For the Love of Cooking

The Clarkson’s house in Hall County, GA sits on a high bluff overlooking Lake Lanier. The lake side of the lot is steep, the front approach to the house is level. It is a two-story, contemporary style house, probably built in the 1980s. Additions have been made to it over time. The husband’s passion for […]

Brosche Before and After

Stone Entrance

We bought our house in Lumpkin County in 2015 (how time flies), and it had a perfectly serviceable front porch. I loved the open feeling of it, and the size was welcoming. However, as with many porches, (something we often rectify for clients) it had started to sink. As mentioned in previous blogs, if the […]

Stonework Adds Exceptional Curb Appeal

This client had just purchased a new home and really wanted to make a statement with the entrance – a way to make the home stand out in the neighborhood. And honestly, the curb appeal was – shall we say – somewhat lacking with a row of dumpy looking little shrubs and uneven patches of […]

Matching the Old and the New Masonry

Our clients’ beautiful country home needed some updating. They wanted us to create continuity between the house and the yard by covering the masonry wall attached to the side of the house. Since the wall was in perfect shape, just a little dirty, they asked us cover it with Oklahoma flagstone and replace an existing […]

Edge of Tomorrow

One very common design element in the field of landscaping is garden edging. This is something my clients are always asking me to do for their yard. Though I do think edging can be useful both visually and practically, there are some aspects of it that not every landscape artist will tell you about. As […]

Small Yard, Big Renovation

You’ve heard of tiny homes. You know, those itty bitty buildings that could pass as tree houses or a kid’s play place? They are small but efficient, a smart and simplified space that is thoughtfully arranged to include all the important stuff in one bite-sized unit. Well that’s what we make sometimes but the difference, […]

Coming to Grips with Gravel

Coming to Grips with Gravel: What it is and How it’s Used  I have a friend who has gotten herself into a tizzy about gravel. Really? As she sees it, gravel is everywhere – at home on the driveway and neighborhood roads, at work on walkways and by flowerbeds. It’s by culverts and drains, in […]

Secret Wall, Secret Garden

This past year we had a client in Sautee Nacoochee that had a failing wooden retaining wall supporting a cracked and failing driveway. The yard, however, was a beautiful array of mountain laurel and native North Georgia foliage. Our job was simple: tear down the current construction and replace it with a wall and driveway […]

From Mudslide to Tranquil Terrace

Who’s ready to talk about drainage issues again? What can I say, water is everywhere and can do major damage to a landscape without proper guidance. In our many years of working on people’s yards, drainage is almost always a part of the project. Builders often create beautiful houses without giving much thought to the […]

When the Student Becomes the Master Gardener

“Master Gardener” sounds like quite the level of prestige but my friend, Terrie Thamer, is as down to earth as it gets… literally. With a garden in Gainesville known for its wild perennials, wonderful textures, and sprouting vegetables, Terrie is an amazing gardener and ally to the environmental community. She has worn many hats in […]