Back Yard Blend

from Pro Landscaper USA South March/April 2022

by SYNKD—Landscape design, build and maintain all on the same page

Sowing Seeds

Back Yard Blend

Different Landscape Styles Combine To Form Unique Lafayette Yard

Project Details:

Cost $63,000 | Build Time 3 – 4 weeks | Size 1,800 sq. ft.

Diversity is a unique feature of southern landscapes. Areas of the south are formal, modern, western, tropical, or even a combination of each. Landscapes can embody any of these themes, depending on the taste of the owner, community, designer and maintenance teams. No matter what style is chosen, each can still flow with the existing ecosystem. The crew who built a Louisiana back yard creatively wove several landscape styles together to build a sustainable, lasting outdoor space.

Edenscapes Landscape and Horticulture is a design, build and maintenance firm in Lafayette, Louisiana. They took on this project when a friend of the owner, Chap Gary, approached them with a simple request.

“The owners, John and Becky Williams, said, ‘We want to work with somebody that can take the time and put in the details. We want them to do what needs to be done, the right way,’” says Chap.

The team rose to the challenge. They focused on dozens of tiny details to build this unique space, beginning with pieces that aren’t even seen above ground.

“The final elevations of the land had not been done yet, so we had to determine elevations for drains,” says Chap. “Some looked like they were going to be sticking up out of the ground, some were going to be underground. We had to be sure that once the project and final grades were done, it all made sense.”

The yard’s focal point made the grading process lengthy. A central oak tree, which stands strong and tall, has deep roots snaking through the dirt, so Chap and his team had to work drains around the roots, instead of cutting them. They used a process called “air knifing,” which is when teams use a large compressor and air gun to blow out trenches in the soil, then fill those spaces with compost. With this, they avoid cutting any roots. Chap calls it an excellent solution for compacted soils, which you usually have under large oaks. They managed to establish a drainage system that wasn’t in place before.

Above ground, they laid rock features with thousands of small and colorful pebbles. The design is intended to look like a river, and rocks even spill out of the beds in some spots to mimic a river bed. They also laid thick slabs, each a different size and shape.

“The homeowner, Becky, didn’t want it to look too perfect,” says Chap. “The stones range from three to six inches thick, and we used irregularly shaped slabs for the walkways and 18-inch deep x 3–4-foot wide rectangular slabs for steps and landings. It was a pretty neat feature.”

There is a “spa deck” with a hot tub and fixtures and sculptures scattered in different locations for accent points. The yard is surrounded by a wooden fence that was designed by the landscape architect and installed by LA. Craftsmen, the general contractor who did the house remodel and built the fence and structures. In one section, panels all move in different directions, creating another unique focal point.

“The homeowners let us get distracted by the details. They wanted everything to be custom and wanted us to take the time to be sure it all worked together,” says Chap.

A separate landscape architecture firm made plans for the garden, then Chap and the local carpentry team worked to bring the bones of the plan to fruition. The homeowners also helped by picking out the accents and placing them throughout the yard. Chap and Becky spent lots of time at wholesaler stores, choosing the pieces that would bring the yard together.

“There were a lot of people working together,” says Chap. “It is neat, though, because you end up with this combination of things that no other yard will ever have. No other yard will ever be a combination of their tastes and mine, working together.”

It's a melting pot of ideas

The unique combination of ideas created a fusion of landscape trends that represent all types of southern landscaping. In just this project, there are timbers and structures to give a French countryside aesthetic. There are also metal elements that give a more industrial look. Then there is natural stone to create a cottage feel. Chap says this is one of the best parts of Lafayette. Each accent can be mixed in and still match the natural landscape already in place.

“Typically, as an artist, if something has a particular style, you’re trying to accentuate that style in the same way,” he says. “Because of where we live geographically, so many styles work together. It’s a unique challenge to make it work and not feel confusing, but it can be a great combination.”

The combination is sustainable as well. The gravel allows water to absorb into the ground instead of being forced into the drainage system. Native flowers attract bees and other insects, and there is a foundation for what will be an understory tree canopy. This will provide homes for birds and other wildlife.The homeowners also wanted a vegetable garden so they could eat from their yard. It took about three and a half weeks for the four-man crew to bring all these elements together, but now John and Becky can maintain the yard themselves.