Nature lovers by heart, a couple invited us to transform the front of their house to allow access to the brook below. The challenge was to ensure that it looked as if the landscape existed prior to construction of the house. The design solution involved the deepening of a nearby pond to cost-effectively help generate the necessary fill.

An existing pond was cleaned and deepened during the winter months to help limit compaction of nearby wetland soil and plants.  Construction included an Agri Drain spillway and avoided a beaver house and dead snags. Dry-laid stone piers nearly 10' tall stop just above the waterline and appear to be native ledge. Below the waterline, fan-shaped stone stairs built into the piers allow grandchildren to swim, climb, jump and play.

2,000 cubic yards of fill was transported on timber mats and was used to reshape the land form below the house. Multiple meandering paths and stone stairs lead you from the house to the nearby stream. Boulders, screened loam, and an extensive plant list, developed by the client and Rugg Valley, complete the installation.