Gallery

Backyard Ecosystems & Integrated Edibles-
Landscape design packages incorporating aesthetically pleasing edibles with installation or for the DIY homeowner.

 

First rain captured and cleaned

Rain gardens retain and filter surface runoff to reduce contaminants entering our waterways.  Water drains over the next several hours and avoids becoming a breeding ground for pests.

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial Scale Projects

Colleges & Universities, Natural Playgrounds, Churches and Medical Facilities

 

Custom Garden Spaces & Planter Boxes

Keyhole Garden Beds



Steel Planters with Trellis

 

First bucket of kitchen scraps!

This composting system was made to compliment a backyard garden in West Des Moines for a family that wanted to reduce their environmental impact and provide a benefit to their garden.

 

 

 

 

  

Older Projects

 Western Hills Family Retreat

Before

Although still used, this firepit was overgrown and needed tidying up.  The soil was highly compacted, and weeds were the only thing growing in this area. The homeowner was tired of fighting the weeds and wanted something done. 
As the new fire pit and patio area, with planting plan developed, the decision was made to create a raised patio area and separate raised bed with a mini-orchard and forest garden.  Already avid gardeners, they really liked the concept.


For the full summary, more pictures and how it all went together follow this link:

http://abundantdesigniowa.blogspot.com/2015/09/western-hills-family-retreat.html

Vegetable Beds & Backyard Refresh-
A former Master Gardener's backyard perennial woodland had become overgrown and hard for the new homeowner to manage.  She did want some vegetable beds for fresh homegrown produce and, also to connect and open up the disconnected back yard.

An organic patterned vegetable garden was chosen and constructed using upcycled brick edging and mulched pathways.
The large perennial outcropping was removed and grass replaced for one continuous lawn area. 
Ground covers were thinned, a stepper path was put in to the compost bins and hammock area.  Hardwood mulch was added to all perennial areas and flower beds.

The full summary with more pictures can be found here:

http://abundantdesigniowa.blogspot.com/2015/06/refreshing-overgrown-backyard.html

Waveland Backyard Makeover-

Before

After a garage project the backyard space was a patch of bare dirt. A ninety square foot expansion was built onto the existing slab patio using reclaimed flagstone.  A double brick border sectioned off a mulched play area, and existing plants were mulched.  They already had a small garden, composters and a rain barrel, but were interested in perennials. Terraced raised beds were installed to minimize erosion and allow easy access to their new raspberries and strawberries.


The full summary and more pictures can be found here:

http://abundantdesigniowa.blogspot.com/2014/11/backyard-makeover.html 

  

 

I built this natural stone retaining wall & tree rings South of Grand Avenue when I was fresh out of college working for Heard Gardens, Ltd. 

I built a lot of stone walls that summer for them, as well as other styles of retaining walls, flagstone and brick patios, tree plantings and perennial flower bed installations.

My crew even planted several trees at the Brenton Arboretum in Dallas Center and Meredith's green space at the West end of Grand & Locust Avenues in downtown Des Moines.

This retaining wall was a rebuild of an existing wall that was showing the effects of time.  We tore down the remaining stones, fixed the slumping hill behind, provided drainage to move water away from the back of the wall reducing the pressure on it, and rebuilt it using the existing stones.  This was my first freelance project and followed it up the next year by doing the upper retaining wall, including a short stairway in the middle.

Large amounts of water flowed down the hill behind this Urbandale home during heavy rains.  This runoff caused flooding in the basement and the homeowner needed a solution.  The dry streambed was suggested as the perfect mix of practicality and aesthetics. 

A channel was dug that moved the water to the side of her home where it continued harmlessly down the hill.  River rock was used to fill the channel, giving it a natural look and resistance to erosion.  Larger boulders and ornamental grasses provided visual interest.


More Project Summaries Coming!
I will be uploading more photos of projects as I can, for now you can see a few more on Facebook, Houzz or in the products and services pages


See also my Videos Page