 Springbrook Nature Center After Gardens of Rice Creek did a "complete makeover", Fall of '07. |
 Springbrook Nature Center Before the new landscaping. |
 Gardens of Rice Creek created this magical viewing garden in the Courtyard of the Anoka County Library in Fridley, Spring of '08. |
 Courtyard Before view. It took lots of work and imagination erase this barren courtyard. |
 Once the Courtyard at the Library was done, the outside perimeter had its turn. This is After Gardens of Rice Creek removed trees that hid the building and added others that brought out the features of the unusual building. |
 Angular rocks echoed the angular lines of the building. Sitting rocks in a reading circle, and this singular one invite outdoor reading. |
 Before the makeover the building was cold and industrial looking, or hidden behind overgrown trees. Many generous groups and individuals came together and contributed time and treasure to make Fridley's Library a happy place. |
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 An abandoned swimming pool, enclosed by a high board fence composed the whole visible rear yard of this spacious Edina home on 1 1/3 acres. We tore out the pool sides, surrounding concrete and fence, and regraded the site to create a viewing island with a grassed waterway to bring rainwater away from the home. |
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 Only 3 weeks after we started we had planted these special garden bonsai trees, mulched the island with crushed limestone and planted sod. In addition, we planted hundreds of native trees and shrubs for privacy, which replaced the invasive buckthorn and weed trees we removed. |
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 Now the view from the back windows sweeps over the lawn and island, up the hill planted with flowering Magnolias and Juneberry to the oak forest at the summit. This year we are looking forward to completing the front of the home. We carefully eradicated the forest of buckthorns from there last summer without disturbing the existing oaks. Now we will plant more native flowering trees, Magnolias and groundcovers to complete this beautiful, low maintenance landscape. |
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 After one year, a newborn fawn rests contentedly beneath a dwarf pine tree on the rocky island bed. |
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 A Plant Collector's garden had gotten out of hand. Hundreds of precious wildflowers--even a yellow Ladyslipper--were overrun by weeds, and she almost felt like abandoning her beloved garden. Fortunately she called on us. We rescued every one of her garden treasures, redesigned the garden and replanted them in an orderly way. Notice how the recycled Lamium 'White Nancy' nicely softened the new waterfall? Now she comes home from her teaching job, sits on the deck with a glass of her own home-grown herbal tea and enjoys perfect contentment. |
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 BEFORE: Steep hillsides of sandy soil--nearly perpendicular in places-- formed the entrance to this lakeside home. The homeowners called us after the rocks were placed, concerned that erosion would work them loose, along with the soil. |
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 AFTER THREE MONTHS: Tough, spreading perennials, creeping shrubs and trees are beginning to clothe the hillsides. To create privacy we planted tall narrow evergreens at the tops of the slopes. Mid-size shrubs at the end of the car park prevents drive-offs. A colorful rose bed welcomes visitors at the top of the stairs. |
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 AFTER ONE YEAR: A hardy lavender hedge surrounding a rose bed welcomes visitors, and a pair of Dwarf Lilacs on standards guides them to the sunken entrance garden. Creeping evergreens, Birch trees and flowering groundcovers have naturalized, securing the once barren slopes. |
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 AFTER ONE YEAR: Creeping evergreens, Birch trees and flowering groundcovers have naturalized, securing the once barren slopes. |
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 A terraced garden faced a beautiful view, but lilacs had squeezed in from the right side of this picture, narrowing the yard. We removed the lilacs and built a privacy fence, with neighborly lattice gates, to match the other side. After that, we reshaped the soil and brought in large boulders. |
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 Only 6 weeks later the cliffs are in place, steps and ramps descend the terraces and sod is laid. Note the aged Weeping White Pine was undamaged by the construction. This spring, the watercourse in the foreground will connect a pool and waterfall. |
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 The Peace Garden at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis is our most visited landscape project. In this photo from 1985, the main cliff and the sweeping walkway are just becoming visible. Built on the site of and with the boulders from a rock garden from the 1920's, it has been completely re-imagined and is much more extensive. |
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 Another view of the Peace Garden from 2006 shows the growth of the conifers in the garden and the enthusiastic appreciation of some of its many visitors. We are most grateful to the Minneapolis Park Board for the opportunity to create this garden over many years. |
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 BEFORE: Huge, overgrown Lilac bushes hid this home almost entirely from the street. |
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 AFTER: Clearing away the excess vegetation revealed a large, interesting home with a commanding view of the Lake. We Planted a full-grown Juneberry tree by the driveway entrance and a group of Crabapple trees across the front to return a degree of separation from the street without overwhelming the building. Massed Hydrangeas and roses bring color to the house and an arch of low evergreens divides the lawn. |
Springbrook Nature Center After Gardens of Rice Creek did a "complete makeover", Fall of '07.
Springbrook Nature Center Before the new landscaping.
Gardens of Rice Creek created this magical viewing garden in the Courtyard of the Anoka County Library in Fridley, Spring of '08.
Courtyard Before view. It took lots of work and imagination erase this barren courtyard.
Once the Courtyard at the Library was done, the outside perimeter had its turn. This is After Gardens of Rice Creek removed trees that hid the building and added others that brought out the features of the unusual building.
Angular rocks echoed the angular lines of the building. Sitting rocks in a reading circle, and this singular one invite outdoor reading.
Before the makeover the building was cold and industrial looking, or hidden behind overgrown trees. Many generous groups and individuals came together and contributed time and treasure to make Fridley's Library a happy place.
An abandoned swimming pool, enclosed by a high board fence composed the whole visible rear yard of this spacious Edina home on 1 1/3 acres. We tore out the pool sides, surrounding concrete and fence, and regraded the site to create a viewing island with a grassed waterway to bring rainwater away from the home.
Only 3 weeks after we started we had planted these special garden bonsai trees, mulched the island with crushed limestone and planted sod. In addition, we planted hundreds of native trees and shrubs for privacy, which replaced the invasive buckthorn and weed trees we removed.
Now the view from the back windows sweeps over the lawn and island, up the hill planted with flowering Magnolias and Juneberry to the oak forest at the summit. This year we are looking forward to completing the front of the home. We carefully eradicated the forest of buckthorns from there last summer without disturbing the existing oaks. Now we will plant more native flowering trees, Magnolias and groundcovers to complete this beautiful, low maintenance landscape.
After one year, a newborn fawn rests contentedly beneath a dwarf pine tree on the rocky island bed.
A Plant Collector's garden had gotten out of hand. Hundreds of precious wildflowers--even a yellow Ladyslipper--were overrun by weeds, and she almost felt like abandoning her beloved garden. Fortunately she called on us. We rescued every one of her garden treasures, redesigned the garden and replanted them in an orderly way. Notice how the recycled Lamium 'White Nancy' nicely softened the new waterfall? Now she comes home from her teaching job, sits on the deck with a glass of her own home-grown herbal tea and enjoys perfect contentment.
BEFORE: Steep hillsides of sandy soil--nearly perpendicular in places-- formed the entrance to this lakeside home. The homeowners called us after the rocks were placed, concerned that erosion would work them loose, along with the soil.
AFTER THREE MONTHS: Tough, spreading perennials, creeping shrubs and trees are beginning to clothe the hillsides. To create privacy we planted tall narrow evergreens at the tops of the slopes. Mid-size shrubs at the end of the car park prevents drive-offs. A colorful rose bed welcomes visitors at the top of the stairs.
AFTER ONE YEAR: A hardy lavender hedge surrounding a rose bed welcomes visitors, and a pair of Dwarf Lilacs on standards guides them to the sunken entrance garden. Creeping evergreens, Birch trees and flowering groundcovers have naturalized, securing the once barren slopes.
AFTER ONE YEAR: Creeping evergreens, Birch trees and flowering groundcovers have naturalized, securing the once barren slopes.
A terraced garden faced a beautiful view, but lilacs had squeezed in from the right side of this picture, narrowing the yard. We removed the lilacs and built a privacy fence, with neighborly lattice gates, to match the other side. After that, we reshaped the soil and brought in large boulders.
Only 6 weeks later the cliffs are in place, steps and ramps descend the terraces and sod is laid. Note the aged Weeping White Pine was undamaged by the construction. This spring, the watercourse in the foreground will connect a pool and waterfall.
The Peace Garden at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis is our most visited landscape project. In this photo from 1985, the main cliff and the sweeping walkway are just becoming visible. Built on the site of and with the boulders from a rock garden from the 1920's, it has been completely re-imagined and is much more extensive.
Another view of the Peace Garden from 2006 shows the growth of the conifers in the garden and the enthusiastic appreciation of some of its many visitors. We are most grateful to the Minneapolis Park Board for the opportunity to create this garden over many years.
BEFORE: Huge, overgrown Lilac bushes hid this home almost entirely from the street.
AFTER: Clearing away the excess vegetation revealed a large, interesting home with a commanding view of the Lake. We Planted a full-grown Juneberry tree by the driveway entrance and a group of Crabapple trees across the front to return a degree of separation from the street without overwhelming the building. Massed Hydrangeas and roses bring color to the house and an arch of low evergreens divides the lawn.