Glenview Retreat
Glenview Retreat
This landscape renovation took place over several years and multiple phases. The original landscape was overrun by a thicket of buckthorn that encroached on the house. The first step was to remove the buckthorn and reclaim the west side yard, improve the drainage, and install a heated clay paver drive. The extensive border plantings are loaded with colorful perennials, hydrangea, and hibiscus that add color and texture from early spring throughout late fall. Bluestone walkways lead guests from the drive or street to the front entry flanked by seasonal containers. Once an open lawn, the back yard was converted into a private retreat for the family and now includes a pool, hot tub, pergola, fireplace, outdoor kitchen, garden shed, landscape lighting, and lush plantings. Site limitations paired with an intensive permit process posed several obstacles, but the design solution met the challenge. In lieu of a paved patio, an at-grade deck serves as the central element tying together all entertainment spaces and providing appropriate site drainage. The fireplace and pergola were constructed to compliment the architecture of the home, while the back yard planting scheme is packed with colorful plants to seamlessly tie into the border plantings installed years earlier.