This is important because
Medical Technology
Hausauer and his team have a passion for providing clients access to the very best medical services and technology on the market in order to optimize health. With the space that we have for this article, it would be impossible to list everything that they can offer, but we wanted to give you a sneak peek of some of their most utilized services
Are you a potential patient?
Then you may be a good fit for a Discovery Call—a 30-minute conversation about symptoms and a review of your medical records with Trevor Hausauer. You can sign up for a discovery call directly on the website at valleyvitalmedicine.com/work-with-me or call 701-532-1926 for more assistance.
a lot of big box store supplements that people are getting off the shelf don't always have in them what the labels say they do. There are no regulations. There may even be additives in the bottle that aren't listed and they could be dangerous for you.”
• Use quality personal care products: “As far as personal care products, the main line that we carry is Rowe
Casa Organics,” Hausauer said. “They're primarily essential oil-based, and, frankly, people absolutely love them—we have a hard time keeping it on the shelf. They have some supplement-type products and then they have a lot of skincare products as well— some of these kinds of things that are free of parabens and other chemicals that are dangerous for people. If people are interested in purchasing Rowe Casa products
online, we have a code where they can get 20% off their first order, by using the code VVM20 to get 20% off their first online order. Otherwise, they can stop in anytime and just grab the product off the shelf. They don't have to be an active client in the practice to utilize these products.”
Start with the Wellness Experience
Who is this for?
The Wellness Experience is designed for someone who feels pretty well overall—they don't have many health concerns. It's for someone who wants to take a proactive approach in optimizing their health.
What does it include?
• Lab Panel (with or without hormones): CBC with differential, CMP, Magnesium, Phosphorus, GGT, cholesterol panel, A1c, B12, Folate, Insulin, Vitamin D, CRP-HS, Parathyroid hormone, Iron pane, LDH, Homocysteine, Comprehensive thyroid pane (TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Total T3, Total T4, Reverse T3, TG Abs, TPO abs, Omega 3 ratio
• Men’s Hormones (Optional): Testosterone Total and Free, PSA Free and Total, Sex hormone binding globulin, Estradiol, FSH, LH, IGF-1, DHEA-Sulfate
• Women’s Hormones (Optional): Testosterone Total and Free, Progesterone, Sex hormone binding globulin,
Estradiol, FSH, LH, IGF-1, DHEA-Sulfate
• BioEnergy Test: A test that uses O2/VCO2 technology, which is used by professional athletes to help gauge their fitness, to measure oxygen and carbon dioxide production. This is the most accurate way to tell how your mitochondria are functioning. The test involves several different measurements that are taken resting and exercising, which are then analyzed by Bio-Energy testing algorithms to help determine: adrenal function, basal metabolic rate, biological age, correct caloric intake, fat/ muscle ratio, fitness level, heart function, lung function, optimal weight, optimal carbohydrate intake, optimal exercise level for aerobic fitness, optimal exercise level for fat loss, thyroid function, and anaerobic threshold
• A 60-minute case review and lab review with Hausauer.
• Either a HOCATT sauna session or Performance IV (you pick your choice and as okayed by Trevor).
"The Wellness Experience is the perfect place to start for anyone seeking to take their health to the next level."
- Trevor Hausauer, FNP-C, IFMCP
HOCATT
“The HOCATT is basically a 10 in 1 sauna. We have a lot of people who absolutely love it. In about 30 minutes of the therapy, you can burn about 600 calories,” Hausauer said.
“It uses carbonic acid to improve blood flow. It utilizes heat of course. it's a pretty mild heat, but it's more of a moist heat. With the HOCATT, your head is actually outside of the area that is being heated so you're not breathing in all of that hot air. The carbonic acid helps to improve blood flow and it also uses ozone gas as well to help oxygenate tissues—it also helps with its antiviral and antibacterial effects. It’s a great detoxifier. We can use PEMF, infrared light therapy, and essential oils in there as well.”
With the HOCATT, in just a 30-minute period of time, you get a multi-modality treatment that's going to help in a much more efficient manner than just using a regular or infrared sauna.
“We hear a lot from patients that it helps with inflammation and that it gives them energy that lasts for days and that afterward they feel completely rejuvenated,” Hausauer said.
IVs
In total, Valley Vital Medicine offers 11 different IV Vitamin Therapy treatments. Below are a few of their most popular options. However, for more information, scan this QR code to watch an in-depth webinar created by Hausauer.
Ozone Therapy
“One of our most common is ozone therapy. Ozone therapy has been around for over 100 years,” Hausauer said. “Basically, it's a super oxygen therapy. Oxygen is two oxygen molecules and ozone is three oxygen molecules. That third oxygen molecule carries a lot of potential energy. When we expose blood to it, it starts a cytokine response. In other words, it forces your immune system to respond to it in a positive way—it's like exercising. Dr. Shallenberger, who I trained with, refers to it as exercise in a bottle. If you lift weights, it stresses your muscles a little bit, they break down, and then they come back stronger. That's what your immune system does when it's exposed to ozone. It also improves blood flow, reduces oxygen, and has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects. So ozone is really, really great for helping people with autoimmune issues, Lyme disease, mold issues, all that kind of stuff.”
High Dose Vitamin C
“This is another one that I'm really passionate about that does a lot of good for many people,” Hausauer said. “I've done extensive training in high-dose vitamin C. I've traveled to Riordan Clinic in Wichita, Kansas because Riordan Clinic is responsible for the vast majority of vitamin C research that's been done in the last 50 years. They specialize in chronic disease and cancer in the utilization of high dose vitamin C. So, we utilize their protocols in how we go about administering our high dose Vitamin C.”
Note: Vitamin C and Ozone can be used together—they're very synergistic.
The Performance Drip
“We have a drip that's called a performance drip. It's a multivitamin, multi-mineral, and amino acid blend,” Hausauer said. “It's really great for athletes or somebody that has difficulties with muscle recovery, or endurance, or hydration.”
Natural Defense
“This is 15 grams of Vitamin C, Calcium, Magnesium, and B Vitamins,” Hausauer said. “It's great for helping to support the immune system. It utilizes glutathione, the body's master antioxidant, to help the body detoxify. It's great for brain health, good for the liver, kidneys, and skin.”
ALA
“Alpha Lipoic Acid can help with blood sugar regulation and it's another potent antioxidant,” Hausauer said. “It's also really good for neuropathy as well Last."
"We pride ourselves on having really good highquality IVs and the safety in how we administer them,” Hausauer said. “So, every new client that comes in, does a consult with me to make sure that what we're offering them is safe and that we're using a product that is geared towards their goals."
AestheticsThe Long Game
The Valley Vital Medicine team takes a long-term approach when it comes to aesthetics.
“We are very passionate about making sure the things we're putting on and in our body are really clean and going to serve us,” Hausauer said. “What separates us from the other organizations out there is that we're not going to utilize toxic products on you.
I, personally, have a lot of concerns in regard to the utilization of Botox and fillers and those kinds of things. We do not and will not be utilizing these things here. Those products are great for getting short-term immediate results. However, they don't last and there are real concerns in regard to toxicity.”
If someone is interested in optimizing their skin health, they can call and
schedule an appointment with one of Valley Vital Medicine’s aesthetics nurses to come in and do a personal consult to talk about their skincare goals.
Some of the technologies available to achieve those goals include the use of Morhpeus8 by InMode, PRP injections, Lumecca, and Diolaze laser hair removal.
HUGO PEMF
“I like PEMF a lot because it's just super simple to use and it's really effective,” Hausauer said. “There's a ton of science on it as far as improving blood flow, reducing inflammation, and having anti-cancer properties. So, it sends electromagnetic pulses through the body, and you can actually feel it when you're lying on the mat. What it's doing is charging your cells through external means, which is really nice, because you don't have to take a pill and hope that it's going to work. The PEMF actually charges your cells on its own. Many times I will recommend people to come and do the PEMF before they get an IV because it improves blood flow and it'll allow them to absorb the nutrients and vitamins from their IV better. There are tons of benefits with it as far as reducing pain, improving recovery, and reducing inflammation.”
Valley Vital Medicine offers a holistic and personalized approach to healthcare. The clinic focuses on addressing root causes and optimizing overall well-being through advanced diagnostic tools, lifestyle modifications, and cutting-edge treatments. Whether you're seeking to manage a chronic condition, optimize your wellness, or explore natural and holistic healthcare options, Valley Vital Medicine is committed to helping you achieve your health goals in a compassionate and supportive environment.
By Josiah Kopp
Photos provided by Valley Landscaping
In the midst of various home and design trends, Valley Landscaping has seen a growing trend toward outdoor living spaces, specifically outdoor kitchens. "Customers are increasingly extending their living spaces outdoors," Valley Landscaping Owner Craig Wendt said. In a recent Portland, ND, project, Valley transformed a small porch into a full outdoor kitchen, featuring a grill, raised bar area, and stainless steel components like storage doors and a refrigerator.
Outdoor lighting has also become a popular feature. "It enhances beauty and provides safety," Wendt explained. The project includes modern lighting with smartphone control, that allows for customizable color settings.
Wendt also noted how fire pits are another sought-after feature. "Gas fire pits are convenient while wood-burning options offer a traditional experience," Wendt said. This project incorporated both, alongside traditional landscaping elements like shrubs and trees, complemented by a pool and bar area.
In this Fargo project, Valley Landscaping worked around an existing backyard pool, which was installed beforehand, to create a cohesive outdoor living space. "We often help design the pool area, but typically, the homeowner and pool contractor decide on the placement," Wendt said. The project included a flattop grill, a fridge, a trash area, and a raised bar seating area behind the grill.
The yard also featured a covered porch with steps leading down to a hot tub. The team installed a gas fire pit and an outdoor kitchen, followed by comprehensive landscaping, including grading, rock edging, and decorative buff limestone boulders. "Boulders add a nice dimension and height to the landscape," Wendt said. Additionally, perennials were chosen for their low maintenance and vibrant color.
Outdoor lighting was strategically placed around the house. For ground cover, sod was preferred for its immediate effect over seeded grass. "We use continuous concrete curbing with galvanized cable for durability," said Wendt. The landscaping included a variety of rocks, such as decorative trap rock and mochacolored stone, sourced from Midwest quarries. "Unique rocks complement the pool, house, and lush green grass, tying the entire space together," he said.
In 2023, Valley Landscaping completed a standout project in Kindred, ND, featuring a meticulously crafted outdoor kitchen. The outdoor kitchen is equipped with a range of amenities, from an outlet, sink, flat-top grill, and gas grill. Valley also included plenty of stainless steel components, such as a fridge, trash storage, and drawers, along with additional outlets. A highlight of the kitchen is the Chicago Brick Oven. "It's a high-quality oven that can retain heat long enough to bake bread the next morning," Wendt said.
The setup also features a granite-topped bar area. "Granite is ideal for outdoor kitchens due to its ease of cleaning and resistance to stains," Wendt said. The entire structure's stability is ensured by the solid foundation work, making it durable and longlasting.
By Josiah Kopp
Photos by Josiah Kopp
For this stunning landscaping project in West Fargo, the homeowners wanted an outdoor living space that would provide plenty of opportunities for their kids to have fun and make memories. The project, completed by Scenic Landscaping, Inc., offers multiple levels to create a dynamic design with endless opportunities for gatherings and enjoyment.
Boulders decorate the outer borders, tied together with a stacked retaining wall and concrete edging, built for a timeless style yet durable to stand the test of time. Dresser Trap rock is used throughout the landscaping for a low-maintenance design, keeping weeds at bay while tying in with the charcoal-colored
The 20-by-40-foot pool is the focal point of the entire project, adding a pop of blue to the warm neutrals of the patio. As the sun goes down, the smart lighting brings the pool and the rest of the space to life. Under the main deck is a place for seating and shade, including a TV to enjoy gamedays from the pool.
"One time we watched JAWS from the pool, and I turned the pool LEDs to red—and it's eerie as heck watching that movie while in a red pool," the homeowner laughed.
While a relatively expensive addition to outdoor spaces in the past, the rising demand for outdoor lighting solutions has made it more accessible and cost-friendly, providing an affordable way to add something unique to your outdoor space, especially at night.
"What we often try to do in projects is create little 'rooms' outside," Klefstad said. "Everybody thinks that the outside is one big space— instead, we like to break it down into the dining area, the fire pit area, and the lounge area—create different moments and sections."
Throughout the open spaces on the main patio, outdoor hightop tables, poolside lounge chairs, and a sectional set under the deck provide plenty of opportunities to enjoy the space and ample seating for large gatherings and gameday parties. Hung lighting under the deck also provides a warm, cozy ambiance for wine evenings.
As you walk up the stairs to the deck, you are greeted with matching furniture and an even more expansive view of the backyard and pond—plus an outdoor kitchen for cookouts.
Opposite the staircase, a raised gas-powered firepit and seating area create a breakaway point from the rest of the main area, while still being a part of the overall space.
The space, however, isn't just built for the summertime—the pool can be heated to any desired temperature, while the separate hot tub provides an even more relaxing experience. Additionally, with the mixture of summer-blooming plants and evergreens, the space remains lively throughout all seasons.
Although the project was completed over the course of three years in multiple phases, the final product feels complete, cohesive, with a timeless charm. "I think it turned out really great," Klefstad said. "From the pool to the outdoor kitchen and firepit, this project has a little bit of everything."
By Josiah Kopp
Photos by Josiah Kopp & Hebron Brick
For this West Fargo landscaping project, the homeowner wanted to add flow and privacy in their yard through gliding landscaping and lots of trees and vegetation. The sleek curves of the landscape edging give the whole outdoor space a seamless flow and make for easier mowing.
"When you incorporate curves like this, you're maximizing the overall usage of the site, because you don't need to have massive blocked-out sections for the planting area—you can curve around the plants," Hebron Brick Project Coordinator Josh Zeis said. "That way you're maximizing both the usable lawn space and the size of the planting beds."
Throughout this project, the landscaping is bordered with concrete edging, a bolder look that works great for larger yards, and aluminum edging, which creates ultraclean lines—a great option for smaller yards with limited space.
As you browse throughout the yard, you're greeted with a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers, giving endless life to the space. In addition to hardscaping, Hebron offers a full planting design for outdoor living spaces, giving clients a one-stop-shop for a full landscaping package.
One landscaping tip Hebron's team recommends to homeowners is selecting a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and plants that bloom in different seasons, offering beauty throughout the year, and giving your outdoor space a continuous charm.
"One of the biggest misconceptions we get from customers is that the plants we install in their project will require a lot of upkeep," Ben said. "On the contrary—almost all of the plants that we recommend are low-maintenance; we normally recommend perennials that grow back each year."
"Two trending plants to consider adding to your outdoor living space are Karl Foerster feather reed grass and Stella De Oro' daylilies, which we've been planting in many projects," Ben said.
"We recommend these native plants not only because they're beautiful but because they are hardy enough for the harsh winters."
Hebron also recommends other native plants like Sumac and Russian Sage, which are also found in this project.
"One of our main objectives with our designs is creating a space that looks better and better as it ages, not something that only looks good at the end of a project," Ben said. "These projects are living things and we want to see it grow and develop over time."
One major trend in the landscaping world in recent years is outdoor patios. Due to public gathering restrictions during the pandemic, homeowners began investing more in their personal gathering spaces, and the industry has since seen a rise in patios, firepits, and more. In this project, the stamped concrete of the patio extends to a firepit, offering endless opportunities for gatherings and enjoyable evenings under the stars.
Hebron also offers everything from natural stone pavers, porcelain pavers, concrete pavers, clay pavers, and more. "We really have the whole gambit of finishes to mix and match and make each site a bit more custom for each homeowner," Ben said.
Founded in 1904, Hebron Brick is North Dakota's oldest manufacturing company.
The front walkway of the home was in desperate need of some landscaping to help elevate the space and replace the pre-existing concrete walkway that was a slipping hazard in the winter. Hebron built up the walkway with Montana RockWorks natural stone slabs and plants to tie in the theme of the back yard with the front.
Landscaping projects in the Lakes area are unique as they involve extensive permitting, as construction in these areas requires compliance with various regulations. The Hebron Brick team handles these permits, thanks to strong relationships with all the watersheds in the lakes area. By adhering to watershed requirements, they create high-quality outdoor spaces that match the standards found in town.
Additionally, they implement mitigation measures, such as retaining walls, to significantly reduce runoff into the lakes. They also focus on grading and drainage to prevent waste from entering these lake systems.
One noteworthy feature of their projects as you see in this one is the use of natural stone steps integrated into the landscape, which creates a seamless transition between the lawn and built spaces. This approach avoids the traditional look of a staircase in the middle of the lawn and instead provides a more natural flow. "We aim to turn the entire yard into a functional, livable space, maximizing the use of the property and ensuring every square foot is accessible and enjoyable," Ben said.
Another trending addition to residential landscaping is raised planter beds, which provide both practical and visual benefits to outdoor spaces. Hebron can build planter beds out of a variety of materials, from cedar and tin to concrete 'timbers' as pictured in this project.
"Bringing the flower beds up makes them more accessible, especially if you don't want to always be on your hands and knees. It also allows you to place your flower beds wherever you want without breaking ground," Ben said.
Pergolas are another growing trend that Hebron offers in a variety of styles and materials, including HDPE recycled materials. Additionally, Hebron offers a full lineup of outdoor furniture from Berlin Gardens, which also come available in HDPE recycled materials.
By Josiah Kopp
Photos provided by Precision Lawn + Landscape
For this project near Park Rapids, MN, Precision Lawn & Landscape showcased its full range of services, from softscaping and hardscaping to irrigation, fencing, decking, and pergolas. The project also features outdoor lighting, another popular service Precision offers homeowners to bring their outdoor spaces to life.
As technology advances, outdoor lighting has become easier to install and maintain, making it an increasingly popular feature in landscaping projects. The integration of features like daylight sensors, timers, and Wi-Fi control allows homeowners to manage their landscape lighting from their phones, adjusting settings for specific areas and dimming lights as needed.
Additionally, other technological advancements are enhancing the convenience and efficiency of landscaping. "Many homeowners are opting for individual drip lines to each plant, which significantly reduces maintenance," Precision COO Brady Rinke said.
For this Fargo project, the homeowner requested a backyard design that provided privacy without resorting to traditional privacy fences. They also enjoy cooking out and gatherings in their backyard—a pergola with a fully-custom built outdoor kitchen was the perfect solution.
The project also features a brick oven, a popular request among clients looking for unique outdoor cooking options. "A brick oven is a significant investment and best suited for those who know they'll use it regularly," Rinke said. The pergola design was particularly notable, as it
wrapped around the oven's smokestacks and featured latticework. This lattice can be covered with fabric or sunscreen to increase UV protection, though in the current setup, these coverings were not installed.
The outdoor kitchen area was designed for versatility and included electrical outlets for appliances like a margarita machine. The space was further enhanced with carefully selected outdoor patio furniture to create a cohesive and functional outdoor living area. "It's a pretty awesome multi-use space," Rinke said.
As outdoor living becomes more popular, pergolas create inviting spaces for relaxation and entertainment, potentially increasing property value. They are relatively easy to install and maintain compared to other structures, making them a cost-effective way to enhance a backyard.
Pergolas also add a stylish architectural element and can be customized to fit various styles and functions, from providing partial shade to supporting climbing plants. This flexibility makes them a practical addition to outdoor spaces that enhances comfort and usability.
This project for Precision owner Skyler Akasons' own back yard is a landscaping dream. "The backyard features both a natural wood fire pit and a gas fire pit, allowing for flexibility depending on the desired atmosphere," Rinke said.
The area also includes a comprehensive outdoor kitchen with a refrigerator, sink, garbage disposal, full outlets, and complimentary outdoor lighting. "The pool and water feature were major focal points for the homeowner," Rinke said.
Due to neighborhood restrictions on fence size and height, the owner opted for a secure aluminum-style fence to ensure safety around the pool, in compliance with homeowner's insurance requirements. Additionally, trees behind the waterfall feature, help provide shade during the day.
The project also incorporates extensive landscape lighting, water features, and travertine stone pavers, creating an elaborate and luxurious outdoor space that showcases a blend of functionality and aesthetic appeal.
J. Alan Paul Photography
J. Alan Paul Photography
Hillary Ehlen
Precision Lawn & Landscape prides itself on being a one-stop shop for outdoor landscaping needs, acting as the general contractor for various projects. While they don't specialize in certain areas like pool installation or stamped concrete, they work closely with trusted subcontractors who handle those aspects. "We collaborate seamlessly to complete each project," Rinke said.
In this particular project, Precision focused on the hardscaping elements, installing an accent border wall and a soldier course around the pool area, with additional accent pieces along the pool's edge. The Precision team also pre-installed a gas line, anticipating the addition of a firepit. "The homeowners wanted a standalone firepit with chairs around it, so we prepared the space and completed the final grading," he said.
The project included building a retaining wall to create more flat space for the firepit area. The result is a well-integrated outdoor space that combines functional hardscaping with a natural, aesthetically pleasing design.
