4 Days
Ashmore Neighborhood
$20,500
CREATING BEAUTY AND SOLVING EROSION PROBLEMS
We were asked to partially redesign this homeowner's backyard to both solve erosion problems and enhance the space. The tasks included filling in shaded areas with practical, shade-tolerant groundcover plants. In addition, we added two landscaping beds and designed and installed a back foundation to their pool's equipment corner.
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Our native Texas plant selection provided a lot of options when it came to their landscape design. We chose not just shade-tolerant plants, but ones that could help limit erosion in an erosion-prone environment. We applied weed fabric under hardwood mulch to the flowerbeds to prevent weeds and create a more finished look. Around the pool, we also planted Texas natives and adapted plants around the back equipment corner.
At the top of the yard against the house, we built a low chop stone retaining wall around an existing bed to stop it from washing into the lawn.
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We also repaired the lawn by removing the old turf and tilling the soil with Comand Compost, then re-sodding it with Raleigh St. Augustine grass.
The project plan shows the proposed bed layout and plant selections.
Shade-tolerant groundcover fills planting areas beside the existing backyard path.
Decorative river rock and curved edging define one of the redesigned backyard areas.
NATIVE PLANTS USED
At Back of Pool
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Mahonia “Leather Leaf”
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Salvia Mysty (Dwarf)
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Salvia Greggii Red
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Coreopsis “SuperStar”
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Skullcap “Purple”
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Catmint “Jr Walker”​
Along Fence Line
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Variegated Eleagnus
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Hawthorn “Pink Lady”
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Ajuga “Catlin’s Giant”
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Frogfruitt​
In Landscaping Beds
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Spirea “Double-Play Doozie”
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Yucca “Color Guard”
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Aucuba “Gold Dust”
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Sedge “Everillo Yellow”
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Yarrow “Yellow Milly Rock”
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Pachysandra
PROJECT CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
This yard was built on a low hill and sloped down toward a pond just beyond the property line, so erosion and drainage problems needed to be solved before other work could be done.
Deep shade also limited our plant options to varieties that perform well in low light.
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To solve these problems, we built two large landscaping beds, which we back-filled with decorative Texarkana river rock mulch. We bordered these with Benda Board flexible edging material to curb erosion and installed weed fabric beneath the mulch to prevent weeds.
For plants, we chose shade-tolerant native Texas plants, like Frogfruit. This also controlled erosion by covering bare soil on the side of the yard.
The completed redesign integrates a curved planting bed with the existing lawn, pool, and mature trees.
A low chop stone retaining wall keeps the existing foundation bed from washing into the lawn.
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
“We had a great experience with our Marshall Grain landscaping project. They designed a beautiful plan, were prompt and professional throughout the project, and kept the job site clean every day. The crew was hardworking, respectful, and clearly took pride in their work. We’re very happy with the results and would highly recommend them.”
