In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Hardscapes Inc. converted a steep slope that separated a residence from a river to a tiered transition from upper yard to lower yard with retaining walls, a staircase, and a lower patio. The grade change they had to deal with is 11 to 12 vertical feet over a 30 to 40 foot area. Most materials came from Rosetta Hardscapes. Though non-operational, an old stone fireplace - a remnant of a historic homestead that once stood on the site - was retained as a focal point.

When the Small family purchased a 400-foot by 75-foot riverfront lot near Winnipeg, Manitoba, they knew they would eventually have to deal with the steep hill in the backyard that sloped down to the river.

"It was just wild and wooded," explained homeowner Rob Small. "I always had a concept that I wanted to do something tiered rather than keeping the slope."

The grade change from the back door of the house to the riverbank was 11 to 12 vertical feet over a 30 to 40 foot area.

"With this project, we were trying to create a way to traverse from the upper patio down to the riverbank area where we wanted to build a new patio to enjoy that part of the yard," said Small.

Completing the family's vision required three components: a tiered transition from upper yard to lower yard, a staircase, and the lower patio. Armed with sketches of his vision, Small worked closely with Hardscapes Inc., the same company that had built his upper patio several years before.

"What they really wanted was usable space in their yard," explained Doug Loeppky, owner of the landscape company. "With the bank, they really couldn't mow or maintain it, let alone use it. The question was: how do we make this space usable, and what product would work as the best solution so we won't have to come back and re-do it in a few years?"

In making the decision, Small and Loeppky took several matters into account. The upper patio included columns from Rosetta Hardscapes.

"We definitely wanted to tie the upper patio into the newer part of the yard," Small said.

In addition, he also wanted to incorporate a unique element into the lower patio: an old stone fireplace, which is a remnant of a historic homestead that once stood on the site. Though Small didn't intend to restore the fireplace to working condition, he wanted the chimney as a focal point, while creating space for a fire pit.

With those criteria in mind, Loeppky recommended using several of the hardscape manufacturer's other products, which complemented the texture and styling of the old stone chimney as well as the house.

The project was split into three main components and was completed in just 10 working days.

 

To create the three curved tiers, the project required 700 square feet of retaining walls built from the Outcropping collection with blocks ranging in size from 24 inches to 72 inches wide and from 6 inches to 24 inches tall.

The lower patio included a Belvedere fire pit kit and pavers from Barkman Concrete, a local manufacturer.

The hardscape manufacturer's Irregular Step collection, which has a natural stone texture that mimics the look of quarried stone steps, was chosen for the stairs. Grand Flagstone slabs were used for the walking paths between the stairs. The homeowner and contractor worked together to incorporate a putting green in between two of the tiers.

The Walls
"Given the height of the walls, I knew we didn't want to use anything that looked symmetrical and mechanical," Small explained.

They originally considered using the Belvedere collection, but instead chose the larger-scale Outcropping collection. "I didn't want to take any chances being here on a river bank."

By choosing a system that required no geogrid, Loeppky explained, "We eliminated having to remove trees because the excavation needed was not so intrusive into the existing slope. I estimated that if we had built a conventional wall with tiebacks our cost would have increased a minimum of 30 percent."

The Stairs and Walkways
"We liked the concept of a natural stone staircase between the different tiers," Small said. This led them to the Irregular Step Collection, which even though mimics the look of quarried stone, has consistent dimensions, making the steps easier to install and easier for pedestrians to walk on.

Between each set of stairs, Loeppky chose to use Grand Flagstone slabs to create walking paths.

The Lower Patio
Creating a space for the family to enjoy the river was a key goal of this project. With the historic chimney as a backdrop, the new patio included pavers from Barkman Concrete as well as a Belvedere fire pit kit.

The fire pit complemented the textures and colors of the other hardscape products in this landscape.

The fire pit ring, blocks, and caps arrived to the site on one pallet, resulting in efficient installation.

And in the end, Rob Small was extremely happy with his resulting back yard.

"It turned out beautifully," he enthused.