A Contemporary family-focused Back Yard

By Carol Heffernan, Heffernan Landscape Design

Overall, it took the Heffernan Landscape crew of five about five weeks to complete this Kenilworth, Illinois-based project. The contractor brought in a large amount of garden mix (topsoil/leaf compost blend) to re-grade the lawn area. The lawn is bluegrass sod, and the plantings in this area include Pinus ayacahuite 'Forest Sky' (Mexican White Pine), Canadian Hemlocks, and Limelight Hydrangeas. Photos courtesy of Carol Heffernan, Heffernan Landscape Design

This rather smallish, suburban backyard that was populated by ratty, neglected shrubbery, and almost non-existent lawn, and the muddy, dark side yards were prone to flooding in the spring. The household includes two active young boys, with plenty of friends to add to the mix.

The homeowner's mandates were to include a fireplace with a sitting area, do something with the side yards that were eyesores, make the entrance into the yard welcoming, and reduce the impact of the play set that overwhelmed the center of the lawn. They also wanted to smarten up the existing deck with a pergola.

Prep for the area was removing existing worn shrubbery and flagstone, removing eight inches of soil for paved areas. All areas were hand excavated and planted, as the narrow passage between garage and neighbor's fence didn't allow for equipment egress.

The contractor poured concrete footing for stone columns, built column out of 8x16-inch concrete block, reinforced with rebar. They installed compacted #9 aggregate for the base of 24x24-inch bluestone set on a grid. Metal edging was installed around the perimeters to contain graded pea gravel around the bluestone. The pergola is rough-hewn cedar and the columns are veneered in Chilton limestone with bluestone caps. The plantings in this area include PG Hydrangeas on standards, Green Velvet Boxwood, Annabelle Hydrangeas, Chamaecyperis pisifera 'Golden Mop, assorted Hosta, Japanese Anemone, and Heuchera 'Plum Pudding'.

Upon completion, a pergola frames the view into the back yard.

Challenges

This Kenilworth, Illinois project was a bit of a challenge, as Heffernan Landscape Design had restrictions by the village. The lot was small by neighborhood standards and the house occupied a big footprint. No structure of any kind was allowed within six feet of the fence (including the tails on the pergola rafters). So the contractor had to redesign the pergola to attach to the house. They were able to just squeak by with impervious surface maximums, and had to keep the fireplace a minimum of 15 feet from any neighboring structure.

View of deck before. The contractor tore off all decking, railings and stairs. They removed all the shrubbery as well.

Heffernan kept only the foundation/skeleton of the original deck. The client wanted a pergola, and new composite flooring on the deck, and as such, the project morphed into a complete redo, with mortise and tenon railings, and a solid surround for the AC units. The units were behind the old yews, and the homeowners wanted to remove them and construct something to help deflect the motor noise. The contractor backed the custom railings and gates with solid cedar, and removed a clunky coach light next to the door, patched the cedar lap siding, and added line-voltage pendants from the ceiling of the cedar pergola.

Project Morphs Into Complete Redo

As the deck progressed, it morphed into a complete redo. The contractor added craftsman-style railings, new composite decking, a matching surround for the AC units, that was backed by solid cedar to reduce the sound when dining on the deck. They also ran conduit over the rafter of the pergola and installed light fixtures to illuminate the space in the evening. They limbed up an existing spruce, and left it for a background to the new plantings.

The old drywall limestone was repurposed and laid in a new rectilinear wall around the planting beds. The seat walls adjacent to the fireplace were mortared in place to Chilton limestone with bluestone caps, to coordinate with the existing drywall, and the new fireplace and bluestone patio. The contractor rebuilt the play set (with a climbing wall), around the tree in the corner, which enabled them to reclaim a large piece of lawn in the center of the yard.

They did not install an irrigation system. The company that put in the original system came in and relaid the lines and heads after Heffernan planted, after which they followed with the finish grading by hand, and the sod installation.

Before: The play set dominated this area, shaded by a Norway Maple, with worn grass and thin old yews.

After: A wide view of the same corner, and the rest of the yard. The contractor rebuilt the play set around the tree trunk, to maximize lawn space. In the foreground, the paved areas are transitions from the deck and side yard to the lawn and patio.

The Garden

The garden was along side the garage, in a very shady passageway. The contractor constructed a pergola attached to the house to funnel the view, and invite the visitor in. On the opposite side yard, where absolutely nothing could grow in a narrow, dark passage, they installed a putting green for the kids (and dad) that connects with the play set area. Having met all these requests, they were able to give the clients a multi-purpose yard for all ages to enjoy.