Project Spotlight - Woods at Riverside Village Residence

This Woods at Riverside Village Residence had a typical “builder special” landscape patio that was too small to hold your typical patio furniture.

My clients we looking for more additional patio area, and shade in the back yard and also wanted to incorporate a hot tub and a fire pit area. We initially came up with 4 concept plans for the yard.


Landscape Master Plan (2008)

Concept #1 – Key Points
• An outdoor fireplace acting as the focal point for the back yard
• New and expanded concrete patio
• Raised Trex Deck for hot tub with screen fence for privacy
• Timber shade structure with stone base for shade by new outdoor fireplace
• Flagstone stepping stone path to connect front and back yard

Concept #2 – Key Points
• A New raised Trex deck to be level with Threshold of residence
• Spa built into deck with screen wall for privacy
• Timber shade Structure with stone base to add shade to Deck and spa area
• Lower concrete patio with fire pit and seat wall

Concept #3 – Key Points
• Linear fire pit with trellis
• Large concrete patio with built in spa
• Private fire pit patio

Concept #4 – Key Points
• New curved Trex deck with Built in spa
• Lower curved patio with seatwall and solid roof shade structure
• Path to fire pit area
• Secluded fire pit patio with seatwall
• Flagstone path connecting front and back yards

 After presenting the 4 concepts to our client, they gravitated towards concept #4, but they also like elements from the other concepts. The final concept was designed and approved


Final Concept– Key Points
• Curved Trex Deck with Hotsprings Spa with Spa Stone Surround
• Timber Shade Structure with cultured stone base
• CMU seatwall with cultured stone and concrete cap
• Arizona Falgstone path
• Fire pit
 The client loved the final concept and we went on to our next step, construction documents.

• Materials Plan – to illustrate, note and detail all hardscape items like, composite deck, shade structure, concrete patio, flagstone path…..

• Planting Plan – to illustrate all plant material proposed for the project

Now that all the drawing was done, it was time to get bids from All Wet Landscape and Sterling Landscape. After reviewing the bids, the client decided to go with Sterling Landscape.

The first step of construction was to remove the grass in the back yard and dig for the footings for the seatwall, shade structure and curved deck. The base was then prepped for the Concrete patio, flagstone paths and the concrete slab for the spa.

Arizona Flagstone was then installed with saw cut edge and joints for a more finished look. Concrete was then poured for the circular patio and spa base. CMU blocks were added to make the foundation of the seatwall. Cultured stone was then added to give the wall a finished look.

The next step was to set the spa and start framing for the curved Trex deck. The Trex decking was then added and the posts and beams were installed for the timber shade structure. At the same time plants and bark were being installed. Concrete caps were then added to the seatwalls and the overhead members were added to the shade structure. Color was then added to the concrete patio and caps.

With the project complete (minus some additional plantings that the Home owner was planning on doing later), I feel this back yard was transformed for a plain/boring and hot builder special (small patio and Grass) to an exciting back yard adult entertainment area. A special thanks to Sterling Landscape, Boon LLC and Alison Concrete by Design for making this project looks so good!

Here is a sneak peek at the project we will highlight in our Fall issue …..