APLD Members ~ Member of the Month
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Debra Ensteness, APLD
March - 2005
Viewing before and after photos of a landscape renovation gives
one a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Yet photos will never
provide the nuances that can be experienced only when that site
is viewed in person. Design is in the details. Whether the landscape
designer is developing a plan for a rambler in the suburbs or
an estate on historic acreage the many vignettes within a landscape
plan are the details that create its personality, which reflect
the owner. Thoughtful planning and proper implementation add value
to the property and are available to all homeowners. 
Involving
a professional landscape designer is a cost effective way of accomplishing
the process successfully. The accompanying photos will give you
only a glimpse at the beautiful landscape renovation that took
place at the Williams' residence through much hard work by the
owners.
The objectives of this plan:
- Redesign the entrance walk which is welcoming and comfortable, include lighting for safety and security as well as to provide clarity leading to the entrance of the home.
- Create an entrance garden that provides color, fragrance and requires minimal maintenance; when possible use existing plant materials and supplement as necessary.
- Renovate the foundation planting with shade tolerant plant materials, retaining existing plant materials when possible.
Meeting the objectives:
The
existing 3' wide L-shaped concrete entrance walk was too narrow
for two people to walk abreast. It was removed and replaced
with a 4.5' curved path of interlocking pavers. The increased
width of this walk makes it easy for two people to make the
entrance side by side instead of single file while the curve
adds visual appeal. Interlocking pavers bring textural warmth
and require no out of the ordinary maintenance even here in
the North where ice and snow reign during the winter months.
The old light post located at the beginning of the entrance walk was replaced with a new fixture and a second was added further along the walk at its curve for safety as well as ambiance.
Although
small, the charming garden created with the fence corner as
its backdrop at the beginning of the entrance walk includes
fragrance and is full of color from the long-blooming Rosa 'Chuckles'
('Chuckles' Hardy Shrub Rose), Coreopsis Verticillata 'Moonbeam'
('Moonbeam' Coreopsis), and old reliable Clematis 'Jackmanii'.
Spiraea x 'Goldmound' (Goldmound Spirea) interjects bright foliage
throughout the growing season, while Calamagrostis x acutiflora
'Karl Foerster' (Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass) provides
interest beginning with grassy green clumps in late spring and
extends its show with flower seed heads in fall that remain
well into winter. A few evergreen materials were also used to
provide additional winter interest. All of the plant materials
used are completely winter hardy in zone 4 and require only
minimal pruning in early spring.
Two mature blue spruces dominated the front foundation. Though
beautiful specimens, as foundation materials they missed the
mark. Once removed the architecture of the home could be better
appreciated and the homeowners were prompted to change the exterior
color, which created a whole new feeling with a much more welcoming
appearance. New plant materials added included two masses of
Viburnum 'opulus'. Picea pungens 'procumbens' (Procumbens Spruce)
and Picea abies 'Acrocona' (Acrocona Spruce) were used for focal
points. Geranium sanguineum 'New Hampshire Purple' (New Hampshire
Purple Cranesbill), Viburnum trilobum 'Wentworth' (Wentworth
Viburnum in tree form) and Diervilla lonicera (Dwarf Bush Honeysuckle)
were selected for their texture and multi-season interest. Two
existing dwarf mugho pines were retained along with some variegated
hostas, which picked up the white of the viburnum blooms making
a standout combination.
Debra Ensteness owns landscapes by dae in West St. Paul, Minnesota. She holds a certificate in landscape design and horticulture from Dakota County Technical College, 1993. Debra has been a Minnesota Certified Nursery and Landscape Professional since 1993 and was certified by the Association of Professional Landscape Designers in 1994. She works in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and Suburbs designing outdoor living spaces that blend the needs of the client with the demands of the site, always working to provide the necessary balance of quality, quantity and cost.
Certified Members seeking to be profiled should send before and after photos with SHORT design intent statement to:
Bethany Dennis
APLD Communications Manager
Email: communications@apld.org
Phone: 717-238-9780
* PHOTOS SHOULD BE CLEAR COLOR PRINTS OR JPEG COMPRESSED FILES