SIEVERT Residence

SIEVERT Residence Client: The SIEVERT Family, Oakville, Ontario Abstract: Project landscape architect. Design of garden attracting birds and butterflies; vertical garden structure; pond. Construction by the home owner and THE GREEN WAY. 1993/4. Description The client requested a pond with a patio for their odd-shaped rear yard. They already had an attached deck at the rear of the house, which they intended to keep. They also wanted an area to grow a few vegetables. In the analysis it was observed that the Sieverts were not able to utilize their full back yard due its narrowness at the immediate rear of the house and due to the odd-shaped and upward-sloping rear and wide side yard. AESTHETICS+DESIGN delivered seven conceptual sketches. (some of which may be displayed at a later date) In the final design, the upward-sloping rear yard corner was eliminated by cutting into the bank. Elevations at property lines were maintained with the introduction of a retaining wall. An oval pond was introduced into the newly created level plane accompanied by an attached patio with a large overhead lattice structure. The front portion of the side yard was naturalized to attract birds, the rear portion of the side yard was developed into a hummingbird and butterfly garden linking it with the patio and the pond. The warm South-wall was converted into a vegetable growing area. Enjoy.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION ...

The planting took place in the spring of 1994. This picture was taken in July of 1997. In the foreground on the left, the garden attracting birds; to the right, the South facing wall and the narrow, but productive vegetable garden.

... this UNDER CONSTRUCTION picture gives you a good view of the structure and the pond. The magnitude of the cut into the back can also be seen. Allan Blocks were used to build the retaining wall and the pond ... The pond was build almost like a pool, with a shallow and a deep end.

On the left, the beginning of the hummingbird and butterfly garden. The grass narrows, flanked by daylilies Hemerocallis, leading you around the Dwarf Alberta spruce Picea glauca 'Conica' and the weeping spruce Picea abies 'Inversa' (pendula) into the official back yard, rear of the house. Both spruces were transplanted from within the back yard to accommodate the new landscape plan.

The previous two B & W's were taken standing in the corner, however, due to the growth of the plant material, THIS SHOT had to be taken standing on top of the fence! The existing hemlock Tsuga canadensis was left untouched and has actually grown quite well. The other existing shrubs (as can barely be seen in the BEFORE) were transplanted to the other side of the yard and survived the shock very well.

This shot is taken from within the lattice structure showing the patio, the retaining wall, some covered by plant material, and the dense rear corner, at its original pre-construction grade.

... The Allan Blocks were utilized to build the pond. To the left, view of the second last course of block sitting on top of the pond liner. To the right, view of the completed pond sodded right up to the pond edge.

The block's versatility creates an intimacy between the pond and its edge, may it be grass or plant material. Water-loving plants were installed into the block's holes, allowing the plants to constantly keep their feet wet in behind the "break wall".

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most pictures were taken with a wide angle lens (covering 94 degrees)

the pictures were originally scanned at 100dpi, then reduced in file size in order to increase image generation on YOUR computer.

A wonderful design

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