Prairie Edge Stairway Project

Before: Slope along garage

This is an update on a project in Adel done earlier during the Spring rush.  I got a chance to visit the project today, snap a couple photos and visit with the client.


After their new garage was built, the homeowner was looking for  designs for a pleasant space to look upon from their deck as well as a way to get to the backyard.


Abundant Design's initial meandering natural pathway design was chosen to move forward with.  After a few tweaks to the plan, including a stone stairway they liked on Houzz, we began coordinating timing with the other contrators finishing the garage and concrete work.

Soon after, dirt work began with the stone retaining walls and stairway put in place. 

Incorporating native grasses and wildflowers provided a natural look and feel to the space, bringing in a piece of the prairie.  Local pollinators will appreciate the nectar of Blazingstar, Purple Coneflower, Coreopsis and more.

Native shrubs, like Aronia, stand out from the prairie plants providing Fall color.  They also have super nutritious, if not that tasty, berries.  The Serviceberry specimen plant will shade the deck in the future, bloom in the Spring and have better tasting berries than the aronia, similar to a blueberry with a hint of black cherry.


Planted and Mulched

After: Natural Stone Prairie Edge Stairway

 

The plants have had a chance to fill out a bit now, and although the blazingstar flowers were done, the coreopsis and coneflowers were still blooming.

I love customer feedback like this too!

Thanks to Beemer Landscaping for the assist on the stairway, and Blooming Prairie Nursery for many of the plants.