Gardening Gone Wrong: A Stockman Stoneworks Story

The first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem. And that's exactly what I had - a problem - a really big, overgrown problem!

In the beginning, I had dreams of creating this beautiful, winding garden space between the upper garage and the drive to the lower garage, that awkward space that's hard to mow, hard to landscape, and hard to imagine anything useful there. It was a very large space, so I had to fill it, right? Wrong! The more I tried to create, the less it looked like anything. So what I ended up with was a jungle. Even though it was full of beautiful plants and flowers that I really loved, I didn't really love the way it looked. 

So I took that first step and admitted I had a problem. I couldn't manage the space the way I had dreamed. It had become a space that I dreaded rather than dreamed of. So, I sought the help of a professional - a professional landscaper that is.

Stockman Stoneworks took my wishes and put them into reality by creating a space that was beautiful, functional, and easy to maintain. What I now call the "Sunset Patio" is a place where I can come home and relax, watch the kids in the backyard, read the newspaper, and entertain friends. The sunset patio has a winding path paved with natural flagstone that leads to a freeform paver patio large enough for chairs and a fire pit. The patio area helps to reduce the steep grade, making the area functional and accessible.

The flagstone path continues from the patio downward connecting the upper driveway to the lower driveway. To satisfy my gardening desire, three distinct flowerbeds were created; large enough to make an impact, small enough to manage. 

We were able to save a large Bald Cypress tree to provide some privacy and a row of spirea bushes along the retaining wall to provide a natural fence. And because I didn't have the heart to discard all the beautiful plants and flowers from the garden, I donated most of them to friends and family.

The sunset patio has become one of my favorite outdoor spaces - one that has fulfilled my dream of a beautiful, winding garden space. And one that only requires me to sit back and enjoy the way the outdoors were meant.